Vardo vs RAL 690-3

VardoFarrow & BallvsRAL 690-3RAL EffectΔE 9.6Noticeable difference

Vardo is a Farrow & Ball color while RAL 690-3 comes from RAL Effect. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. At LRV 15 vs 11, Vardo will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 9.6, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Vardo vs RAL 690-3 in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Vardo and RAL 690-3 are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.

Living Room

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Vardo has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.

VardoFarrow and Ball Vardo living room accent wall

@browns_at_no_43

RAL 690-3RAL Effect 690-3 living room interior

@visualization

Bedroom

Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — Vardo gives the walls a little more lift.

VardoVardo bedroom accent wall

@growing_greenfields

RAL 690-3RAL Effect 690-3 bedroom

@visualization

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — Vardo gives the walls a little more lift.

VardoVardo bathroom picture

@heathlane_restoration

RAL 690-3RAL Effect 690-3 bathroom

@visualization

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The brightness difference is modest but present — Vardo gives the walls a little more lift.

VardoVardo kitchen cabinets paint review

@londontrowel

RAL 690-3RAL Effect 690-3 kitchen cabinets

@visualization

Color Details

Vardo
Farrow & Ball · 288
Hex#427e83
LRV15.3
BrandFarrow & Ball
Number288
Undertone
TemperatureCool
BrightnessDark
RAL 690-3
RAL Effect · RAL 690-3
Hex#00838E
LRV11.2
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 690-3
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Vardo vs RAL 690-3 Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Vardo on one side and RAL 690-3 on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.

More Vardo comparisons

See how Vardo stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Vardo
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Vardo
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
Vardo
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

Vardo reads slightly lighter

Purbeck Stone
Vardo
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Vardo
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Vardo
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Vardo
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Vardo
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Vardo
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads slightly lighter

French Gray
Vardo
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Vardo
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Vardo reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Vardo
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Vardo
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Nearly identical in tone

Hardwick White
Vardo
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Vardo
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Vardo
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
Vardo
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Vardo
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Vardo
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Vardo
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Vardo reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Vardo
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Vardo
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Vardo
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Vardo
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads slightly lighter

Vintage Vogue
Vardo
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vardo reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Vardo
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Vardo
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Vardo
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Vardo reads slightly lighter

Cement grey
Vardo
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads slightly lighter

Guilford Green
Vardo
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Vardo vs RAL 690-3 Paint Color Comparison