Licorice vs RAL 850-6 paint color comparison

Licorice vs RAL 850-6

LicoricePPGvsRAL 850-6RAL EffectΔE 2.1Subtle difference

Licorice is a PPG color while RAL 850-6 comes from RAL Effect. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. With LRVs of 7 and 7, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 2.1, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Licorice vs RAL 850-6 in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Licorice and RAL 850-6 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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

LicoriceA mid century living room painted in Licorice

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-6RAL Effect 850-6 living room

@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 two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

LicoriceA art deco bedroom painted in Licorice

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-6RAL Effect 850-6 bedroom

@visualization

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

LicoriceLicorice — earthy bathroom

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-6RAL Effect 850-6 minimalist bathroom

@visualization

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

LicoriceLicorice color — modern luxury house inspiration

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-6RAL Effect 850-6 victorian house interior

@visualization

Color Details

Licorice
PPG · PPG1009-7
LRV7.0
BrandPPG
NumberPPG1009-7
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
RAL 850-6
RAL Effect · RAL 850-6
LRV7.3
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 850-6
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark

Licorice vs RAL 850-6 Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Licorice on one side and RAL 850-6 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 Licorice comparisons

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

Ammonite
Licorice
Ammonite
Licorice
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 69 vs 7, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.

White Dove
Licorice
White Dove
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Iron Ore
Licorice
Iron Ore
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Purbeck Stone
Licorice
Purbeck Stone
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Licorice
Evergreen Fog
Licorice
Evergreen Fog
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.

Mizzle
Licorice
Mizzle
Licorice
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Agreeable Gray
Licorice
Agreeable Gray
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Licorice
Accessible Beige
Licorice
Accessible Beige
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Denim Drift
Licorice
Denim Drift
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

French Gray
Licorice
French Gray
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Licorice
Naval
Licorice
Naval
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.

Tranquil Dawn
Licorice
Tranquil Dawn
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Bancha
Licorice
Bancha
Licorice
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Hardwick White
Licorice
Hardwick White
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Pure White
Licorice
Pure White
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.

Licorice
Artichoke
Licorice
Artichoke
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

At LRV 21 vs 7, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.

Balboa Mist
Licorice
Balboa Mist
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Shoji White
Licorice
Shoji White
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Snowbound
Licorice
Snowbound
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Pigeon
Licorice
Pigeon
Licorice
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 51
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 51 vs 7, Pigeon is decisively the brighter choice.

Licorice
Pewter Green
Licorice
Pewter Green
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Duck Green
Licorice
Duck Green
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Skimming Stone
Licorice
Skimming Stone
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Dix Blue
Licorice
Dix Blue
Licorice
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

At LRV 41 vs 7, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.

Hicks' Blue
Licorice
Hicks' Blue
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Hicks' Blue vs Licorice

Slaked Lime Deep
Licorice
Slaked Lime Deep
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Slaked Lime Deep vs Licorice

Vintage Vogue
Licorice
Vintage Vogue
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Livid
Licorice
Livid
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Livid vs Licorice

Saybrook Sage
Licorice
Saybrook Sage
Licorice
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7

Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Licorice encloses it.

Licorice
Pale Green
Licorice
Pale Green
PPG
Licorice
PPG1009-7 · LRV 7
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.