
What is the LRV of paint color?
The darker the paint color, the lower the LRV number. The lighter the paint color, the higher the LRV number. Light reflectance value is based on a scale from 0-100. What is a LOWER LRV? We consider a low LRV in the 0–40 range. These are darker colors that aren’t as reflective.
What is LRV and how do I use it?
Use LRV to find the perfect paint color. Its one job is to tell you how much a light a color reflects. LRV - The Best Guide for Paint Colors and More! LRV Light Reflectance Value tells you how much a light a paint color reflects. Learn all about how to use it to choose perfectly nuanced paint colors
What is LRV light reflectance value?
LRV Light Reflectance Value tells you how much a light a paint color reflects. Learn all about how to use it to choose perfectly nuanced paint colors LRV Light Reflectance Value tells you how much a light a paint color reflects. Learn all about how to use it to choose perfectly nuanced paint colors
How is LRV data used in color design?
Color consultants, architects, and designers use LRV data in several stages of color planning. Many examples can be found in the workplace. Careful planning for proper visual ergonomics is paramount in color design. From individual work surfaces to the outside walkways, ramps, hand-railings and everything in between.

What is a good LRV in paint?
3) Colors with an LRV above 50 are lighter and will bounce back more light than they absorb. These shades help create a “daytime”, expansive feel to the room. Colors with an LRV lower than 50 will soak up more light than they reflect and appear and have a dark and moody feel.
What is the LRV of white paint?
91.7Simply White – LRV: 91.7 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.) What is this? If you do any research about white paint colors you will probably come across the color Simply White by Benjamin Moore.
Does higher LRV mean brighter?
LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, refers to how light or dark a paint colour will look on a scale of 0 (black) to 100 (white). The higher the LRV number is, the lighter the colour is. The lower the LRV number is – the darker the colour is.
What should the LRV be in a dark room?
For general painting, decorators suggest using a paint that has an LRV of 50% or higher, which means the color reflects more light than it will absorb. If you have a darker room, however, you'll want to find colors that have an LRV of 60% or more.
Why is Swiss Coffee paint so popular?
It's considered a very versatile color for a reason! Swiss Coffee looks great with modern, transitional, traditional, cottage, farmhouse – you get the picture! It's not a cool, stark white – but rather a beige, warm white. I think so many design professionals love it so much because of it's warm undertones.
What is the LRV of classic gray?
74.78Classic Gray is a warm off-white / light gray paint color that comes across as soft and muted. It has an LRV of 74.78, which is considered in the higher range, meaning this is a light color that will reflect more light. (Learn more about LRV here — it's incredibly important for exterior painting.)
What is the LRV of agreeable Gray?
60Agreeable Gray LRV On a scale of 0-100, 0 is true black and 100 is pure white. With an LRV of 60, this color reflects a similar amount of light to Realist Beige and Accessible Beige, two of my other favorites mentioned in my Greige Paint guide. Agreeable Gray has a mid level LRV of 60.
What is the LRV of Benjamin Moore pale oak?
nearly 70Pale Oak has an LRV (light reflectance value) of nearly 70, so if you are dealing with a lot of light in the home and don't want the interiors to feel cold or washed out, Pale Oak might be the perfect solution.
What is the LRV of Revere Pewter?
55.1The LRV of Revere Pewter is 55.1. When you are comparing similar paint colors, make sure to compare their Light Reflective values, too– because this will help you gauge which color is lighter or darker.
What colors make a room look bigger and brighter?
So, what colors make a room look bigger? For an optimum effect, go with soft tones like off-white, blues, and greens, and always remember that brighter rooms feel bigger and more inviting. And here's another hack: Try painting your wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than your walls.
What color of paint makes a room look bigger?
Naturally, white is an obvious choice for making a room feel bigger. It's no secret that light colors make a room look larger, especially if the space is bathed in natural light. Eggshell or satin finishes will help reflect the light, creating the appearance of even more space.
What color makes a room look brighter?
In the end, you cannot go wrong when using white, blush pink, taupe, pale blue, light green, or bright orange in trying to make your space appear brighter and bigger! No matter if you are looking to redecorate your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or even living room, these colors are the perfect option for you.
What is the LRV of Sherwin Williams pure white?
84Pure White has an LRV of 84, so it's what I call a soft white – it's not stark, but not overly creamy either. If you aren't familiar with LRV, you should take a gander here – it's kind of a big deal and is a GAME-changer when it comes to choosing the best paint colour for your room.
