RAL 860-M vs Thames Fog
Where RAL 860-M belongs to RAL Effect's range, Thames Fog is a Valspar color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. RAL 860-M (LRV 36) reflects noticeably more light than Thames Fog (LRV 27), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 10.2, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 860-M vs Thames Fog in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 860-M and Thames Fog 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 860-M will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Thames Fog would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. RAL 860-M reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 860-M reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 860-M reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Thames Fog.
Color Details
RAL 860-M vs Thames Fog Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 860-M on one side and Thames Fog 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 860-M comparisons
See how RAL 860-M stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
