Black Ink vs Iron Ore
Where Black Ink belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Black Ink reads as blue-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Black Ink runs blue while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. The ΔE 5.4 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Ink vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Black Ink 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.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. 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
Black Ink vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Ink 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 Black Ink comparisons
See how Black Ink stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 6, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 6, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 60 vs 6, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 6, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 6, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 6), opening up a space where Black Ink encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 6, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 6, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 6, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 6, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.