RAL 520-5 vs Pure White
RAL 520-5 (RAL Effect) and Pure White (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. RAL 520-5 reads as pink, while Pure White reads as beige-greige — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 69-point LRV gap — 84 for Pure White vs 15 for RAL 520-5 — means Pure White will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 62.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 520-5 vs Pure White in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 520-5 and Pure White in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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. Pure White 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. Pure White 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. Pure White 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. Pure White returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
RAL 520-5 vs Pure White Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 520-5 on one side and Pure White 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 RAL 520-5 comparisons
See how RAL 520-5 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 15, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 15), opening up a space where RAL 520-5 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 15), opening up a space where RAL 520-5 encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 15), opening up a space where RAL 520-5 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 15, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 15, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 15), opening up a space where RAL 520-5 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 15, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 15, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 66 vs 15, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 15, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 6-point LRV gap (15 vs 8) makes RAL 520-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 15, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 15 vs 12), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 45 vs 15, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 15), opening up a space where RAL 520-5 encloses it.
RAL 520-5 reads slightly lighter (LRV 15 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.