Obsidian vs Iron Ore
Where Obsidian belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Obsidian belongs to the blue-grey family and Iron Ore to the grey family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. The ΔE 4.8 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Obsidian vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Obsidian and Iron Ore are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
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. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
Obsidian vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Obsidian 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 Obsidian comparisons
See how Obsidian stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 6, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 6, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 6, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 6, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 6, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 6, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 6, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 6), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 6, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (12 vs 6) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 6, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 6), opening up a space where Obsidian encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 6, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.