Cumulus Cloud vs Iron Ore
Cumulus Cloud (Benjamin Moore) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Cumulus Cloud reads as greige-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 47-point LRV gap — 52 for Cumulus Cloud vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Cumulus Cloud will open up a space more effectively. Where Cumulus Cloud leans red, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 49.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Cumulus Cloud vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cumulus Cloud 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. Cumulus Cloud reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Cumulus Cloud returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Cumulus Cloud will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
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. Cumulus Cloud returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Cumulus Cloud vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cumulus Cloud 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 Cumulus Cloud comparisons
See how Cumulus Cloud stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 52), opening up a space where Cumulus Cloud encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 52, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 52 vs 52), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 52 vs 30, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 52 and 52, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
A 8-point LRV gap (60 vs 52) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cumulus Cloud reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 9-point LRV gap (52 vs 43) makes Cumulus Cloud the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 52 vs 4, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 55 and 52, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cumulus Cloud reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Cumulus Cloud reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 52, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 21, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 52), opening up a space where Cumulus Cloud encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 52), opening up a space where Cumulus Cloud encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 52), opening up a space where Cumulus Cloud encloses it.
Cumulus Cloud reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 52), opening up a space where Cumulus Cloud encloses it.
A 11-point LRV gap (52 vs 41) makes Cumulus Cloud the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 52, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 25, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
Cumulus Cloud reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Cumulus Cloud reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 31, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 24, Cumulus Cloud is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (57 vs 52) makes Guilford Green the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 72 vs 52, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.