Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (HC-154): Undertones, Lighting, & Best Uses

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy is a dark, cool navy blue – timeless, classic, and super popular. It works well on kitchen cabinets, islands, accent walls, and some exterior surfaces.

However, colors with low LRVs like Hale Navy can look different in person than online, especially as lighting conditions and interior finishes change. This is why sampling and comparing similar shades is so important, along with doing your homework by reading all of its juicy details.

Could Hale Navy be the best color for your room, front door, cabinets, or exterior? It has some serious potential, so let’s find out.

WILL BENJAMIN MOORE HALE NAVY LOOK BLACK?

This is a common concern amongst homeowners. While it’s not built that way (with having a reasonable degree of color (chroma), in some lighting situations it can lean that way slightly.

With decent natural light, Hale Navy is beyond stunning

Some navy blue (ish) colors have a ton of black-gray in them, and combined with their depth, they can look blackish in some lights. While Hale Navy is a bit toned-down this way, it still has a decent degree of color and, combined with its depth (not close to black), means it’s far less likely.

This is as muted as I’ve evaaaaaah seen it look – this is an exception, not a rule…

Here’s a bedroom with a beautiful Hale Navy accent wall…

Looks pretty dark, eh? Now, let’s compare it to black…

All said, Hale Navy looks more muted/less blue than usual in BOTH photos 

Notice how in the corner, yes, it comes up a bit more black (and remember, this is a homeowner’s photo-taking skills, not a pro’s). But in areas that get natural light, Hale Navy looks more like itself.

Long story… long. If you don’t give Hale Navy enough light, it can look blackish, but it usually retains an interesting softness and a vague blue. The question you might ask now might be…

IS HALE NAVY TOO DARK? WHAT’S ITS DEPTH?

When it comes to a color’s depth, we can get an idea of where it sits by its LRV (which tells you how light or dark a color is on a scale of 0-100). Hale Navy has an LRV of 8.36. The BLACKEST black we have available in paint has an LRV of 2.45. While they might seem close, and they are, in the world of ‘is it black or not’, Hale Navy sure as heck ain’t black.

Not sure what LRV is? It could save your paint lovin’ life – read all about it HERE.

If you ask me personally whether it’s too dark, the answer is usually no – if you go lighter in the blue world, it won’t look as traditionally ‘navy blue’.

Hale Navy holds its own in a wide range of lighting, even in somewhat low-light areas. Sure, it can look flat and drab in a super dark room, but that’s about lighting, not the paint color itself.

IS HALE NAVY A REAL NAVY BLUE?

While what a color is can be open to perception, you better believe that Hale Navy is one of the more classic, timeless navy blue paint colors. Softer than primary blue and less regal than royal blue – it really is the EPITOME of ‘navy blue’.

But again, perception plays a huge role. Whereas some think Hale Navy is THE best navy blue, others think blues like Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue (below) are more classic – neither is wrong…

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Are there other options if your version of navy has more or less blue? You bet your cute little booty there is, and we’ll hit those shortly.

IS HALE NAVY WARM OR COOL?

Hale Navy is definitely a cool paint color – not a wink o’ warmth to be found in this fella! The reality is that blue is a cold color, so no matter which blue you sample, it’s cold. From there, it’s more about undertones, which leads us to our next topic!

However, whereas light blues often seem a bit crisper and icier, dark blues can seem warmer and more inviting via their more dramatic, moody depth.

WHAT ARE HALE NAVY’S UNDERTONES?

Blue paint colors can be tricky, as there are three main types…

1. TRUE BLUE: few and far between
2. BLUE-GREEN: Still dominant with blue, but has a little or a lot of green mixed in. Most people see these as warmer than blue-purples (but it’s a perception, not a fact).
3. BLUE-PURPLE: The blue is still dominant, but it has a little or a lot of purple (red) mixed in.

What I love about Hale Navy is that it’s pretty darn balanced and doesn’t cater hard one way or another (it will favor purple over green if pushed). Sure, it could be ‘slightly’ influenced by its environment, but generally speaking, it’ll be pretty true blue (rare!).

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Hale Navy…

HALE NAVY & LIGHTING

Like any paint color, Hale Navy is influenced by interior lighting, the amount of natural light your room gets, and your room’s exposure.

In the next photos, notice how Hale Navy subtly shifts between day and night, looking a bit more toned down in the second photo (night)…

With its striking blue hue, you can expect Hale Navy to sit well in any exposure. Some blues with more gray in them can fall a bit flat or dull in rooms with low light or flat exposures – not this one. With its extra dose of chroma (color), Hale Navy always rises to the occasion.

HALE NAVY IN A DARK ROOM

As shown in the above office, Hale Navy still looks navy. Now, check it out in this next home office, where the owner wanted a contrasting, dramatic palette…

Notice how it looks a bit flatter- not black (compare it to the light switch), but not as blue as it looks in daylight.

HALE NAVY IN DIFFERENT EXPOSURES

EASTERN AFTERNOON/WESTERN MORNING: These lights can be a bit cold and flat-looking. The amount of color (vs. gray) in Hale Navy helps it hold up well.

NORTH-FACING LIGHT: While some cold colors can look icy in northern light, Hale Navy just adds personality.

SOUTH-FACING OR WESTERN AFTERNOON: Hale Navy’s cool look adds a nice balance to warmer-looking rooms.

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best?

The 10 Best DARK Paint Colors for DARK Rooms! 

