RAL 490-5 vs Iron Ore
Where RAL 490-5 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, RAL 490-5 belongs to the pink-red family and Iron Ore to the grey family. RAL 490-5 (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 41.3, 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 490-5 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 490-5 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 490-5 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 490-5 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 490-5 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 490-5 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 490-5 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 490-5 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
RAL 490-5 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 490-5 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 490-5 comparisons
See how RAL 490-5 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 29, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 490-5 encloses it.
With LRVs of 30 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 490-5 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 29, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 29 vs 27), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 490-5 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 29, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 29, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 29), opening up a space where RAL 490-5 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 29, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 29, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 12, RAL 490-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 8, RAL 490-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 29, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 29 vs 12, RAL 490-5 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 29, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 31 and 29, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
RAL 490-5 reflects far more light (LRV 29 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.