The Best Paint Colors Similar to Benjamin Moore Hale Navy

All Hail the King! Or should we ‘Hale’ the King, given the topic? Regardless, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy has long been the King of the dark, navy blue world. But when a color like this has been around a long time, it often becomes the default top choice for rooms, cabinets, accent walls, exteriors, and doors.

That’s right, people choose it just because its name is familiar (insert Kylie sweating and hyperventilating HERE). And they often do that without sampling other, similar shades that could be even better options for their home.

If you’ve ever chosen a paint color without comparing it to similar shades – 3 slaps with a wet noodle! With all of the glorious colors out there, you could be a tone, tweak, or temperature shift away from your best paint color ever, but you won’t know it because you didn’t COMPARE colors! 

Now, before we strap on our chaps and saddle up ole Sparklefarts, let’s spend a few minutes learning why so many have said Haaaaales yeah, to Hale Navy.  

BENJAMIN MOORE HALE NAVY: A QUICK REVIEW

This blog post isn’t about throwing Hale Navy under the bus (or the boat, might be more the point); it’s about exploring options. It’s like finding a husband (or wife) – you don’t just tie your boat up at the nearest dock and call it a day; you visit many ports to see which one is the most welcoming. 

Hale Navy is a dark, classic, timeless navy blue paint color. Not as ‘mariner’-inspired as some, and also not overly grayed-out, it’s become a go-to for kitchen islands, accent walls, front doors, and more. And for good reasons, too. 

Hale Navy’s LRV is 8.36, making it a dark paint color – not black, but certainly a dark shade of blue. And while it’s a blue-centric color, it has some black/gray calming it. 

GORGEOUS ALTERNATIVES TO BENJAMIN MOORE HALE NAVY

At the end of the day, you might end up choosing Hale Navy for your project, and I don’t blame you; it’s badass and beautiful. However, once you compare similar shades, you can…

a) feel more confident that Hale Navy is your home’s perfect navy blue hue

b) see other options that might be even better for your painting project, again, feeling more confident that you’ve done your due diligence. 

Now that we’ve covered some basics, let’s see which colors are worth sampling and comparing with the King of Blue Hues.

1. BM HALE NAVY VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS NAVAL

Naval is one of Sherwin Williams’ most gorgeous, striking navy blue paint colors. But is it as popular as Hale Navy? In my extensive experience, no. Let’s see how they compare…

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COMPARING DEPTH

Hale Navy’s LRV is 8.36, whereas SW Naval’s is 4. This means that Naval reflects less light than Hale Navy and can appear darker. However, one major difference sets them apart: chroma. 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA)

Both colors can easily be called ‘navy blue’. The difference is that Sherwin Williams Naval 6244 contains more blue and less gray-black. This means it can appear bluer and richer, even though it’s darker than Hale Navy. 

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WHICH IS BEST?

• If you have a darker room and H.Navy falls a touch grayish or flat, Naval’s commitment to color can bring things back to life. 
• If you prefer navies that are a bit punchier and dynamic, Naval’s commitment to color has it showing up at the party more than Hale Navy’s more understated elegance. That said, it’s not necessarily overwhelming (depending on your perception) and sits shy of the primary range. 
• If you worry about Hale Navy appearing too gray or black, a color like Naval could be a better choice, so long as your room has decent lighting. 

Choose Hale Navy if you like a classic, muted, grounded approach to navy blue. If that’s up your alley or down your fjord, it could be your best bet. Choose Naval if you like a navy blue with a bit more meat on its bones and ain’t shy about it.

Sherwin Williams Naval Paint Color Review

2. HALE NAVY VS. BENJAMIN MOORE NEWBURYPORT BLUE

Because they’re next to each other in the fan deck, these 2 are often compared. But this doesn’t mean that Newburyport Blue is a lighter version of Hale Navy – it’s a color unto itself, while being similar. It’s like everyone thinks my redheaded friend and I are twins because we have the same hair color. Heck, we aren’t even related (but we collect a heck of a lot of souls when we’re together). Anyway. 

They clearly coordinated the cat with the carpet

Here’s Hale Navy on kitchen cabinets (no natural light, all interior lighting) with black granite countertops…

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COMPARING DEPTH

Hale Navy’s LRV is 8.36, making it darker and less reflective than Newburyport Blue’s LRV of 10.31. While this might seem small, it’s noticeable when you compare the two in person (which I suggest you do). 

Here’s Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue HC-155 as an accent color to my client’s wood bedroom furniture. Navy and dark blues are great to accent any range of wood finishes. 

