RAL 850-1 vs Knitting Needles
Where RAL 850-1 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Knitting Needles is a Sherwin-Williams color. RAL 850-1 reads as greige-grey, while Knitting Needles reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (53 vs 53), so they'll read as similarly Medium in most lighting conditions. At ΔE 2.2, these are close — the kind of difference that matters when choosing between them, but doesn't read strongly in a finished room. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 850-1 vs Knitting Needles in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. RAL 850-1 and Knitting Needles 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.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
Color Details
RAL 850-1 vs Knitting Needles Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 850-1 on one side and Knitting Needles 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 850-1 comparisons
See how RAL 850-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
