Iron Ore vs White Snow
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Iron Ore belongs to the grey family and White Snow to the beige-greige family. White Snow (LRV 90) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 85 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Iron Ore runs neutral while White Snow is decidedly warm, which means they'll respond very differently to warm vs cool light sources. With a ΔE of 67.8, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Ore vs White Snow in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and White Snow 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 White Snow will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Kitchen
In a kitchen, colors are seen under bright task lighting that amplifies undertones — what reads neutral elsewhere can show its hand here. White Snow 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. White Snow reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs White Snow Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and White Snow 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.
