Cabernet vs RAL 550-5
Cabernet is a PPG color while RAL 550-5 comes from RAL Effect. These are both pinks, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink to land. At LRV 17 vs 14, RAL 550-5 will read as the brighter of the two — a 3-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 6.8, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cabernet vs RAL 550-5 in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Cabernet and RAL 550-5 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.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Color Details
Cabernet vs RAL 550-5 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cabernet on one side and RAL 550-5 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 Cabernet comparisons
See how Cabernet stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 14, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 14, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 14, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 14, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 14, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
With LRVs of 14 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cabernet reads slightly lighter (LRV 14 vs 8), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
With LRVs of 14 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 14), opening up a space where Cabernet encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 14, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.