RAL 720-1 vs Naval
RAL 720-1 (RAL Effect) and Naval (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Both sit in the blue family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. The 64-point LRV gap — 69 for RAL 720-1 vs 4 for Naval — means RAL 720-1 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 64.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 720-1 vs Naval in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 720-1 and Naval in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 720-1 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
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 720-1 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. RAL 720-1 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. RAL 720-1 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. RAL 720-1 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. RAL 720-1 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 720-1 vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 720-1 on one side and Naval 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 720-1 comparisons
See how RAL 720-1 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 69, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 60), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 11-point LRV gap (69 vs 58) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 27, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 55, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 44, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 69), opening up a space where RAL 720-1 encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (69 vs 66) makes RAL 720-1 the marginally brighter of the two.
A 5-point LRV gap (74 vs 69) makes Shoji White the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 8, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 69 vs 68), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 69 vs 12, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 69 vs 45, RAL 720-1 is decisively the brighter choice.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
RAL 720-1 reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.