Calico vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Calico belongs to the blue-green family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Calico (LRV 35) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 29 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Calico runs cool while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 38.2, 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 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Calico vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Calico 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 Calico will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Calico reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Calico reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Calico vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Calico 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 Calico comparisons
See how Calico stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 35, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (35 vs 30) makes Calico the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 60 vs 35, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
Calico reads slightly lighter (LRV 35 vs 27), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 9-point LRV gap (43 vs 35) makes French Gray the marginally brighter of the two.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
Hardwick White reads slightly lighter (LRV 44 vs 35), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 84 vs 35, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
Calico reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 35), opening up a space where Calico encloses it.
Calico reflects far more light (LRV 35 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
Saybrook Sage reads slightly lighter (LRV 45 vs 35), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 3-point LRV gap (35 vs 31) makes Calico the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 35 vs 7, Calico is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (35 vs 24) makes Calico the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 57 vs 35, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 35, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.