Pearl dark grey vs Iron Ore
Pearl dark grey (RAL Classic) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 14-point LRV gap — 20 for Pearl dark grey vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Pearl dark grey will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 23.0 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Pearl dark grey vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Pearl dark grey 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.
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. Pearl dark grey reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Pearl dark grey returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Pearl dark grey vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Pearl dark grey 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 Pearl dark grey comparisons
See how Pearl dark grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
At LRV 83 vs 20, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 20), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 20, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 20, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (27 vs 20) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
Pearl dark grey reflects far more light (LRV 20 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 20, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 6-point LRV gap (20 vs 13) makes Pearl dark grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 20, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
With LRVs of 21 and 20, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 66 vs 20, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 20, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 20, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
Pigeon reflects far more light (LRV 51 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (20 vs 12) makes Pearl dark grey the marginally brighter of the two.
A 11-point LRV gap (20 vs 8) makes Pearl dark grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 20, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 20), opening up a space where Pearl dark grey encloses it.
A 8-point LRV gap (20 vs 12) makes Pearl dark grey the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 20, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 20), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Pearl dark grey reflects far more light (LRV 20 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.