RAL 140-5 vs French Vanilla
RAL 140-5 is a RAL Effect color while French Vanilla comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both beiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige to land. At LRV 83 vs 80, French Vanilla will read as the brighter of the two — a 3-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 3.1, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 140-5 vs French Vanilla in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. RAL 140-5 and French Vanilla 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. French Vanilla has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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 — French Vanilla gives the walls a little more lift.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The brightness difference is modest but present — French Vanilla gives the walls a little more lift.
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 — French Vanilla gives the walls a little more lift.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — French Vanilla gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
RAL 140-5 vs French Vanilla Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 140-5 on one side and French Vanilla 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 RAL 140-5 comparisons
See how RAL 140-5 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 3-point LRV gap (83 vs 80) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 140-5 reflects far more light (LRV 80 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 140-5 reflects far more light (LRV 80 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 140-5 reflects far more light (LRV 80 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 80 vs 58, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 80 vs 27, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 140-5 reflects far more light (LRV 80 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 80 vs 55, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 80 vs 44, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 80), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 80 vs 66, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (80 vs 74) makes RAL 140-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 80 vs 12, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 80 vs 8, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (80 vs 68) makes RAL 140-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 80 vs 12, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 80 vs 45, RAL 140-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 140-5 reflects far more light (LRV 80 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.