RAL 840-1 vs Classic Light Buff
RAL 840-1 (RAL Effect) and Classic Light Buff (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 840-1 belongs to the beige-greige family and Classic Light Buff to the beige family. The 6-point LRV gap — 83 for Classic Light Buff vs 77 for RAL 840-1 — means Classic Light Buff will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 3.0 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 840-1 vs Classic Light Buff in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-1 and Classic Light Buff 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. Classic Light Buff reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Classic Light Buff 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. Classic Light Buff has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
RAL 840-1 vs Classic Light Buff Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-1 on one side and Classic Light Buff 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 840-1 comparisons
See how RAL 840-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reads slightly lighter (LRV 83 vs 77), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 77 vs 52, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 77 vs 30, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 77 vs 60, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 77 vs 43, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (84 vs 77) makes Pure White the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 77 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 77 and 74, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
RAL 840-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 77 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
RAL 840-1 reflects far more light (LRV 77 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 77 vs 31, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 77 vs 7, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 77 vs 24, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 77 vs 57, RAL 840-1 is decisively the brighter choice.