River Blue vs Iron Ore
Where River Blue belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. River Blue reads as blue, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (7 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. River Blue 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 14.3, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
River Blue vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing River 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The temperature contrast between Iron Ore and River Blue is what sets these apart most in this context.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Iron Ore brings more warmth to the space, while River Blue keeps things cooler and crisper.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. River Blue reads more restrained here, while Iron Ore adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Iron Ore brings more warmth to the space, while River Blue keeps things cooler and crisper.
Color Details
River Blue vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see River 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 River Blue comparisons
See how River Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 7, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 52 vs 7, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 7, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 7, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 7, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 4), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
Bancha reads slightly lighter (LRV 13 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 7, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 21 vs 7, Artichoke is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
Pewter Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 7, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 7, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 7, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 7), opening up a space where River Blue encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 7, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 7 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 24 vs 7, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 7, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 7, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.