RAL 590-2 vs Iron Ore
RAL 590-2 (RAL Effect) and Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. RAL 590-2 reads as blue, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Their light reflectance values are nearly the same — 7 vs 6 — so neither will read significantly brighter or darker than the other. A ΔE of 34.5 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
RAL 590-2 vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing RAL 590-2 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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Kitchen
Kitchens often have the harshest, most revealing light in the house — under-cabinet LEDs and overhead fixtures that strip away subtlety. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
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. At this scale, the choice between them becomes clear in a way that a swatch alone can't communicate.
Color Details
RAL 590-2 vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see RAL 590-2 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 RAL 590-2 comparisons
See how RAL 590-2 stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 7, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 7, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 27 vs 7, Denim Drift is decisively the brighter choice.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 7, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 7, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 7, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 7, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Pewter Green the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 8 vs 7), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 68 vs 7, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Vintage Vogue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 7, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 7), opening up a space where RAL 590-2 encloses it.
With LRVs of 7 and 7, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.