RAL 390-1 vs Iron Ore
Where RAL 390-1 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, RAL 390-1 belongs to the beige-pink family and Iron Ore to the grey family. RAL 390-1 (LRV 29) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 24 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 72.7, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 390-1 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 390-1 and Iron Ore 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 390-1 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 390-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. RAL 390-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 390-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. RAL 390-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 390-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
RAL 390-1 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 390-1 on one side and Iron Ore 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 390-1 comparisons
See how RAL 390-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 29, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 30 vs 29), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 60 vs 29, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
With LRVs of 29 and 27, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 29, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 29, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
RAL 390-1 reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
RAL 390-1 reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 390-1 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 31 vs 29), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 29 vs 7, RAL 390-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (29 vs 24) makes RAL 390-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 29, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 29, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.