Warm Onyx vs Iron Ore
Warm Onyx is a Behr color while Iron Ore 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 7 and 6, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Warm Onyx's red character against Iron Ore's neutral — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 3.2, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Warm Onyx vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Warm Onyx and Iron Ore 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.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Color Details
Warm Onyx vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Warm Onyx 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 Warm Onyx comparisons
See how Warm Onyx stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
With LRVs of 8 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where Warm Onyx encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.