Black grey vs Iron Ore

Black greyRAL ClassicvsIron OreSherwin-WilliamsΔE 8.3Noticeable difference

Where Black grey belongs to RAL Classic's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. Black grey reads as blue-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 6), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. The ΔE 8.3 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Black grey vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Black grey and Iron Ore 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

In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 living room

@dorfstadtvilla

Iron OreIron Ore SW 7069 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 house exterior

@ebbandflow_home

Iron OreIron Ore house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Front Door

A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. Side by side like this, the difference is easy to read — which is exactly why seeing them in a real space is more useful than comparing chips.

Black greyRAL Classic Black grey 7021 front door

@doing_up_the_doer_upper

Iron OreGray front door with Iron Ore SW 7069

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.

Black greyRAL Classic 7021 kitchen cabinets paint review

@a.jak.agata

Iron OreSw Iron Ore Painted Cabinets

@fieldandforestdesign

Color Details

Black grey
RAL Classic · RAL 7021
Hex#2F3234
LRV6.5
BrandRAL Classic
NumberRAL 7021
Undertone
Temperature
BrightnessDark
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams · 7069
Hex#434341
LRV5.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7069
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Black grey vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black grey on one side and Iron Ore on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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 Black grey comparisons

See how Black grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Black grey
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Black grey
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Black grey
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone is the lighter choice

Evergreen Fog
Black grey
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Evergreen Fog reads noticeably lighter

Mizzle
Black grey
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle is the lighter choice

Agreeable Gray
Black grey
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Black grey
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Black grey
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Denim Drift reads noticeably lighter

French Gray
Black grey
French Gray
Farrow & Ball
French Gray
LRV 43

French Gray is the lighter choice

Naval
Black grey
Naval
Sherwin-Williams
Naval
LRV 4

Nearly identical in tone

Tranquil Dawn
Black grey
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn is the lighter choice

Bancha
Black grey
Bancha
Farrow & Ball
Bancha
LRV 13

Bancha reads slightly lighter

Hardwick White
Black grey
Hardwick White
Farrow & Ball
Hardwick White
LRV 44

Hardwick White is the lighter choice

Pure White
Black grey
Pure White
Sherwin-Williams
Pure White
LRV 84

Pure White is the lighter choice

Artichoke
Black grey
Artichoke
Sherwin-Williams
Artichoke
LRV 21

Artichoke reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Black grey
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Shoji White
Black grey
Shoji White
Sherwin-Williams
Shoji White
LRV 74

Shoji White is the lighter choice

Snowbound
Black grey
Snowbound
Sherwin-Williams
Snowbound
LRV 83

Snowbound is the lighter choice

Pewter Green
Black grey
Pewter Green
Sherwin-Williams
Pewter Green
LRV 12

Pewter Green reads slightly lighter

Skimming Stone
Black grey
Skimming Stone
Farrow & Ball
Skimming Stone
LRV 68

Skimming Stone is the lighter choice

Dix Blue
Black grey
Dix Blue
Farrow & Ball
Dix Blue
LRV 41

Dix Blue is the lighter choice

Calamine
Black grey
Calamine
Farrow & Ball
Calamine
LRV 68

Calamine is the lighter choice

Treron
Black grey
Treron
Farrow & Ball
Treron
LRV 25

Treron reads noticeably lighter

Vintage Vogue
Black grey
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Vintage Vogue reads slightly lighter

Saybrook Sage
Black grey
Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore
Saybrook Sage
LRV 45

Saybrook Sage is the lighter choice

Pale Green
Black grey
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Pale Green reads noticeably lighter

Pine Needle
Black grey
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Nearly identical in tone

Cement grey
Black grey
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Cement grey reads noticeably lighter

Guilford Green
Black grey
Guilford Green
Benjamin Moore
Guilford Green
LRV 57

Guilford Green is the lighter choice

Just Walnut
Black grey
Just Walnut
Dulux
Just Walnut
LRV 72

Just Walnut is the lighter choice