RAL 790-3 vs Inkwell
Where RAL 790-3 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Inkwell is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both blue-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue-grey to land. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (4 vs 4), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. At ΔE 0.9, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 790-3 vs Inkwell in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. RAL 790-3 and Inkwell 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.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Color Details
RAL 790-3 vs Inkwell Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 790-3 on one side and Inkwell 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 790-3 comparisons
See how RAL 790-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 4, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 4, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 4, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 4, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 4, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 4), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 4), opening up a space where RAL 790-3 encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 4, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 4, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 4, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.