Alloy vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Alloy (LRV 25) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 20 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 29.5, 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.
Alloy vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Alloy 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 Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy 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. Alloy reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Alloy vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Alloy 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 Alloy comparisons
See how Alloy stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 25, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (30 vs 25) makes Evergreen Fog the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 25, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
With LRVs of 27 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 43 vs 25, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 25, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Alloy reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
Alloy reflects far more light (LRV 25 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 25), opening up a space where Alloy encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (31 vs 25) makes Pale Green the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 25 vs 24), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 57 vs 25, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 25, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.