What is a good LRV for a north facing room?
White Dove (OC-17) by Benjamin Moore It has the perfect amount of warmth, and brightness of 85.38 (LRV) make it an ideal choice for any room with North facing windows.
What is the LRV of Sherwin Williams Alabaster?
82Alabaster has a higher LRV of 82, meaning it absorbs less light and reflects more of it back. (Learn why LRV matters when painting your house white.) If your home gets lots of direct light, this shade will seem lighter than if your home is in the shade.
What paint reflects light the best?
WhiteWhite can be the best paint for indirect lighting because it is the most reflective. Every other color will absorb at least some of the spectrum, but neutrals will absorb the least amount of light.
What is the LRV of Dorian Gray?
Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray is a popular medium-toned gray paint colour. It has an LRV of 39, which means that when it’s given light to play with (like shown below) it will lighten up SOME, but not TONS – it doesn’t have a high LRV, it’s a medium-toned paint colour. This ALSO means that in a room without much natural light OR adequate artificial lighting, it may look a bit heavy as the LRV isn’t strong enough to grab the minimal light that it’s offered.
What does it mean when you pick a light paint color?
What does that mean? It means that sometimes people pick a light paint colour thinking its high LRV will save their dark room. And sure, the room will look brighter than it would if it were painted a dark colour, but the reality is, you need LIGHT for a colour to come to LIFE! Why? Because the actual SCIENCE of it is that you’re not reaaaally seeing the paint colour that’s on the walls, you’re seeing the COLOUR OF THE LIGHT THAT’S REFLECTED OFF THE WALLS (but that’s getting a lil deep for this meat n’ potatoes blog post).
What does a lower LRV mean in paint?
Paint colours with a lower LRV will reflect SOME, but not tons of light. Basically, if a colour’s LRV is 10, it’s going to absorb a lot of light and reflect a smaller amount back into the room. If it’s 20 it’s going to reflect more than 10, but still not a lot. If you want a dark colour to look lighter, you need to give it A LOT OF LIGHT.
What does the lower the LRV number mean?
The lower the LRV number is – the darker the colour is . This can GREATLY affect your room depending on how much natural or artificial light your room gets. ANY colour will look lighter when hit with DIRECT natural or artificial light. The less light there is in your room, the less light there will be to reflect.
What does LRV mean?
THAT, my friend, is LRV (Light Reflectance Value).
Why do dark paints look lighter?
If you want a dark colour to look lighter, you need to give it A LOT OF LIGHT. In a bright room, a darker paint colour will appear lighter and you may notice the ‘colour’ and undertones more. This is because you’re giving the paint colour more light to reflect.
What happens if you don't give light to reflect?
The less light there is in your room, the less light there will be to reflect. So, even if you pick a LIGHT colour with a HIGH LRV, if you don’t give it light to reflect, it won’t rise to the occasion, which goes back to one of my fave sayings (I have about 80)….
How about those paint colours with a HIGH LRV?
Light paint colours will have a higher LRV (approx 60+ range). The higher the number is, the lighter a colour is and the more light it will reflect back at you. In my experience, I’ve found that once we hit approx. 60, the LRV really starts to play a part in how a room can look lighter as long as you have adequate lighting.
How does light reflectance value change at night?
And JUST when you thought you had it ALL figured out – the sun goes down. Regardless of your exposure, the quality of light that you have in the daytime will change in the evening when you only have interior lighting. So here’s what usually happens…
Will lightening or darkening a paint colour change the ‘colour’ of it?
Let’s focus on ‘lightening’ for the sake of explanation. When you lighten a colour by 25% you are changing its recipe and the way it looks – and not just regarding LRV. You might also see a subtle shift in undertones, but you’ll still be working with the bones of the original colour.
What happens when you lighten a color by 50%?
However, when you lighten a colour by 50%, you are MORE LIKELY to notice a shift in the way the undertones advance or recede. That gray that had a wink of green in it – the green might almost entirely disappear. That greige that leaned more beige, might lean a bit more gray. Again, you are still working off the same colour, but it’s likely that you’ll see slightly different sides of it.
What does higher LRV mean?
the higher the LRV number is, the lighter a colour will look and the more light it will reflect
What does LRV mean in paint?
LRV refers to how light or how dark a paint colour will look once it’s up on the wall (on the large scale) The higher the LRV number is, the lighter a colour will look and the more light it will reflect. The lower the LRV number is, the darker the colour will look and the more light it will absorb. However, in my never-ending goal ...
