Smoky Quartz vs Iron Ore
Where Smoky Quartz belongs to Cloverdale Paint's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Smoky Quartz (LRV 38) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 32 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 39.5, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Smoky Quartz vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Smoky Quartz 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 Smoky Quartz 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. Smoky Quartz 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. Smoky Quartz reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Smoky Quartz returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Smoky Quartz reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Smoky Quartz vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Smoky Quartz 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 Smoky Quartz comparisons
See how Smoky Quartz stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 38, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
Smoky Quartz reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 38, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 38, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (38 vs 27) makes Smoky Quartz the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 38, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 13, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (44 vs 38) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 38, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 38, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 38, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 38), opening up a space where Smoky Quartz encloses it.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 38 vs 8, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 38, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 38), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 38 vs 12, Smoky Quartz is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (45 vs 38) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Smoky Quartz reads slightly lighter (LRV 38 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Smoky Quartz reflects far more light (LRV 38 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.