Celtic Forest 3 vs Iron Ore
Where Celtic Forest 3 belongs to Dulux's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Hue-wise, Celtic Forest 3 belongs to the beige-greige family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Celtic Forest 3 (LRV 52) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 46 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Celtic Forest 3 runs warm while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 50.1, 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 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Celtic Forest 3 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Celtic Forest 3 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 Celtic Forest 3 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. Celtic Forest 3 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. Celtic Forest 3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Celtic Forest 3 reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Celtic Forest 3 returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Celtic Forest 3 will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Celtic Forest 3 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Celtic Forest 3 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 Celtic Forest 3 comparisons
See how Celtic Forest 3 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
