RAL 160-M vs Ash Violet
RAL 160-M (RAL Effect) and Ash Violet (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 160-M belongs to the grey family and Ash Violet to the grey-purple family. The 6-point LRV gap — 40 for RAL 160-M vs 34 for Ash Violet — means RAL 160-M will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.1 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 160-M vs Ash Violet in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. RAL 160-M and Ash Violet 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.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. RAL 160-M has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. RAL 160-M has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. RAL 160-M has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 160-M vs Ash Violet Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 160-M on one side and Ash Violet 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 160-M comparisons
See how RAL 160-M stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 40, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 160-M reads slightly lighter (LRV 40 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 40), opening up a space where RAL 160-M encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 40, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 27, RAL 160-M is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 40), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 40, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (44 vs 40) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 40), opening up a space where RAL 160-M encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 40, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 40, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 12, RAL 160-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 8, RAL 160-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 40, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 40 vs 12, RAL 160-M is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (45 vs 40) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 160-M reads slightly lighter (LRV 40 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.