Cast Iron vs Hidden Trail paint color comparison

Cast Iron vs Hidden Trail

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Hue-wise, Cast Iron belongs to the grey family and Hidden Trail to the greige-grey family. With LRVs of 13 and 10, they'll behave almost identically in terms of how much light they reflect back into a room. The tonal difference — Cast Iron's neutral character against Hidden Trail's warm — becomes most visible against white trim or in morning light. At ΔE 4.7, the difference is perceptible but not dramatic — the two can work harmoniously in the same space. Below you'll find 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Cast Iron vs Hidden Trail in Real Spaces

6 real rooms side by side. Cast Iron and Hidden Trail 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.

Living Room

Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Cast Iron reads more restrained here, while Hidden Trail adds a sense of enclosure and warmth.

Cast IronSW Cast Iron living room accent wall

@millhouseandco

Hidden TrailA mid century living room painted in Hidden Trail

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen

Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The temperature contrast between Hidden Trail and Cast Iron is what sets these apart most in this context.

Cast IronSw 6202 Kitchen

@hellomillerdesign

Hidden TrailHidden Trail — modern luxury kitchen

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The temperature contrast between Hidden Trail and Cast Iron is what sets these apart most in this context.

Cast IronSW Cast Iron bathroom color review

@tumbleweeddesignco

Hidden TrailHidden Trail — industrial bathroom

@mybudgetrecipes

Home Office

In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The temperature contrast between Hidden Trail and Cast Iron is what sets these apart most in this context.

Cast IronSW Cast Iron home office color

@2heartokidesigns

Hidden TrailHidden Trail — mid century home office

@mybudgetrecipes

Mudroom

A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. Hidden Trail brings more warmth to the space, while Cast Iron keeps things cooler and crisper.

Cast IronSherwin Williams Cast Iron laundry room

@red.barn_farmhouse

Hidden TrailHidden Trail paint in a traditional mudroom

@mybudgetrecipes

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The temperature contrast between Hidden Trail and Cast Iron is what sets these apart most in this context.

Cast IronSherwin Williams Cast Iron Exterior

@hobbsfunk

Hidden TrailHidden Trail color — maximalist house inspiration

@mybudgetrecipes

Color Details

Cast Iron
Sherwin-Williams · 6202
LRV12.6
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number6202
Undertone—
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark
Hidden Trail
Sherwin-Williams · 9525
LRV10.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number9525
Undertone—
TemperatureWarm
BrightnessDark

Cast Iron vs Hidden Trail Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cast Iron on one side and Hidden Trail on the other.

Bathroom
Bedroom
House
Kitchen Cabinets
Living Room

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.