Metro Gray vs Iron Ore
Where Metro Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Metro Gray (LRV 58) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 53 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Metro Gray runs yellow while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 52.9, 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.
Metro Gray vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Metro Gray 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.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Metro Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Metro Gray vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Metro Gray 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 Metro Gray comparisons
See how Metro Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 58, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reads slightly lighter (LRV 69 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Metro Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (58 vs 52) makes Metro Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 60 and 58, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 58 vs 58), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 58 vs 27, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (58 vs 55) makes Metro Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 58 vs 13, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 58 vs 44, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 58), opening up a space where Metro Gray encloses it.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (66 vs 58) makes Balboa Mist the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 74 vs 58, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 58, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 58 vs 12, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (68 vs 58) makes Skimming Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Calamine reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 12, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 58 vs 45, Metro Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Metro Gray reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 58 and 57, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 58), opening up a space where Metro Gray encloses it.