A whiter, less yellowed lampshade would coordinate better. 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA)

While they’re definitely similar types of blue, Newburyport has more blue and less gray-black, making it appear a bit more colorful, along with its lighter look. 

WHICH IS BEST?

• If you love a classic, timeless shade of navy blue, Hale Navy wins pants down, hands down (it’s not that kinda party…not this time, anyway).
• If your idea of a good time involves a slightly more lively blue hue, whether for a kid’s room, kitchen island, or exterior, Newburyport Blue has more personality. 
• Dark rooms often suit a blue like Newburyport Blue as its degree of color (chroma) helps it show up in lower-lighting situations. 

Choose Hale Navy if your ideal navy blue is darker and moodier. If your best blue hue is softer and a touch more fun, Newburyport Blue can be a great choice.

Don’t choose Hale Navy without comparing it to Newburyport Blue and at least 3 others from this page. 

3. HALE NAVY VS. BENJAMIN MOORE MYSTERIOUS

Now we’re really comparing apples-to-apples. Hale Navy and Mysterious are, by far, 2 of the most similar colors. Here’s Benjamin Moore Mysterious AF-565 on my client’s lower kitchen cabinets. The uppers are a super dark black-stained wood (not my choice; I’d rather all one or the other, but it’s not ALL about me)…

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The above image shows how incredibly grounding and subtle colors like Hale Navy and Mysterious can be. Now, let’s see how they measure up, Buttercup. 

BTW, when I say measure up, I really mean it. I’m not only eyeballing these colors and relying on my personal and work-related experience with them; I also measure them with professional color tools. 

COMPARING DEPTH: BM Mysterious has an LRV of 8.76, making it fractionally lighter than H. Navy’s 8.36. Eyeballing the 2, you might see this small change in depth. 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA): Looking at the guts of each color, I see that they’re very…very similar. The difference is that Mysterious has a touch less blue, which can make it appear a wink duskier on your walls.

WHICH IS BEST? Oooo, that’s a tough one. Because they’re so similar, there’s no obvious winner for one type of room or another. If your room is quite dark, neither is a great choice. If you want a classic look, both can work, although Hale Navy will give you a bit more navy blue hue. 

If you’ve compared the 2 and can’t see a difference in your lighting (keep moving it around, you should), choose Hale Navy as it’s popular for a reason. 

Here’s your sample of Mysterious. Compare it with Hale Navy in your room’s lighting conditions. 

4. HALE NAVY VS. BENJAMIN MOORE VAN DEUSEN BLUE

Now we’re really shifting gears. While some blues are more similar to Hale Navy than others, Van Deusen Blue shows us a whole different approach. Let’s see what’s shakin’ (other than my arse)…

COMPARING DEPTH

There’s no doubt that Hale Navy is a dark, badass, beautiful shade of navy blue. But what about Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue HC-156 – is it even a navy? It comes down to perception. I see it more like a moderate, invitin shade of blue, but it’s not dark enough (for me) to be called ‘navy’. 

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This is because Van Deusen’s LRV is 11.97. This makes it more of a medium-dark blue that winks seductively at navy blue, with a come-hither nod, but it’s more like a ‘swipe right’ on Tinder than a real commitment. 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA): Color-wise (which I am), Van Deusen appears bluer, and its numbers (which I won’t bore you with) support this. 

Remember, how a color appears depends a lot on your room’s lighting, exposure, and surroundings. 

Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue Paint Color Review

WHICH IS BEST?

• If you’re painting a kid’s room blue and it has reasonable or better natural light, either is great. If you have a dark room, I suggest Van Deusen Blue or Newburyport Blue. 
• For a front door or kitchen island, Hale Navy offers a far more classic, stately, timeless approach. 
• For exterior siding/stucco, their depths give them such different looks, it’s hard to say. Off the top of my head, I’d probably go with Hale Navy if I’m looking for a ‘good dark blue exterior house color’. 
• Van Deusen Blue can appear more fun and youthful and more ‘cheerful/nautical’, whereas Hale Navy has a bit more gravitas (I don’t know what it means, but I know it applies). 

Choose Van Deusen Blue if the idea of ‘a dark, moody navy blue’ makes you nervous. Choose Hale Navy if a more moderate blue doesn’t qualify as ‘real navy’. 

