RAL 180-1 vs Gateway Gray
RAL 180-1 (RAL Effect) and Gateway Gray (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. RAL 180-1 reads as blue, while Gateway Gray reads as greige-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 7-point LRV gap — 49 for RAL 180-1 vs 41 for Gateway Gray — means RAL 180-1 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 16.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 180-1 vs Gateway Gray in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 180-1 and Gateway Gray 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. RAL 180-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 180-1 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 180-1 vs Gateway Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 180-1 on one side and Gateway Gray 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 180-1 comparisons
See how RAL 180-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
