Elephant Ear vs Ironclad
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Elephant Ear reads as greige-grey, while Ironclad reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Elephant Ear (LRV 28) reflects noticeably more light than Ironclad (LRV 11), a difference of 17 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Elephant Ear runs warm while Ironclad is decidedly neutral, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 20.7, 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 1 real-room photo comparison where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Elephant Ear vs Ironclad in Real Spaces
1 real room side by side. Seeing Elephant Ear and Ironclad in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
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 Ironclad.
Color Details
Elephant Ear vs Ironclad Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Elephant Ear on one side and Ironclad 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.