Nautical Star vs Iron Ore
Nautical Star is a PPG color while Iron Ore comes from Sherwin-Williams. Nautical Star reads as blue-grey, while Iron Ore reads as grey — two distinct hue families, not close cousins. At LRV 46 vs 6, Nautical Star will read as the brighter of the two — a 40-point gap that matters most in north-facing or low-light rooms. At ΔE 44.8, these are genuinely distinct colors — a strong contrast if used together, or a meaningful choice between two different directions. Below you'll find 10 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Nautical Star vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
10 real rooms side by side. Seeing Nautical Star and Iron Ore 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
Living rooms test a color across a full range of conditions — morning sun, afternoon shade, and evening lamp light all shift how both of these read. Nautical Star returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Bedroom
Bedroom walls are often seen under warm artificial light, a context that shifts both colors from how they look on a chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Nautical Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Kitchen
Kitchen lighting tends to be bright and directional, which sharpens contrast and makes undertone differences more apparent. The LRV gap is large enough that Nautical Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Dining Room
Dining room light is typically the warmest in the house, which shifts both colors toward the red end of the spectrum compared to daylight. Nautical Star reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Bathroom
Bathrooms amplify color — the enclosed space and reflective surfaces make what reads subtle elsewhere feel more present here. The LRV gap is large enough that Nautical Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Home Office
In a home office, wall color sits in your peripheral vision for hours at a time, so temperature and undertone matter more than you might expect. The LRV gap is large enough that Nautical Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Mudroom
A mudroom color needs to hold up under the most casual scrutiny: a glance as you're coming and going, often in mixed or artificial light. Nautical Star reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
Patio
Patio colors are seen under changing outdoor light throughout the day — morning, midday, and golden hour each reveal different qualities. Nautical Star reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Iron Ore.
House
At full exterior scale, the difference between these two colors becomes much easier to judge than from a small chip. The LRV gap is large enough that Nautical Star will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Iron Ore would.
Front Door
Front doors are seen in isolation against the rest of the facade, which makes them a high-stakes surface where even subtle differences matter. Nautical Star returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Color Details
Nautical Star vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Nautical Star on one side and Iron Ore 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 Nautical Star comparisons
See how Nautical Star stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 69 vs 46, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 46), opening up a space where Nautical Star encloses it.
A 6-point LRV gap (52 vs 46) makes Purbeck Stone the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 46 vs 30, Nautical Star is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reads slightly lighter (LRV 52 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 60 vs 46, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reads slightly lighter (LRV 58 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Nautical Star reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 27), opening up a space where Denim Drift encloses it.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 46 vs 43), so neither reads brighter in a room.
At LRV 46 vs 4, Nautical Star is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reads slightly lighter (LRV 55 vs 46), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Nautical Star reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 13), opening up a space where Bancha encloses it.
With LRVs of 46 and 44, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 84 vs 46, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 21, Nautical Star is decisively the brighter choice.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 46), opening up a space where Nautical Star encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 46), opening up a space where Nautical Star encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 46), opening up a space where Nautical Star encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (51 vs 46) makes Pigeon the marginally brighter of the two.
Nautical Star reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Pewter Green encloses it.
Nautical Star reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 8), opening up a space where Duck Green encloses it.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 46), opening up a space where Nautical Star encloses it.
A 5-point LRV gap (46 vs 41) makes Nautical Star the marginally brighter of the two.
Nautical Star reflects far more light (LRV 46 vs 12), opening up a space where Vintage Vogue encloses it.
With LRVs of 46 and 45, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 46 vs 31, Nautical Star is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 46 vs 7, Nautical Star is decisively the brighter choice.