Startling Orange vs Iron Ore
Where Startling Orange belongs to Benjamin Moore's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Startling Orange belongs to the beige family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Startling Orange (LRV 32) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 27 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Startling Orange runs red while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 85.5, 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.
Startling Orange vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Startling Orange 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 Startling Orange will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Startling Orange vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Startling Orange 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 Startling Orange comparisons
See how Startling Orange stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 32), opening up a space where Startling Orange encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 32, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 32), opening up a space where Startling Orange encloses it.
With LRVs of 32 and 30, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 52 vs 32, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 32), opening up a space where Startling Orange encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 32, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (32 vs 27) makes Startling Orange the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 32), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Startling Orange reflects far more light (LRV 32 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 32, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 32 vs 13, Startling Orange is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (44 vs 32) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 32), opening up a space where Startling Orange encloses it.
Startling Orange reads slightly lighter (LRV 32 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 32, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 32, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 32, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 32), opening up a space where Startling Orange encloses it.
At LRV 32 vs 12, Startling Orange is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 32 vs 8, Startling Orange is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 32, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 32), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 32 vs 12, Startling Orange is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 32, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 32 and 31, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Startling Orange reflects far more light (LRV 32 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.