Hamilton Blue vs Iron Ore
Hamilton Blue (Benjamin Moore) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hamilton Blue reads as blue-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 13-point LRV gap — 18 for Hamilton Blue vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Hamilton Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Hamilton Blue leans blue, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 22.5 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.
Hamilton Blue vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hamilton Blue 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. Hamilton Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Hamilton Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Hamilton Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Hamilton Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Hamilton Blue vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hamilton Blue 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 Hamilton Blue comparisons
See how Hamilton Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 18, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 18, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 18, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (27 vs 18) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Hamilton Blue reflects far more light (LRV 18 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 18, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (18 vs 13) makes Hamilton Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 18, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 18, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 18, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 18, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Hamilton Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 18, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 6-point LRV gap (18 vs 12) makes Hamilton Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 18, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Hamilton Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 18 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 18), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 18), opening up a space where Hamilton Blue encloses it.