RAL 850-3 vs Unusual Gray
RAL 850-3 is a RAL Effect color while Unusual Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. With LRVs of 38 and 38, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 850-3 vs Unusual Gray in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. RAL 850-3 and Unusual 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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
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.
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.
Color Details
RAL 850-3 vs Unusual Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 850-3 on one side and Unusual 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 850-3 comparisons
See how RAL 850-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
