Lamp Black vs RAL 790-1
Where Lamp Black belongs to Little Greene's range, RAL 790-1 is a RAL Effect color. Lamp Black reads as grey, while RAL 790-1 reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. RAL 790-1 (LRV 6) reflects noticeably more light than Lamp Black (LRV 3), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 12.1, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Lamp Black vs RAL 790-1 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Lamp Black and RAL 790-1 in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 790-1 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 790-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 790-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 790-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Lamp Black vs RAL 790-1 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Lamp Black on one side and RAL 790-1 on the other.
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 Lamp Black comparisons
See how Lamp Black stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
