RAL 180-M vs Interesting Aqua
RAL 180-M (RAL Effect) and Interesting Aqua (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. The 5-point LRV gap — 41 for Interesting Aqua vs 35 for RAL 180-M — means Interesting Aqua will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.4 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 180-M vs Interesting Aqua in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. RAL 180-M and Interesting Aqua 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. Interesting Aqua reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Interesting Aqua 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. Interesting Aqua has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Interesting Aqua has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 180-M vs Interesting Aqua Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 180-M on one side and Interesting Aqua 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-M comparisons
See how RAL 180-M stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 35, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 35), opening up a space where RAL 180-M encloses it.
RAL 180-M reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 35), opening up a space where RAL 180-M encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 35, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (35 vs 27) makes RAL 180-M the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 35), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 35, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (44 vs 35) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 35), opening up a space where RAL 180-M encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 35, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 35, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 35 vs 12, RAL 180-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 35, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 35 vs 12, RAL 180-M is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (45 vs 35) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 180-M reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 180-M reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
RAL 180-M reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 35), opening up a space where RAL 180-M encloses it.