Blue Bayou vs Iron Ore
Where Blue Bayou belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Blue Bayou reads as blue, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Blue Bayou (LRV 47) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 41 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Blue Bayou runs blue while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 49.3, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blue Bayou vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Blue Bayou 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.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Blue Bayou will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Blue Bayou vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blue Bayou 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 Blue Bayou comparisons
See how Blue Bayou stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 47), opening up a space where Blue Bayou encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 47, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 47), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Blue Bayou reflects far more light (LRV 47 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (52 vs 47) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 47), opening up a space where Blue Bayou encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (58 vs 47) makes Accessible Beige the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 47 vs 27, Blue Bayou is decisively the brighter choice.
Blue Bayou reads slightly lighter (LRV 47 vs 43), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Blue Bayou reflects far more light (LRV 47 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (55 vs 47) makes Tranquil Dawn the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 47 vs 13, Blue Bayou is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (47 vs 44) makes Blue Bayou the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 47), opening up a space where Blue Bayou encloses it.
Blue Bayou reflects far more light (LRV 47 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 47, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 47, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 47, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reads slightly lighter (LRV 51 vs 47), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 47 vs 12, Blue Bayou is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 47 vs 8, Blue Bayou is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 47, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Blue Bayou reads slightly lighter (LRV 47 vs 41), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 47 vs 12, Blue Bayou is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 47 vs 45), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Blue Bayou reflects far more light (LRV 47 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Blue Bayou reflects far more light (LRV 47 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.