Chicago Blues vs Iron Ore
Where Chicago Blues belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Chicago Blues belongs to the blue family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Chicago Blues (LRV 18) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 12 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Chicago Blues 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 34.3, 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.
Chicago Blues vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Chicago Blues 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.
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. Chicago Blues reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Chicago Blues vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Chicago Blues 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 Chicago Blues comparisons
See how Chicago Blues stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
