Dimpse vs RAL 840-2
Dimpse (Farrow & Ball) and RAL 840-2 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both greige-greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within greige-grey to land. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 68 vs 66 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 1.9 puts them in subtle territory — distinguishable in direct comparison, less so from across a room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Dimpse vs RAL 840-2 in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Dimpse and RAL 840-2 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. At this scale the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side, as shown here, to reliably tell them apart.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
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. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Dimpse vs RAL 840-2 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Dimpse on one side and RAL 840-2 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 Dimpse comparisons
See how Dimpse stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 68, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Dimpse reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes Dimpse the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 27, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 68 vs 55, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 44, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 68), opening up a space where Dimpse encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 66), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 6-point LRV gap (74 vs 68) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 68 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 45, Dimpse is decisively the brighter choice.
Dimpse reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.