Iron Ore vs Santorini Blue
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Iron Ore belongs to the grey family and Santorini Blue to the blue family. Santorini Blue (LRV 14) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 8 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Iron Ore runs neutral while Santorini Blue is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 25.2, 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.
Iron Ore vs Santorini Blue in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and Santorini Blue in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Santorini Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Santorini Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs Santorini Blue Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and Santorini Blue 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.
