RAL 840-4 vs Shoji White
RAL 840-4 (RAL Effect) and Shoji White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, RAL 840-4 belongs to the grey family and Shoji White to the beige-greige family. The 53-point LRV gap — 74 for Shoji White vs 21 for RAL 840-4 — means Shoji White will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 35.8 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 840-4 vs Shoji White in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 840-4 and Shoji White in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Shoji White reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than RAL 840-4.
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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Shoji White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
RAL 840-4 vs Shoji White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-4 on one side and Shoji 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 840-4 comparisons
See how RAL 840-4 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 21, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 21, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (27 vs 21) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 21, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 21, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 21, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes RAL 840-4 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 21, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes RAL 840-4 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 21, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
RAL 840-4 reflects far more light (LRV 21 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 21), opening up a space where RAL 840-4 encloses it.