Champlain Blue vs Iron Ore
Champlain Blue (Behr) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Champlain Blue reads as blue, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 3-point LRV gap — 9 for Champlain Blue vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Champlain Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Champlain Blue leans blue, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 21.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Champlain Blue vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Champlain Blue and Iron Ore 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Champlain Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Champlain Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Champlain Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Champlain Blue vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Champlain Blue on one side and Iron Ore 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 Champlain Blue comparisons
See how Champlain Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 9, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 9, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 9, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 9, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 9, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (9 vs 4) makes Champlain Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 9), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 9, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 9, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 9, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 9, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 9, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 12 and 9, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 9), opening up a space where Champlain Blue encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 9, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 9 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 9, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 9, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 9, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.