Whirligig vs RAL 490-1
Whirligig (PPG) and RAL 490-1 (RAL Effect) come from different manufacturers. These are both pink-reds, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within pink-red to land. The 6-point LRV gap — 70 for RAL 490-1 vs 64 for Whirligig — means RAL 490-1 will open up a space more effectively. ΔE 4.9 means they're clearly different, but not dramatically so — they'd pair well in the same room. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Whirligig vs RAL 490-1 in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Whirligig and RAL 490-1 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. RAL 490-1 reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. RAL 490-1 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. RAL 490-1 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. RAL 490-1 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. RAL 490-1 has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Whirligig vs RAL 490-1 Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Whirligig on one side and RAL 490-1 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 Whirligig comparisons
See how Whirligig stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 64), opening up a space where Whirligig encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 52, Whirligig is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 64 vs 30, Whirligig is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (64 vs 60) makes Whirligig the marginally brighter of the two.
Whirligig reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 43, Whirligig is decisively the brighter choice.
Whirligig reads slightly lighter (LRV 64 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 64, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 66 and 64, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 64), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Whirligig reflects far more light (LRV 64 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 64 vs 31, Whirligig is decisively the brighter choice.