RAL 590-1 vs Gentian
RAL 590-1 (RAL Effect) and Gentian (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. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 16 vs 18 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. ΔE 3.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 590-1 vs Gentian in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. RAL 590-1 and Gentian 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.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
RAL 590-1 vs Gentian Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 590-1 on one side and Gentian 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 590-1 comparisons
See how RAL 590-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 16, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 16, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 16, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
Denim Drift reads slightly lighter (LRV 27 vs 16), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 43 vs 16, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 16, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
RAL 590-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 590-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
RAL 590-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 16 vs 12), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 16), opening up a space where RAL 590-1 encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 16, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.