Sherwin Williams Naval: Undertones, LRV, & Best Uses

Sherwin Williams Naval is a dark, brilliant, cool blue paint color. It works well on kitchen cabinets, islands, accent walls, and occasional exteriors.

Lighting and exposure can influence how paint colors – especially dark ones like Naval – appear, affecting whether a color reads richer, darker, or more colorful than expected.

Naval didn’t win ‘Color of the Year’ (2020) because it’s boring; this stunningly bold navy blue has taken the design world by storm! However, just because the experts chose it doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your walls, cabinets, or exterior. Read on to explore the many facets of Naval to see if it’s the best blue hue for you!

IS NAVAL A WARM OR COOL PAINT COLOR?

Being a beautiful shade of blue, Naval is automatically a cool paint color.

If you have a room with southern or afternoon western sun, Naval is a great way to balance your warm natural light without making the room look icy cold. On the other hand, if you have northern light, whereas a light blue could be too cold-looking, the depth of Naval gives it a cozier look. 

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

WHAT’S NAVAL’S LRV?

Naval has an LRV of 4! Holy bleep, that’s deep! A color with an LRV this low absorbs light rather than reflecting it. Sure, it reflects a wee bit, but don’t expect it to work any wonders. However, thanks to its degree of chroma (color), Naval does a good job showing up at the party, even in a reasonably dark room. However, it’s really at its best in rooms with ample natural light or interior lighting (it’s great as an accent or feature wall).

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

How to Make a Dark Room Look Brighter – and it ain’t with paint! 

The Best DARK Paint Colors for a DARK room

DOES NAVAL HAVE UNDERTONES?

You betcha it does, but they’re hardly noticeable. Sherwin Williams says it’s a ‘dark blue with a cool gray-green‘ undertone. Sure, there’s a touch of gray and maybe a vague dash of green, but hardly worth noting.

As far as navy blues go, Naval is short of being in the primary range, which Dress Blues wink at, but doesn’t have the same gray backdrop as the ever-popular Cyberspace (coming up shortly).

The Ultimate Guide to Paint Colors & Undertones

Here’s your Peel & Stick sample of Naval…

Get your Samplize PEEL & STICK SAMPLE

WHAT WHITE TRIM COLOR GOES WITH NAVAL?

Naval is pretty darn flexible when it comes to its favorite trim. If I had to pick my favorites, they would be:

• Sherwin Williams Extra White
• Sherwin Williams White Snow
• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

The 8 Best Benjamin Moore White Paint Colors

The 9 Best White Paint Colors: Sherwin Williams DESIGNER COLLECTION

IS NAVAL A GOOD COLOR FOR THE EXTERIOR OF A HOME?

Naval can be a stunning choice for your exterior, particularly for front doors and shutters (assuming it suits the exterior of your home’s features). If you’re considering Naval for your whole home, it can make a beautiful statement. However, be sure you know what you’re signing up for, as it’s a very dark color that can fade with southern-facing or afternoon western sunlight.

Naval on a front door, which contrasts beautifully with the brick.

5 Tips for Choosing an Exterior Paint Color

Does Your Exposure REALLY MATTER When Choosing EXTERIOR Paint Colors?

IS NAVAL A GOOD COLOR FOR KITCHEN CABINETS?

Almost any color can look good on cabinets, but it must suit the backsplash and countertop. While Naval could definitely be a jaw-dropping cabinet color, I typically recommend it more for islands or vanities. Why? Naval works as an amazing accent color. It looks fantastic with whites and wood tones, so I prefer mixing it in rather than making it the main focus – it’s a reasonably powerful blue hue.

The Best Paint Colors for Kitchen Island & Bathroom Vanities

The 4 Best Gray & Greige Paint Colors for Kitchen Cabinets & Vanities

WHAT COLORS ARE SIMILAR TO NAVAL?

While there are shades of blue that are close to Naval in their navy blue intentions, every paint color has its blend and nuances – there will be NO perfect match. You can fully expect to see shifts in undertones, temperature, and depths, but you could check out the following:

• Sherwin Williams In The Navy
• Sherwin Williams Cyberspace
• Benjamin Moore Hale Navy
• Benjamin Moore Gentleman’s Gray

Hale Navy is one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular shades of blue.

Sherwin Williams Cyberspace with Pure White

By the way, if you’re considering getting one brand to match another’s paint color, I DON’T recommend it. Read why HERE.

The 12 Best Navy Blue Paint Colors for Island, Feature Walls, & Front Doors

WHICH PAINT COLORS GO WITH NAVAL?

TONS of paint colors would love to be partnered with Naval in a palette…

• Naval makes a great feature wall with many cream paint colors, gray and greige paint colors, and even white!
• It gets twitchy with gray-blues that lean too green (which many popular ones do). Make sure the blue undertone is reasonably centered.

READ MORE

The Best Dark Blue Paint Colors

Farrow & Ball’s 10 Best Blue Paint Colors

The Best Gray-Blue Blend Paint Colors

The Best Paint Colors for a Kitchen Island

The Best Front Door Paint Colors

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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020, UPDATED IN 2024