RAL 840-3 vs Naval
Where RAL 840-3 belongs to RAL Effect's range, Naval is a Sherwin-Williams color. RAL 840-3 reads as greige-grey, while Naval reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. RAL 840-3 (LRV 46) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 41 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 51.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 840-3 vs Naval in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 840-3 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that RAL 840-3 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Naval would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. RAL 840-3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. RAL 840-3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. RAL 840-3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. RAL 840-3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
RAL 840-3 vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 840-3 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 840-3 comparisons
See how RAL 840-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (52 vs 46) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 46 vs 30, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 46, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 46 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 46, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 46), opening up a space where RAL 840-3 encloses it.
RAL 840-3 reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 46 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 46 vs 31, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 7, RAL 840-3 is decisively the brighter choice.