Cork Wedge vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Cork Wedge belongs to the beige family and Iron Ore to the grey family. Cork Wedge (LRV 42) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 36 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Cork Wedge runs warm while Iron Ore is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 46.1, 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.
Cork Wedge vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Cork Wedge 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 Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge 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. Cork Wedge reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The LRV gap is large enough that Cork Wedge will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Cork Wedge vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Cork Wedge 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 Cork Wedge comparisons
See how Cork Wedge stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 42, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.
Purbeck Stone reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 42), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cork Wedge reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 30), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (52 vs 42) makes Mizzle the marginally brighter of the two.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 42, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 27, Cork Wedge is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 43 and 42, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Cork Wedge reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 42, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 13, Cork Wedge is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 44 vs 42), so neither reads brighter in a room.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.
Cork Wedge reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 21), opening up a space where Artichoke encloses it.
At LRV 66 vs 42, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 42, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 42, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Cork Wedge is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 42, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 42 and 41, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.
Cork Wedge reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 25), opening up a space where Treron encloses it.
At LRV 42 vs 12, Cork Wedge is decisively the brighter choice.
A 4-point LRV gap (45 vs 42) makes Saybrook Sage the marginally brighter of the two.
Cork Wedge reads slightly lighter (LRV 42 vs 31), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cork Wedge reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Cork Wedge reflects far more light (LRV 42 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 42), opening up a space where Cork Wedge encloses it.