Garden Spot vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Garden Spot reads as yellow, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Garden Spot (LRV 17) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 11 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean neutral, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 33.4, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Garden Spot vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Garden Spot 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 Garden Spot 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. Garden Spot 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 Garden Spot will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Color Details
Garden Spot vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Garden Spot 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 Garden Spot comparisons
See how Garden Spot stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 17, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reflects far more light (LRV 30 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
At LRV 52 vs 17, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 17, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
A 10-point LRV gap (27 vs 17) makes Denim Drift the marginally brighter of the two.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Garden Spot reflects far more light (LRV 17 vs 4), opening up a space where Naval encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 17, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
A 3-point LRV gap (17 vs 13) makes Garden Spot the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 44 vs 17, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Artichoke reads slightly lighter (LRV 21 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 17, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 17, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 17, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (17 vs 12) makes Garden Spot the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 68 vs 17, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Treron reads slightly lighter (LRV 25 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 5-point LRV gap (17 vs 12) makes Garden Spot the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 45 vs 17, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reflects far more light (LRV 31 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Garden Spot reads slightly lighter (LRV 17 vs 7), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Cement grey reads slightly lighter (LRV 24 vs 17), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 17), opening up a space where Garden Spot encloses it.