What does LRV of 10 mean?
So, if a colour has an LRV of 10, you can expect it to reflect 10% of the light that it’s given – meaning it absorbs 90% of it. Of course, this can shift based on HOW much light its given and WHERE the light hits and and and…there are a lot of variables. However, like any colour, if it’s not given any light, it won’t reflect a thing.
What does LRV mean in paint?
The LRV is a measure of how much light (and heat) reflects off the color. The LRV doesn't affect the paint, but the LRV can indicate how much a particular color will affect the surface that is painted. For example, painting materials with lower LRV colors mean the surface may collect more heat when exposed to the sun.
Why use LRV?
The LRV helps designers understand how much lighting will be needed and how well lit the space will be. Choosing colors with higher LRVs can translate to more efficient energy usage when trying to light a space. However, this all depends on the source/amount of light in the room.
How to calculate light reflection?
The CIELAB L* value (which is the measure of the colors lightness) can be converted into a percentage through a mathematical formula. Take the CIELAB L* value, add 16 and then divide by 116, take the cube and multiply by 100. That's it!
Do all colors reflect light?
Yes, all colors reflect light and grey is a color. Depending on how dark the gray is will determine if it reflects a lot or a little light.
Is white the only color that can reflect light?
If the only goal is to reflect light, then white is the answer. But odds are the only goal is not to reflect light. Other considerations such as the hue and brightness of a color also should factor into any design decision so that the resulting color meets the overall design goals.
What does LRV stand for?
Let’s talk LRV… LRV stands for light reflectance value, though it may also be called light reflective value. Sounds simple, right? Ugh, no! LRV is anything but simple.
Why is a higher LRV tricky?
Colors with a higher LRV can be challenging. Whites have a high light reflective value, causing them to pick up colors around them. If your home gets direct natural light, it will appear lighter and be more reflective.
How does LRV change your outdoor lighting?
A home with a darker paint — essentially a lower — LRV may need more exterior lighting under a covered porch or entryway. Because the dark paint doesn’t reflect the light, using more and different types of lighting to enhance the area is the way to go!
How do I find LRV on my paint chip?
The fan deck is a tad more confusing. To find the LRV, you must search the color name in the Index. The second number listed is the LRV.
What does higher LRV mean?
Remember, a higher LRV means that this paint color will absorb less light and that light will be reflected back.
What is a medium LRV?
Next, paint colors 40–60 are considered a medium LRV. They will reflect an average amount of light and are very safe to use inside or outside.
What is the light reflectance scale?
Light reflectance value is based on a scale from 0-100.
How to Choose A Paint Colour – LRV & Why It Matters
LRV Numbers vs Value (Depth) of Paint Colours
- The LRV ranges below are based on my experience and knowledge, not on actual scientific FACT. This means that while these numbers will give you a GREAT idea of the VALUE of a colour (how light or dark it is), the actual numbers/range I’ve come up with are only approximate – the lines are blurry (but that could also be because I’ve had two glasses of wine). I’ve also rounded the numbe…
A Space with Three Types of Natural Light…
- This next photo shows Benjamin Moore Gray Owl(LRV 65.77). Looking right to left, you’ll see three OBVIOUS shifts in depth as each wall space gets a different amount of light reflected onto it. Read more: Paint Colour Review of Benjamin Moore Gray Owl LEFT SIDE The amount of light hitting the left side walls is putting Gray Owl’s LRV of 65.77 to work as the light is reflected back, making it l…
A Darker Room Without Enough Natural Or Artificial Light
- If you have a dark room, that means there isn’t a lot of light from outside or inside sources. So, even if you choose a colour with a high LRV, the lack of light will affect how bright that colour will look. A light colour in a bright room will look lighter than the SAME light colour in a DARK room as the light room has more lightfor the paint colour to play with Choosing a light paint colour may b…
Why Is The LRV Important?
Light Reflectance Value Chart
- Below is a quick overview of the reflective ratings and what they represent to give you a better idea:
LRV Values – How Does It Affect areas?
- The LRV value will affect different areas in the room in different ways. The south-facing room, for example, will need a different LRV value than the west-facing room. In my opinion, an LRV of 60 to 65 is a magical number that’s the perfect option for your west-facing rooms. These are usually warm colors that won’t be overly yellow or gold in the r...