RAL 840-2 vs Modern Gray
RAL 840-2 is a RAL Effect color while Modern Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. Hue-wise, RAL 840-2 belongs to the greige-grey family and Modern Gray to the beige-greige family. At LRV 66 vs 62, RAL 840-2 will read as the brighter of the two — a 4-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 3.3, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 840-2 vs Modern Gray in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-2 and Modern Gray 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. RAL 840-2 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 840-2 gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The brightness difference is modest but present — RAL 840-2 gives the walls a little more lift.
Color Details
RAL 840-2 vs Modern Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-2 on one side and Modern Gray 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 840-2 comparisons
See how RAL 840-2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 66, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 840-2 reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 8-point LRV gap (66 vs 58) makes RAL 840-2 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 27, RAL 840-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (66 vs 55) makes RAL 840-2 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 44, RAL 840-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 66), opening up a space where RAL 840-2 encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 66 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 8-point LRV gap (74 vs 66) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 66 vs 12, RAL 840-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 66 vs 12, RAL 840-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 45, RAL 840-2 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
RAL 840-2 reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
RAL 840-2 reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 57), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.