Seattle Gray vs Iron Ore
Where Seattle Gray belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Seattle Gray belongs to the blue-grey family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Seattle Gray (LRV 73) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 67 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Seattle Gray 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 61.0, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Seattle Gray vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Seattle 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.
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 LRV gap is large enough that Seattle Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Seattle Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Seattle Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Seattle Gray vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Seattle 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 Seattle Gray comparisons
See how Seattle Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 10-point LRV gap (83 vs 73) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Seattle Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 73 vs 69), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 52, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 58, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 27, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 55, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 13, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 44, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 73), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
A 7-point LRV gap (73 vs 66) makes Seattle Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 74 vs 73), so neither reads brighter in a room.
A 10-point LRV gap (83 vs 73) makes Snowbound the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 73 vs 12, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (73 vs 68) makes Seattle Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 41), opening up a space where Dix Blue encloses it.
Seattle Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 73 vs 68), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 73 vs 12, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 73 vs 45, Seattle Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Seattle Gray reflects far more light (LRV 73 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 73 and 72, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.