Parma Gray vs Iron Ore
Parma Gray (Farrow & Ball) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Parma Gray belongs to the blue-grey family and Iron Ore to the grey family. The 45-point LRV gap — 50 for Parma Gray vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Parma Gray will open up a space more effectively. Where Parma Gray leans cool, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 48.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Parma Gray vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Parma Gray 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. Parma Gray 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. Parma Gray 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. Parma Gray 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. Parma Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Mudroom
In a hardworking space like a mudroom, the depth and warmth of a color reads differently than in a quieter room. The LRV gap is large enough that Parma Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Parma Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Parma Gray returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Parma Gray vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Parma Gray 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 Parma Gray comparisons
See how Parma Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
