RAL 720-5 vs Naval
RAL 720-5 (RAL Effect) and Naval (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 14-point LRV gap — 19 for RAL 720-5 vs 4 for Naval — means RAL 720-5 will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 38.2 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 720-5 vs Naval in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 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 720-5 vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 720-5 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 720-5 comparisons
See how RAL 720-5 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 19, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 19), opening up a space where RAL 720-5 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 19), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 19), opening up a space where RAL 720-5 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 19, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (27 vs 19) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 19), opening up a space where RAL 720-5 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 19, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 19, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 19), opening up a space where RAL 720-5 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 19, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 19, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes RAL 720-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (19 vs 8) makes RAL 720-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 19, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (19 vs 12) makes RAL 720-5 the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 19, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 19), opening up a space where RAL 720-5 encloses it.
RAL 720-5 reads slightly lighter (LRV 19 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.