Hinoki vs Iron Ore
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hinoki reads as beige, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Hinoki (LRV 75) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 70 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Hinoki 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 64.7, 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 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Hinoki vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Hinoki 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 Hinoki 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. Hinoki reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. Hinoki reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Hinoki returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Hinoki reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Home Office
The test for a home office color isn't how it looks in a quick glance — it's whether it still feels right after a full day of work. Hinoki reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Mudroom
Mudrooms are seen in passing, often under whatever light comes through the door — a context that favors colors with some depth. Hinoki returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Patio
Outside, paint color competes with sky, landscaping, and direct sun — all of which shift how both of these read compared to an indoor chip. Hinoki returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
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. Hinoki reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Hinoki vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Hinoki 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 Hinoki comparisons
See how Hinoki stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
A 8-point LRV gap (83 vs 75) makes White Dove the marginally brighter of the two.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 52), opening up a space where Purbeck Stone encloses it.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 30), opening up a space where Evergreen Fog encloses it.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 60), opening up a space where Agreeable Gray encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 58, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 27, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 43), opening up a space where French Gray encloses it.
At LRV 75 vs 55, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 44, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reads slightly lighter (LRV 84 vs 75), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
A 10-point LRV gap (75 vs 66) makes Hinoki the marginally brighter of the two.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 75 vs 74), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 75 vs 12, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
A 7-point LRV gap (75 vs 68) makes Hinoki the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 75 vs 12, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 75 vs 45, Hinoki is decisively the brighter choice.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 31), opening up a space where Pale Green encloses it.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 24), opening up a space where Cement grey encloses it.
Hinoki reflects far more light (LRV 75 vs 57), opening up a space where Guilford Green encloses it.
Hinoki reads slightly lighter (LRV 75 vs 72), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.