Elephant Gray vs RAL 850-4 paint color comparison

Elephant Gray vs RAL 850-4

Elephant GrayPPGvsRAL 850-4RAL EffectΔE 4.0 — Noticeable difference

Elephant Gray (PPG) and RAL 850-4 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 3-point LRV gap — 27 for RAL 850-4 vs 24 for Elephant Gray — means RAL 850-4 will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.0 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Elephant Gray vs RAL 850-4 in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Elephant Gray and RAL 850-4 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

Elephant GrayA elegant living room painted in Elephant Gray

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 living room

@visualization

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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Elephant GrayA moody bedroom painted in Elephant Gray

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 bedroom

@visualization

Kitchen

Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Elephant GrayElephant Gray — bold kitchen cabinets

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 kitchen painted backsplash

@visualization

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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.

Elephant GrayElephant Gray — wabi-sabi bathroom

@simplywalldecor

RAL 850-4RAL Effect 850-4 minimalist bathroom

@visualization

Color Details

Elephant Gray
PPG · PPG1005-5
LRV24.0
BrandPPG
NumberPPG1005-5
Undertone—
Temperature—
BrightnessDark
RAL 850-4
RAL Effect · RAL 850-4
LRV26.9
BrandRAL Effect
NumberRAL 850-4
Undertone—
Temperature—
BrightnessMedium

Elephant Gray vs RAL 850-4 Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Gray on one side and RAL 850-4 on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Elephant Gray comparisons

See how Elephant Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

Ammonite
Elephant Gray
Ammonite
Elephant Gray
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

White Dove
Elephant Gray
White Dove
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 83 vs 24, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Iron Ore
Elephant Gray
Iron Ore
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 6, Elephant Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Purbeck Stone
Elephant Gray
Purbeck Stone
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Elephant Gray
Evergreen Fog
Elephant Gray
Evergreen Fog
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.

Mizzle
Elephant Gray
Mizzle
Elephant Gray
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 52 vs 24, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Agreeable Gray
Elephant Gray
Agreeable Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Elephant Gray
Accessible Beige
Elephant Gray
Accessible Beige
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 58 vs 24, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.

Denim Drift
Elephant Gray
Denim Drift
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

A 3-point LRV gap (27 vs 24) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.

French Gray
Elephant Gray
French Gray
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Elephant Gray
Naval
Elephant Gray
Naval
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Elephant Gray reflects far more light (LRV 24 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.

Tranquil Dawn
Elephant Gray
Tranquil Dawn
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 55 vs 24, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.

Bancha
Elephant Gray
Bancha
Elephant Gray
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

A 11-point LRV gap (24 vs 13) makes Elephant Gray the marginally brighter of the two.

Hardwick White
Elephant Gray
Hardwick White
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 44 vs 24, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Pure White
Elephant Gray
Pure White
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Elephant Gray
Artichoke
Elephant Gray
Artichoke
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

With LRVs of 24 and 21, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.

Balboa Mist
Elephant Gray
Balboa Mist
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 66 vs 24, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Shoji White
Elephant Gray
Shoji White
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 74 vs 24, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Snowbound
Elephant Gray
Snowbound
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

At LRV 83 vs 24, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.

Pigeon
Elephant Gray
Pigeon
Elephant Gray
Farrow & Ball
Pigeon
LRV 51
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Elephant Gray
Pewter Green
Elephant Gray
Pewter Green
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Elephant Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Duck Green
Elephant Gray
Duck Green
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 8, Elephant Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Skimming Stone
Elephant Gray
Skimming Stone
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 68 vs 24, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.

Dix Blue
Elephant Gray
Dix Blue
Elephant Gray
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 24), opening up a space where Elephant Gray encloses it.

Hicks' Blue
Elephant Gray
Hicks' Blue
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Hicks' Blue vs Elephant Gray

Slaked Lime Deep
Elephant Gray
Slaked Lime Deep
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Slaked Lime Deep vs Elephant Gray

Vintage Vogue
Elephant Gray
Vintage Vogue
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 24 vs 12, Elephant Gray is decisively the brighter choice.

Livid
Elephant Gray
Livid
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

Livid vs Elephant Gray

Saybrook Sage
Elephant Gray
Saybrook Sage
Elephant Gray
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24

At LRV 45 vs 24, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.

Elephant Gray
Pale Green
Elephant Gray
Pale Green
PPG
Elephant Gray
PPG1005-5 · LRV 24
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 24), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.