Gateway Gray vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Gateway Gray reads as greige-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Gateway Gray (LRV 41) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 36 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Gateway Gray 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 42.8, 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 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Gateway Gray vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Gateway Gray 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 Gateway Gray will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
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. Gateway Gray reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Gateway Gray vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Gateway Gray 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 Gateway Gray comparisons
See how Gateway Gray stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
