North Pole Blue vs RAL 660-1
North Pole Blue (Behr) and RAL 660-1 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 12-point LRV gap — 26 for North Pole Blue vs 15 for RAL 660-1 — means North Pole Blue will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 9.6 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
North Pole Blue vs RAL 660-1 in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. North Pole Blue and RAL 660-1 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
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. North Pole Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than RAL 660-1.
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. North Pole Blue 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. North Pole Blue 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. North Pole Blue 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. North Pole Blue 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. North Pole Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
North Pole Blue vs RAL 660-1 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see North Pole Blue on one side and RAL 660-1 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 North Pole Blue comparisons
See how North Pole Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 6, North Pole Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
North Pole Blue reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 13, North Pole Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
North Pole Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 26, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 12, North Pole Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 8, North Pole Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 26), opening up a space where North Pole Blue encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 12, North Pole Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.