Wine Dark vs Iron Ore
Wine Dark (Farrow & Ball) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Hue-wise, Wine Dark belongs to the blue-grey family and Iron Ore to the grey family. The 7-point LRV gap — 13 for Wine Dark vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Wine Dark will open up a space more effectively. Where Wine Dark leans cool, Iron Ore reads neutral — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 18.6 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Wine Dark vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Wine Dark 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. Wine Dark reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
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. Wine Dark has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
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. Wine Dark has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Wine Dark has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Wine Dark vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Wine Dark 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 Wine Dark comparisons
See how Wine Dark stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