THE BEST WHITE TRIM OR CABINET COLOR

If you want to pair Hale Navy with the perfect white paint color, I’ve got some stunners…

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace offers a pretty, clean, simple contrast without being harsh.
• I love Benjamin Moore White Dove for a softer, more muted look (fave)
• Some love the play of Benjamin Moore Simply White’s warmth against Hale’s cool vibe.

The ULTIMATE GUIDE to White Paint Colors

WHERE HALE NAVY DOES (& DOESN’T) LOOK BEST

Hale Navy ain’t no one-tricky-pony – it has a lot of potential up its colorful little sleeves. Let’s hit a few general points and then focus on some important topics…

• In a single room
• As an accent wall
• On the exterior siding of a home
• On interior or exterior doors
• Kitchen cabinets or islands

DOES HALE NAVY GO WITH WOOD FINISHES?

OH HAAAALE YES! Hale Navy is a gorgeous partner to many wood stains. Some love how its blue hue bounces off red-stained woods. Others love the classic look of navy blue with a more standard golden oak. There aren’t many wood stains/undertones that scare me with this bad boy.

COME TO MOMMA – I love how this wood trim plays with Hale Navy…

DOES IT GO WITH CREAM CABINETS & TRIMS?

Not usually. While it can go with some super-muted cream finishes, Hale Navy often contrasts too much with the yellow undertone of these finishes and looks a bit abrasive. Read this for better options: The Best Paint Colors With Cream Cabinets & Trims.

HALE NAVY AS AN EXTERIOR COLOR

I absolutely love it for exteriors. Whether you want it for your front door or siding, Hale Navy is a classic approach to a navy blue exterior, especially when paired with the right white trim color (discussed earlier).

That said, make sure it suits your home’s roof, brick, and stone finishes. While it complements many bricks, it doesn’t always suit every roof or stone facade. 

The Best Navy Blue Paint Colors

 5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

HALE NAVY ON CABINETS & KITCHEN ISLANDS

As for cabinetry, Hale Navy has been popular for a long time. While demand for blue cabinets and islands has gone down considerably, for those wanting that look, it’s a ‘must sample’.

VERY SIMILAR to Hale Navy (manufacturer’s color)

The Best Blue Paint Colors for Cabinets & Islands

WHAT PAINT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO HALE NAVY?

When comparing navy blue paint colors, there are a few shades to explore…

HALE NAVY COMPARED TO EVENING DOVE

While these two colors share a similar intent, they approach it in different ways.

Both are considered ‘navy blue paint colors’. However, Evening Dove is lighter than Hale Navy, which we know by its LRV of 12.02. So, if you worry that Hale Navy is too dark, Evening Dove could be the fix.

Here’s your Peel & Stick of Evening Dove…

As for their approach to blue, you might find that being lighter, Evening Dove’s ‘blue’ shows up at the party a bit more often.

HALE NAVY COMPARED TO SHERWIN WILLIAMS CYBERSPACE

When comparing between brands, you’ll never…ever find an exact match – that’s not how it works. Instead, you find alternatives. These alternatives will vary in color, temperature, and depth. Comparing is what helps you choose the best color for your home!

Cyberspace is amazeballs. While I love Hale Navy for its stronger approach, the degree of gray-black in Cyberspace gives me all the feels (personal opinion).

Cyberspace has an LRV of 6, so it’s a dose darker than Hale Navy. It also has less color (chroma). Of the two, Cyberspace is FAR more likely to look black in a dark room or a kitchen island that doesn’t get a ton of light.

Some call Cyberspace a dark gray with blue undertones. You can call it whatever you want, all that really matters is finding a color you love. 

Sherwin Williams Cyberspace COLOR REVIEW

FOR MORE BLUE: For a stronger navy blue hue, check out Sherwin Williams Naval and In the Navy (link shows other blues, too), as they pack more of a color punch.

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FOR A LIGHTER BLUE HUE: Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue is a gorgeous, lighter approach to navy blue, as is Newburyport Blue (BM site), as shown below…

COLORS THAT GO WITH HALE NAVY IN A PALETTE…

This color has a lot of friends. Of course, it depends on whether you need a color palette for the other walls in your room (if Hale is the accent wall), an adjoining room, or what have you, but these should get you going…

• GRAY PAINT COLORS: It loves grays with a blue undertone, especially in the light range.
• CREAM PAINT COLORS: A wide range of popular cream paint colors can be gorgeous in your palette, as long as they aren’t TOO yellow.
• WARM OFF-WHITES: If you worry about the degree of yellow in cream, check out these flexible, off-white paint colors.
• TAN PAINT COLORS: It can be partnered with many tan paint colors, as well as shades of light greige or taupe.
• GREENS: If you need a fun color for an accent, check out darker shades of green, although some gray-greens can be pretty, too!

PROS & CONS: A SUMMARY OF HALE NAVY

• Benjamin Moore Hale Navy is a classic, timeless navy blue paint color – if you’re looking for a classic, ‘typical’ navy, this is the place to start.
• Navy blues aren’t as popular for cabinets and islands as they once were. If you don’t care about trends – hit it. If you do, you might consider other options. Gray-blues are definitely more popular.
• It has an LRV of 8.36, so while it’s dark, it’s not black. This LRV will show up better in dark spaces compared to some of the more muted, darker blue hues.
• Its undertones are pretty well-balanced, not overly catering to green or purple. This makes it versatile and easy to decorate with.
• Hale Navy is popular for accent walls, kitchen islands, and front doors (but is used elsewhere).
• It’s not an ‘in-your-face’ dark blue, so if you want a blue with more intent, it won’t hit the spot. Instead, check out these other darker shades of blue.

READ MORE

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Get the best paint color advice with Kylie M’s Online Paint Color Consulting – I’d love to help!

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