RAL 840-3 vs Agreeable Gray

RAL 840-3RAL EffectvsAgreeable GraySherwin-WilliamsΔE 8.7Noticeable difference

RAL 840-3 is a RAL Effect color while Agreeable Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. Both sit in the greige-grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 60 vs 46, Agreeable Gray will read as the brighter of the two — a 15-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 8.7, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

RAL 840-3 vs Agreeable Gray in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-3 and Agreeable 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. Agreeable Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 living room

@visualization

Agreeable GrayAgreeable Gray SW 7029 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Agreeable Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 840-3 would.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 kitchen interior

@visualization

Agreeable GraySherwin Williams Agreeable Gray kitchen cabinets

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Agreeable Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 840-3 would.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 bathroom

@visualization

Agreeable GrayModern Agreeable Gray bathroom

@homeimprovementdude

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Agreeable Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 840-3 would.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 victorian house interior

@visualization

Agreeable GrayFarmhouse Agreeable Gray house exterior

@homeimprovementdude

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Agreeable Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than RAL 840-3 would.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 kitchen cabinets

@visualization

Agreeable GrayAgreeable Gray kitchen cabinets paint review

@katylynndesign

Color Details

RAL 840-3
RAL Effect · RAL 840-3
Hex#B8B4A8
LRV45.6
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 840-3
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams · 7029
Hex#D1CBC1
LRV60.4
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7029
Undertone
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessLight

RAL 840-3 vs Agreeable Gray Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-3 on one side and Agreeable Gray on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 840-3 comparisons

See how RAL 840-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
RAL 840-3
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
RAL 840-3
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite reads noticeably lighter

Iron Ore
RAL 840-3
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams
Iron Ore
LRV 6

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
RAL 840-3
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter

Evergreen Fog
RAL 840-3
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
RAL 840-3
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads slightly lighter

Accessible Beige
RAL 840-3
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige reads noticeably lighter

Denim Drift
RAL 840-3
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Tranquil Dawn
RAL 840-3
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter

Balboa Mist
RAL 840-3
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
RAL 840-3
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Pale Green
RAL 840-3
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
RAL 840-3
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Cement grey
RAL 840-3
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Black grey
RAL 840-3
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Piazza
RAL 840-3
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza reads noticeably lighter

Humble Yellow
RAL 840-3
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads slightly lighter

Windmill Lane
RAL 840-3
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Senses
RAL 840-3
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

RAL 840-3 reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
RAL 840-3
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
RAL 840-3
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads slightly lighter

Tea with Florence
RAL 840-3
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Thames Fog
RAL 840-3
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

Ocean Abyss
RAL 840-3
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice

Classic Silver
RAL 840-3
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Nearly identical in tone

Teton Blue
RAL 840-3
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

RAL 840-3 reads noticeably lighter

RAL 110-2
RAL 840-3
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
RAL 840-3
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
RAL 840-3
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
RAL 840-3
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

RAL 840-3 is the lighter choice