RAL 490-M vs Artichoke
Where RAL 490-M belongs to RAL Effect's range, Artichoke is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, RAL 490-M belongs to the pink family and Artichoke to the grey family. RAL 490-M (LRV 26) reflects noticeably more light than Artichoke (LRV 21), a difference of 4 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 28.4, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 490-M vs Artichoke in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 490-M and Artichoke in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 490-M reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
RAL 490-M vs Artichoke Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 490-M on one side and Artichoke 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-M comparisons
See how RAL 490-M stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where RAL 490-M encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where RAL 490-M encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where RAL 490-M encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where RAL 490-M encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, RAL 490-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 8, RAL 490-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, RAL 490-M is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 490-M reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.