RAL 840-3 vs Sensible Hue

RAL 840-3 is a RAL Effect color while Sensible Hue comes from Sherwin-Williams. RAL 840-3 reads as greige-grey, while Sensible Hue reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. With LRVs of 46 and 46, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 1.6, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. 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 Sensible Hue in Real Spaces

5 real rooms side by side. RAL 840-3 and Sensible Hue 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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 living room

@visualization

Sensible HueSensible Hue living room

@woodbineandco

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 kitchen interior

@visualization

Sensible HueSw Sensible Hue Kitchen

@bairespainting

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 bathroom

@visualization

Sensible HueSensible Hue bathroom

@weboughtateardown

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

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

@visualization

Sensible HueSensible Hue house exterior

@prodigiouspainting

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.

RAL 840-3RAL Effect 840-3 kitchen cabinets

@visualization

Sensible HueSensible Hue kitchen cabinets

@paintlineco

Color Details

RAL 840-3
RAL Effect · RAL 840-3
Hex#B8B4A8
LRV45.6
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 840-3
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessMedium
Sensible Hue
Sherwin-Williams · 6198
Hex#B6B5AB
LRV45.9
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6198
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium

RAL 840-3 vs Sensible Hue Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-3 on one side and Sensible Hue 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

Agreeable Gray
RAL 840-3
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray 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