What is LRV? A simple guide to Light Reflectance Value in paint

You've picked a colour you love, painted a test patch, and it looks nothing like the chip. Often the reason is light, and LRV is the number that helps you predict it.

LRV in one sentence

LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value. It's a score from 0 to 100 showing how much of the light hitting a painted surface bounces back into the room.

• 0 would be a perfectly black surface that absorbs all light.
• 100 would be a perfectly white surface that reflects all of it.

In practice, no real paint sits at either end. Deep blacks land around 5, and the brightest whites in the low 90s.

A quick way to read the number

• Below 30: dark colours. Rich and cosy, but they soak up light.
• 30 to 60: mid-tones. Most muted greens, blues and warm neutrals live here.
• Above 60: light colours. They make a room feel brighter and more open.

For example, Dulux Egyptian Cotton (#D8D1C5) has an LRV of 64.2. That puts it on the lighter side of the scale: a soft, warm off-white that will brighten a room without being stark.

Why LRV matters when you choose paint

1. It predicts how bright a room will feel. Two colours can look similar on a screen, but one with an LRV of 70 will reflect far more light than one at 40. In a north-facing room or a small hallway, that difference is very noticeable.

2. It helps you compare colours across brands. Two paints with similar names or hex codes can behave differently on the wall. Comparing LRV shows which is truly lighter, which is useful when you're matching one brand's colour to another.

3. It matters for accessibility. Guidance for buildings commonly recommends a difference of at least 30 LRV points between surfaces such as walls and doors, or walls and floors, so people with sight loss can tell them apart. Comparing two LRV numbers is the simplest way to check.

What LRV doesn't tell you

LRV measures brightness only. It says nothing about undertone: two greys with the same LRV can be warm or cool, green or purple. The lighting in your room, the time of day, and your bulbs also change how a colour looks. So use LRV alongside a test patch and a look at the colour in your own light, not instead of them.

How to find a colour's LRV

Most paint brands publish LRVs, but they can be hard to track down. On Swatcher, every colour page lists its LRV alongside its hex value and closest matches from other brands, so you can compare like with like.

Try it: search for the colour you're considering, then look at its closest equivalents and compare their LRVs to see which is lighter or darker than you expected.