5. HALE NAVY VS. SHERWIN WILLIAMS IN THE NAVY

When it comes to striking, stunning shades of navy blue, Sherwin Williams didn’t pull out any stops. As the song says, In the Navy is certainly where you can find your pleasure (not that kind, you weirdo). Now let’s find out which is best for you and your home. 

Hale Navy is the best choice for my client’s sophisticated home office.

COMPARING DEPTH

You need an echosounder to find In the Navy’s depth. It has a skookum LRV of 4, making it a good dose darker than Hale Navy. Now, some blue-inclined paint colors with this low LRV can look black in some spaces…not this baddie. That doesn’t happen as often with this baddie, as its blue hue tends to show up.  

Get a sample of Hale Navy, a few others, and Sherwin Williams In the Navy 9176 to compare in your home’s environment and lighting.

 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA)

As if the change in LRV didn’t set them apart enough, when you compare them, Hale Navy seems like a grayed-out blue-purple COMPARED to In the Navy. This doesn’t mean that’s a fact; it’s just that In the Navy’s strength makes Hale Navy seem so much more muted and softer in comparison. 

This kitchen island is painted Hale Navy with the ever-popular Taj Mahal Quartzite countertop.

WHICH IS BEST?

• If you want a smashingly strong, dark, striking shade of navy blue, In the Navy takes the cake and the candles with it. This isn’t to say that Hale Navy isn’t striking; it’s just more ‘classic and calm’. 
• Darker rooms often do better with colors with more chroma (color). Just keep in mind that for a color to come to LIFE there needs to be LIGHT. That said, of the 2, In the Navy will be better.
• If you’re painting your exterior siding, Hale Navy’s more muted look is a great way to get the navy look without too much strength. That said, both are doable. 

Choose Hale Navy is you worry about a blue hue taking over your space. On the other hand, if you worry that H. Navy won’t show up at the party in full regalia, learn more about In the Navy. 

6. BM HALE NAVY VS. BENJAMIN MOORE GENTLEMAN’S GRAY

Oh, wow, so you’re comparing these 2, eh? Okay, so of all the blues on this page, these are the furthest apart in their approach, although they both satisfy the ‘dark blue’ category. Let’s see what separates these bad boys…

COMPARING DEPTH

Benjamin Moore Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20 is a super striking, dark shade of blue with an LRV of 7.26. This isn’t drastically darker than Hale Navy, especially if you consider the previously mentioned Naval. However…let’s compare color. 

COMPARING COLOR (CHROMA)

This is where these 2 colors are sitting on opposite sides of the dock. And let’s just say that dock is pretty lopsided, as one color is WAY more colorful than the other – and that color is Gentleman’s Gray. 

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Not only does Gentleman’s Gray have more blue hue than Hale Navy, but it also has a good dose of green tucked in there, too. While others might politely (at best) nod that way, this particular gentleman is a bit more forward. 

WHICH IS BEST?

• If you love a fun dose of color and personality, Gentleman’s Gray is a beautiful choice without going overboard (though that’s open to perception). 
• For those who love a more classic, traditional approach to navy blue, Hale Navy is a great choice. 

Here’s your peel-and-stick sample of Gentleman’s Gray. ALWAYS compare 4-6 similar colors before making your choice! 

By the way, do you ove a dark blue with a calming gray hue? 

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WHICH NAVY BLUE IS BEST FOR YOU?

While it GREATLY depends on your room’s lighting, exposure, finishes, or your exterior’s environment, here’s where I put my money. 

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In my experience, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy’s more moderate approach to navy blue suits a wide range of finishes.

You might also compare it to Benjamin Moore Ocean Floor for a slightly softer look…

 

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BEST BLUE FOR AN ACCENT WALL

Some of my clients find Hale Navy a touch too heavy for a colorful accent wall. In this case, Newburyport Blue tends to hit a happier place. 

This next image shows my client’s bedroom – she’d already chosen Hale Navy for her accent wall, but you can see it’s missing a bit of color (that said, taking interior photos can be darn hard)…

Here’s another look at Hale Navy…

EXTERIOR SIDING OR STUCCO

Hale Navy is definitely at the top of the list. Some of the others are too dark and colorful (e.g. Gentleman’s Gray) for the average homeowner. Or their depth (Van Deusen Blue) is too soft to give a real ‘navy blue’ look on their exterior. In this case, I’d compare Hale Navy to BM Deep Space (get your sample HERE). 

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As far as popular dark, or navy blue front doors go (inside or out), again, Hale Navy is hot. Cyberspace is great for those who want a softer, more blue-gray look. For more color, Naval seems to be more popular than In the Navy.

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