Black Bean vs Iron Gate
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Black Bean belongs to the grey family and Iron Gate to the beige-greige family. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (4 vs 4), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Both lean warm, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. The ΔE 4.7 gap is real but not dramatic — close enough to use together, distinct enough to matter as a choice. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Black Bean vs Iron Gate in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Black Bean and Iron Gate 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.
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. The distinction reads clearly at room scale, making the choice between them concrete.
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.
Color Details
Black Bean vs Iron Gate Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Black Bean on one side and Iron Gate 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.