Elephant Ear vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Elephant Ear reads as greige-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Elephant Ear (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 23 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Elephant Ear 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 32.1, 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 6 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elephant Ear vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
6 real rooms side by side. Seeing Elephant Ear 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 Elephant Ear 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. Elephant Ear 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. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Elephant Ear 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 Elephant Ear will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Elephant Ear reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Elephant Ear vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear 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 Elephant Ear comparisons
See how Elephant Ear stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
