Iron Ore vs Mole
Iron Ore (Sherwin-Williams) and Mole (Tikkurila) come from different manufacturers. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. The 14-point LRV gap — 20 for Mole vs 6 for Iron Ore — means Mole will open up a space more effectively. A ΔE of 23.4 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Iron Ore vs Mole in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Iron Ore and Mole 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
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Mole reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Mole returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Iron Ore vs Mole Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Iron Ore on one side and Mole 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.
