RAL 180-6 vs Carefree
RAL 180-6 (RAL Effect) and Carefree (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 78 vs 79 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 1.1 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 180-6 vs Carefree in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. RAL 180-6 and Carefree 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
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
RAL 180-6 vs Carefree Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 180-6 on one side and Carefree 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 180-6 comparisons
See how RAL 180-6 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 78), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 78 vs 52, RAL 180-6 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 78 vs 30, RAL 180-6 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 78 vs 60, RAL 180-6 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 78 vs 43, RAL 180-6 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (84 vs 78) makes Pure White the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 66), opening up a space where Balboa Mist encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reads slightly lighter (LRV 78 vs 74), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reads slightly lighter (LRV 78 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
RAL 180-6 reflects far more light (LRV 78 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 78 vs 31, RAL 180-6 is decisively the brighter choice.