Simmering Smoke vs Iron Ore
Where Simmering Smoke belongs to PPG's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Simmering Smoke reads as greige-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Simmering Smoke (LRV 36) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 30 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 38.1, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Simmering Smoke vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Simmering Smoke 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Simmering Smoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Simmering Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Simmering Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Simmering Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the few spaces where you're genuinely enclosed by the paint color, which makes the choice between these two more consequential. Simmering Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Simmering Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Simmering Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Simmering Smoke returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Simmering Smoke reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Simmering Smoke will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Simmering Smoke vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Simmering Smoke 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 Simmering Smoke comparisons
See how Simmering Smoke stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 36), opening up a space where Simmering Smoke encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 36, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 36), opening up a space where Simmering Smoke encloses it.
Simmering Smoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 36 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 36, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 36), opening up a space where Simmering Smoke encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 36, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (36 vs 27) makes Simmering Smoke the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reads slightly lighter (LRV 43 vs 36), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Simmering Smoke reflects far more light (LRV 36 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 36, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 36 vs 13, Simmering Smoke is decisively the brighter choice.
A 8-point LRV gap (44 vs 36) makes Hardwick White the marginally brighter of the two.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 36), opening up a space where Simmering Smoke encloses it.
Simmering Smoke reflects far more light (LRV 36 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 36, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 36, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 36, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 36), opening up a space where Simmering Smoke encloses it.
At LRV 36 vs 12, Simmering Smoke is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 36 vs 8, Simmering Smoke is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 36, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 41 vs 36), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 36 vs 12, Simmering Smoke is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (45 vs 36) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Simmering Smoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 36 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Simmering Smoke reflects far more light (LRV 36 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.