String vs Iron Ore
String (Farrow & Ball) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, String belongs to the beige family and Iron Ore to the grey family. The 56-point LRV gap — 62 for String vs 6 for Iron Ore — means String will open up a space more effectively. Where String leans warm, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 57.0 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.
String vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing String 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.
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. String 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. String 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. String returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
String vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see String 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 String comparisons
See how String stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 62), opening up a space where String encloses it.
A 10-point LRV gap (62 vs 52) makes String the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 62 vs 30, String is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 62 vs 60), so neither reads brighter in a room.
String reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 58), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
String reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 43, String is decisively the brighter choice.
String reads slightly lighter (LRV 62 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
String reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 44), opening up a space where Hardwick White encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 62, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 62), opening up a space where String encloses it.
String reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 68 vs 62), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
String reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
String reflects far more light (LRV 62 vs 45), opening up a space where Saybrook Sage encloses it.
At LRV 62 vs 31, String is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 62 vs 24, String is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (62 vs 57) makes String the marginally brighter of the two.
A 10-point LRV gap (72 vs 62) makes Just Walnut the marginally brighter of the two.