Iron Grey vs Gray Matters
Iron Grey is a Jotun color while Gray Matters comes from Sherwin-Williams. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. With LRVs of 39 and 39, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. With a ΔE of 1.9, the difference is subtle — you'd need them side by side to reliably tell them apart. Below you'll find 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Grey vs Gray Matters in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Iron Grey and Gray Matters are close enough that the difference can be hard to judge from a chip alone — these photos show how each reads at scale, across different spaces and lighting conditions.
Living Room
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. In photos like these you're seeing the difference at its most direct. In a finished room, the distinction is there but not dramatic.
Color Details
Iron Grey vs Gray Matters Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Grey on one side and Gray Matters 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 Iron Grey comparisons
See how Iron Grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 39, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 39), opening up a space where Iron Grey encloses it.
Iron Grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 39), opening up a space where Iron Grey encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 39, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 12-point LRV gap (39 vs 27) makes Iron Grey the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 39), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 39, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (44 vs 39) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 39), opening up a space where Iron Grey encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 39, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 39, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Iron Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 8, Iron Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 39, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 39 vs 12, Iron Grey is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (45 vs 39) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Iron Grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 39 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.