RAL 850-3 vs Proper Gray
RAL 850-3 is a RAL Effect color while Proper Gray comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 38 and 40, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. With a ΔE of 2.8, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 850-3 vs Proper Gray in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. RAL 850-3 and Proper Gray 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.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The two are close enough that the choice comes down to finer qualities — undertone, texture, what the color sits next to.
Color Details
RAL 850-3 vs Proper Gray Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 850-3 on one side and Proper Gray 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 850-3 comparisons
See how RAL 850-3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where RAL 850-3 encloses it.
RAL 850-3 reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where RAL 850-3 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes RAL 850-3 the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where RAL 850-3 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 12, RAL 850-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 8, RAL 850-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 12, RAL 850-3 is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
RAL 850-3 reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.