RAL 190-2 vs Blue Refrain
RAL 190-2 (RAL Effect) and Blue Refrain (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 6-point LRV gap — 70 for RAL 190-2 vs 64 for Blue Refrain — means RAL 190-2 will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 5.1 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 190-2 vs Blue Refrain in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. RAL 190-2 and Blue Refrain 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. RAL 190-2 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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 190-2 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 190-2 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. RAL 190-2 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 190-2 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 190-2 vs Blue Refrain Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 190-2 on one side and Blue Refrain 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 190-2 comparisons
See how RAL 190-2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 70, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 190-2 reflects far more light (LRV 70 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 190-2 reflects far more light (LRV 70 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 190-2 reads slightly lighter (LRV 70 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 70 vs 58, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 70 vs 27, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 190-2 reflects far more light (LRV 70 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 70 vs 55, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 70 vs 44, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 70), opening up a space where RAL 190-2 encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (70 vs 66) makes RAL 190-2 the marginally brighter of the two.
A 4-point LRV gap (74 vs 70) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 70 vs 12, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 70 vs 8, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 70 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 70 vs 12, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 70 vs 45, RAL 190-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 190-2 reflects far more light (LRV 70 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.