RAL 720-6 vs Cote D'Azur
RAL 720-6 (RAL Effect) and Cote D'Azur (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. The 3-point LRV gap — 15 for Cote D'Azur vs 12 for RAL 720-6 — means Cote D'Azur will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 2.0 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 720-6 vs Cote D'Azur in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. RAL 720-6 and Cote D'Azur 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.
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. Cote D'Azur 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. Cote D'Azur 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. Cote D'Azur 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. Cote D'Azur has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 720-6 vs Cote D'Azur Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 720-6 on one side and Cote D'Azur 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 720-6 comparisons
See how RAL 720-6 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
RAL 720-6 reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where RAL 720-6 encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.