Earl Grey vs Iron Ore

Earl GreySherwin-WilliamsvsIron OreSherwin-WilliamsΔE 34.9Very different colors

Both are Sherwin-Williams colors. Both sit in the grey family, which is useful context if you're narrowing within a single hue direction. At LRV 32 vs 6, Earl Grey will read as the brighter of the two — a 26-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. They share a neutral quality — useful to know if you're layering them in the same space. At ΔE 34.9, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.

Earl Grey vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces

4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Earl Grey 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

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. Earl Grey returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.

Earl GreySherwin Williams Earl Grey living room inspiration

@ciennedesigns

Iron OreIron Ore SW 7069 living room

@mybudgetrecipes

Bathroom

Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Grey will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

Earl GreySherwin Williams Earl Grey wall panelling accent wall

@gotaccentwalldesigns

Iron OreGray bathroom in Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams

@mybudgetrecipes

House

At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Grey will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

Earl GreySW Earl Grey exterior review

@home.body_interiors

Iron OreIron Ore house color review

@mybudgetrecipes

Kitchen Cabinets

On cabinetry, undertone and temperature become more pronounced against countertops and hardware. The LRV gap is large enough that Earl Grey will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.

Earl GreyEarl Grey Kitchen Cabinets

@amybakerdesign

Iron OreSw Iron Ore Painted Cabinets

@fieldandforestdesign

Color Details

Earl Grey
Sherwin-Williams · 7660
Hex#969A96
LRV31.8
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7660
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessMedium
Iron Ore
Sherwin-Williams · 7069
Hex#434341
LRV5.5
BrandSherwin-Williams
Number7069
Undertone
TemperatureNeutral
BrightnessDark

Earl Grey vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison

5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Earl Grey on one side and Iron Ore 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.

More Earl Grey comparisons

See how Earl Grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.

White Dove
Earl Grey
White Dove
Benjamin Moore
White Dove
LRV 83

White Dove is the lighter choice

Ammonite
Earl Grey
Ammonite
Farrow & Ball
Ammonite
LRV 69

Ammonite is the lighter choice

Purbeck Stone
Earl Grey
Purbeck Stone
Farrow & Ball
Purbeck Stone
LRV 52

Purbeck Stone reads noticeably lighter

Evergreen Fog
Earl Grey
Evergreen Fog
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreen Fog
LRV 30

Nearly identical in tone

Mizzle
Earl Grey
Mizzle
Farrow & Ball
Mizzle
LRV 52

Mizzle reads noticeably lighter

Agreeable Gray
Earl Grey
Agreeable Gray
Sherwin-Williams
Agreeable Gray
LRV 60

Agreeable Gray is the lighter choice

Accessible Beige
Earl Grey
Accessible Beige
Sherwin-Williams
Accessible Beige
LRV 58

Accessible Beige is the lighter choice

Denim Drift
Earl Grey
Denim Drift
Dulux
Denim Drift
LRV 27

Earl Grey reads slightly lighter

Tranquil Dawn
Earl Grey
Tranquil Dawn
Dulux
Tranquil Dawn
LRV 55

Tranquil Dawn reads noticeably lighter

Balboa Mist
Earl Grey
Balboa Mist
Benjamin Moore
Balboa Mist
LRV 66

Balboa Mist is the lighter choice

Vintage Vogue
Earl Grey
Vintage Vogue
Benjamin Moore
Vintage Vogue
LRV 12

Earl Grey reads noticeably lighter

Pale Green
Earl Grey
Pale Green
RAL ClassicClassic
Pale Green
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Pine Needle
Earl Grey
Pine Needle
Dulux
Pine Needle
LRV 7

Earl Grey reads noticeably lighter

Cement grey
Earl Grey
Cement grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Cement grey
LRV 24

Earl Grey reads slightly lighter

Black grey
Earl Grey
Black grey
RAL ClassicClassic
Black grey
LRV 6

Earl Grey is the lighter choice

Piazza
Earl Grey
Piazza
Tikkurila
Piazza
LRV 65

Piazza is the lighter choice

Humble Yellow
Earl Grey
Humble Yellow
Jotun
Humble Yellow
LRV 57

Humble Yellow reads noticeably lighter

Windmill Lane
Earl Grey
Windmill Lane
Little Greene
Windmill Lane
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

Senses
Earl Grey
Senses
Jotun
Senses
LRV 41

Senses reads slightly lighter

Lamp Black
Earl Grey
Lamp Black
Little Greene
Lamp Black
LRV 3

Earl Grey is the lighter choice

Washed Linen
Earl Grey
Washed Linen
Jotun
Washed Linen
LRV 55

Washed Linen reads noticeably lighter

Tea with Florence
Earl Grey
Tea with Florence
Little Greene
Tea with Florence
LRV 18

Earl Grey reads noticeably lighter

Thames Fog
Earl Grey
Thames Fog
Valspar
Thames Fog
LRV 27

Earl Grey reads slightly lighter

Ocean Abyss
Earl Grey
Ocean Abyss
Behr
Ocean Abyss
LRV 7

Earl Grey reads noticeably lighter

Classic Silver
Earl Grey
Classic Silver
Behr
Classic Silver
LRV 48

Classic Silver reads noticeably lighter

Teton Blue
Earl Grey
Teton Blue
Behr
Teton Blue
LRV 31

Nearly identical in tone

RAL 110-2
Earl Grey
RAL 110-2
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-2
LRV 72

RAL 110-2 is the lighter choice

RAL 110-1
Earl Grey
RAL 110-1
RAL EffectEffect
RAL 110-1
LRV 80

RAL 110-1 is the lighter choice

Paper
Earl Grey
Paper
Tikkurila
Paper
LRV 88

Paper is the lighter choice

Passageway
Earl Grey
Passageway
Valspar
Passageway
LRV 14

Earl Grey reads noticeably lighter