RAL 840-1 vs Pure White
RAL 840-1 (RAL Effect) and Pure White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both beige-greiges, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within beige-greige to land. The 7-point LRV gap — 84 for Pure White vs 77 for RAL 840-1 — means Pure White will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.2 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 840-1 vs Pure White in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-1 and Pure White 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. Pure 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. Pure 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. Pure 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. Pure 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. Pure 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. Pure White 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 Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-1 on one side and Pure 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 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.
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.
A 5-point LRV gap (77 vs 72) makes RAL 840-1 the marginally brighter of the two.