Blackened vs Iron Ore
Blackened (Farrow & Ball) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 65-point LRV gap — 71 for Blackened vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Blackened will open up a space more effectively. Both share a neutral character, which means they'll respond to light and surrounding materials in similar ways. A ΔE of 59.2 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Blackened vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Blackened 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. Blackened 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. Blackened 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. Blackened 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 Blackened 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. Blackened returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Blackened returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Blackened vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Blackened 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 Blackened comparisons
See how Blackened stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 71), opening up a space where Blackened encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 52, Blackened is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 30, Blackened is decisively the brighter choice.
A 11-point LRV gap (71 vs 60) makes Blackened the marginally brighter of the two.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 58), opening up a space where Accessible Beige encloses it.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 43, Blackened is decisively the brighter choice.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 55), opening up a space where Tranquil Dawn encloses it.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 71, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Blackened reads slightly lighter (LRV 71 vs 66), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reads slightly lighter (LRV 74 vs 71), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
With LRVs of 71 and 68, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Blackened reflects far more light (LRV 71 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 71 vs 31, Blackened is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 71 vs 7, Blackened is decisively the brighter choice.