Swansdown vs Iron Ore
Swansdown (Dulux) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Swansdown reads as greige-white, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 70-point LRV gap — 76 for Swansdown vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Swansdown will open up a space more effectively. Where Swansdown leans warm, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 61.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Swansdown vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Swansdown 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. Swansdown reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. Swansdown returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Swansdown returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Swansdown vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Swansdown 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 Swansdown comparisons
See how Swansdown stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 7-point LRV gap (83 vs 76) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 76 vs 58, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 27, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 76 vs 55, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 44, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 76), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (76 vs 66) makes Swansdown the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 76 vs 74), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 76 vs 12, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (76 vs 68) makes Swansdown the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 76 vs 12, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 76 vs 45, Swansdown is decisively the brighter choice.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Swansdown reflects far more light (LRV 76 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.
Swansdown reads slightly lighter (LRV 76 vs 72), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.