RAL 120-M vs RAL 850-4

RAL 120-MRAL EffectvsRAL 850-4RAL EffectΔE 1.4Subtle difference

Both are RAL Effect colors. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. With LRVs of 27 and 27, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 1.4, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

RAL 120-M vs RAL 850-4 in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. RAL 120-M and RAL 850-4 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.

RAL 120-MRAL Effect 120-M living room interior

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RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 living room

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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.

RAL 120-MRAL Effect 120-M bedroom

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RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 bedroom

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Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RAL 120-MRAL Effect 120-M kitchen painted backsplash

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RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 kitchen painted backsplash

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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.

RAL 120-MRAL Effect 120-M bathroom

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RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 minimalist bathroom

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Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RAL 120-MRAL Effect 120-M kitchen cabinets

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RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 kitchen cabinets

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Color Details

RAL 120-M
RAL Effect · RAL 120-M
Hex#8F8D87
LRV26.8
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 120-M
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
RAL 850-4
RAL Effect · RAL 850-4
Hex#918D85
LRV26.9
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 850-4
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium

RAL 120-M vs RAL 850-4 Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 120-M on one side and RAL 850-4 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 RAL 120-M comparisons

See how RAL 120-M stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
RAL 120-M
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
RAL 120-M
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Iron Ore
RAL 120-M
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Purbeck Stone
RAL 120-M
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
RAL 120-M
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter

Mizzle
RAL 120-M
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
RAL 120-M
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
RAL 120-M
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
RAL 120-M
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Nearly identical in tone

French Gray
RAL 120-M
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray reads noticeably lighter

Naval
RAL 120-M
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
RAL 120-M
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
RAL 120-M
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Hardwick White
RAL 120-M
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White reads noticeably lighter

Pure White
RAL 120-M
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
RAL 120-M
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

RAL 120-M reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
RAL 120-M
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
RAL 120-M
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
RAL 120-M
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
RAL 120-M
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Skimming Stone
RAL 120-M
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
RAL 120-M
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue reads noticeably lighter

Calamine
RAL 120-M
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
RAL 120-M
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Nearly identical in tone

Vintage Vogue
RAL 120-M
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Saybrook Sage
RAL 120-M
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
RAL 120-M
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter

Pine Needle
RAL 120-M
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

RAL 120-M reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
RAL 120-M
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Nearly identical in tone

Guilford Green
RAL 120-M
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice