RAL 840-3 vs Mindful Gray
RAL 840-3 (RAL Effect) and Mindful Gray (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 46 vs 48 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 1.7 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. 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 Mindful Gray in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-3 and Mindful 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
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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
RAL 840-3 vs Mindful Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-3 on one side and Mindful 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 840-3 comparisons
See how RAL 840-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (52 vs 46) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 46 vs 30, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 46, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 46 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 46, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 46 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 46 vs 31, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 7, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 24, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (57 vs 46) makes Guilford Green the marginally brighter of the two.