LRV calculator
Light reflectance value tells you how much light a paint color bounces back, from 0 for black to 100 for white. Enter a color to get its LRV.
60
LRV 60 Light: works in most rooms.
What the numbers mean
- 0 to 29
- Dark: absorbs most light, makes a room feel smaller
- 30 to 49
- Mid tones: good for accent walls
- 50 to 69
- Light: works in most rooms
- 70 to 100
- Very light: bounces light into north-facing rooms
How LRV is worked out
Where a brand publishes its own LRV, color pages show that number. Elsewhere it is calculated from the color as CIE relative luminance Y × 100 and marked with ≈. A calculated LRV from a screen color is a guide; the maker's measured value on the physical paint is the reference.
How to use it
- Type a HEX code, a paint name, or pick a color.
- Read its LRV from 0 (black) to 100 (white) and what that means in a room.
- Compare two colors: a difference of 30 or more makes surfaces easy to tell apart.
- Use the result to choose paint for dark rooms, ceilings or accessible spaces.
Sources and further reading
Questions
What is a good LRV for a dark room?
60 or more, so the walls bounce enough light and do not turn gray.
Is the LRV here the same as on the paint chip?
Where the brand publishes LRV we show it. Otherwise the value is calculated from the color and marked with ≈.
What LRV difference does BS 8300 recommend?
At least 30 points between surfaces that must be told apart, such as a door and its wall.