Loam vs Iron Ore
Loam (Cloverdale Paint) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Loam reads as beige, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 37-point LRV gap — 42 for Loam vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Loam will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 49.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Loam vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Loam 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. Loam reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Loam returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Loam returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Loam will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Loam returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Loam vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Loam 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 Loam comparisons
See how Loam stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 42, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Loam reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 42), opening up a space where Loam encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 42, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 27, Loam is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 42, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 55 vs 42, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 42), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 42), opening up a space where Loam encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 42, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 42, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Loam is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 42, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Loam is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (45 vs 42) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Loam reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Loam reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.