Iron Ore vs Rainstorm
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Iron Ore reads as grey, while Rainstorm reads as blue — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. They have nearly identical light reflectance values (6 vs 5), so they'll read as similarly Dark in most lighting conditions. Iron Ore runs neutral while Rainstorm is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 14.9, 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 5 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Ore vs Rainstorm in Real Spaces
5 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and Rainstorm 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 temperature contrast between Rainstorm and Iron Ore is what sets these apart most in this context.
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. Rainstorm brings more warmth to the space, while Iron Ore keeps things cooler and crisper.
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. Rainstorm brings more warmth to the space, while Iron Ore keeps things cooler and crisper.
Front Door
A front door is a focal point — small color differences read clearly at this concentrated scale. The temperature contrast between Rainstorm and Iron Ore is what sets these apart most in this context.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs Rainstorm Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and Rainstorm 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 Iron Ore comparisons
See how Iron Ore stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
