Strawflower vs Iron Ore
Strawflower (PPG) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. Strawflower reads as pink-red, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. The 49-point LRV gap — 55 for Strawflower vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Strawflower will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 52.3 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Strawflower vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Strawflower 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. Strawflower 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. Strawflower 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. Strawflower returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The LRV gap is large enough that Strawflower will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
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. Strawflower returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Home Office
Home office walls matter more than most — you're looking at them all day, and a color that reads fine at first can become tiring over time. Strawflower 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 Strawflower will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Patio
Exterior colors look different in open light — both tend to read lighter outside than on an interior swatch, and shadows read more strongly. The LRV gap is large enough that Strawflower will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
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. Strawflower returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Strawflower reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Strawflower vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Strawflower 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 Strawflower comparisons
See how Strawflower stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 55, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Strawflower encloses it.
A 3-point LRV gap (55 vs 52) makes Strawflower the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 30, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.
Strawflower reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 52), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 5-point LRV gap (60 vs 55) makes Agreeable Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
With LRVs of 58 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Strawflower reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
A 12-point LRV gap (55 vs 43) makes Strawflower the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 55 vs 4, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 55 and 55, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Strawflower reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
Strawflower reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 44), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 55, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 21, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reads slightly lighter (LRV 66 vs 55), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 55), opening up a space where Strawflower encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 55), opening up a space where Strawflower encloses it.
A 4-point LRV gap (55 vs 51) makes Strawflower the marginally brighter of the two.
Strawflower reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Strawflower reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 55), opening up a space where Strawflower encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 41, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.
Strawflower reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Strawflower reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 45), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 55 vs 31, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 55 vs 7, Strawflower is decisively the brighter choice.