Iron Ore vs Tradewind
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Iron Ore reads as grey, while Tradewind reads as blue-grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. Tradewind (LRV 61) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 55 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Iron Ore runs neutral while Tradewind is decidedly cool, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 54.0, 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 8 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Ore vs Tradewind in Real Spaces
8 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and Tradewind 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 Tradewind 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. Tradewind 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. Tradewind reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
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. Tradewind 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. Tradewind 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. Tradewind 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. Tradewind reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs Tradewind Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and Tradewind 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.
