RAL 720-1 vs Shoji White
RAL 720-1 (RAL Effect) and Shoji White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 720-1 belongs to the blue family and Shoji White to the beige-greige family. The 5-point LRV gap — 74 for Shoji White vs 69 for RAL 720-1 — means Shoji White will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 14.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 720-1 vs Shoji White in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 720-1 and Shoji White 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
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. Shoji White 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. Shoji White 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. Shoji White 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. Shoji White 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. Shoji White has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Shoji White has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 720-1 vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 720-1 on one side and Shoji White 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 720-1 comparisons
See how RAL 720-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 69, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (69 vs 58) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 27, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 55, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 44, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 69), opening up a space where RAL 720-1 encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (69 vs 66) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 8, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 45, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.