Use this list of the best navy blue paint colors to help you narrow down the overwhelming number of color options and easily find the right hue for you.
What comes to mind when you think of navy blue? Moody? Bold? Deep?
Navy blue is all the above! It’s also a paint color that can be both calming and energizing at the same time (it sounds like an oxymoron, but check out the images down below to see just how true that statement is).
It’s timeless and adds sophistication anytime it’s used, and has withstood the test of time (time and time again)!
However, picking colors is sort of a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that there are multiple options, so you can find a shade that looks GREAT in your home and with your furniture and decor.
The bad news: There are a lot of options, which means investigating different hues and choosing between subtle nuances. That can be challenging for most people. It’s enough to almost make you vow never to touch a paintbrush again!
Well, I’m here to help, and I have been busy publishing a variety of paint color-related posts to help make the process of choosing paint colors easier for you. This series of paint posts cover a range of topics, from the best shades of a particular color to extensive reviews of single hues.
Today’s post will help narrow the sea of navy blue paint colors down to just 13 of the most popular and versatile options. I’ve covered a few of these shades in more depth, so if you want to learn more about them, all you have to do is check out the sources I provide.
So, which navy blue colors are the best? Let’s find out!
What is Sherwin Williams’s most popular navy blue?
I’m going to have to go with Naval, in no small part because it is so widely used and was Sherwin Williams’s Color of the Year in 2020. 
Is navy paint in style?
I don’t think navy will ever go out of style. Yes, it’s bold, but it’s deep enough that it’s close to black, making it a timeless neutral shade that will never look outdated. When you want a pop of color that acts neutral, consider navy paint colors.
Just think of your classic pair of dark washed denim. It looks good with pretty much anything, because it’s a classic! The same can be said for tried and true navy paint.
Where can I use navy blue paint colors?
I know it may sound surprising to some people to hear that navy blue is a neutral color, but it really does look great anywhere! Try using it for:
– Kitchens
– Living Rooms
– Bedrooms
– Home Offices
– Bathrooms
– Hallways
– Accent Walls
– Ceilings
– Cabinets
Here’s a quick lesson in design terminology. The “mass tone” (also called “overtone”) is the main paint color that you notice (red, blue, etc.).
Undertones are more subtle. Basically, undertones are nuanced differences in the main shade and are the elements that help distinguish one hue from another.
For example, the hint of green you see when looking at a certain gray paint is an undertone.
Navy blue paint colors can have several different undertones, including green, purple, or gray.
Even though navy blues are very deep hues, they can display a range of appearances in differing types of light. That’s all thanks to the shade’s undertones.
Peel-and-stick paint samples are the tool I highly recommend using to see how colors look in your home before committing to buying any of them.
It may not be intuitively clear how lighting affects paint appearance. Here’s how different types of lighting impact navy blue paint.
- North-facing rooms have cool, blue-toned natural lighting, which tends to cause colors to appear darker and muted. In northern lighting, navy will appear more saturated.
- South-facing rooms have consistent bright warm lighting throughout the day, often making colors look lighter. In this type of lighting, you’ll likely notice any undertones in navy.
- West-facing rooms have shifting exposures, with cool light in the morning but warmer light starting in the late afternoon. Most shades appear muted and darker in the morning but brighten up and show more depth later in the day.
- East-facing rooms face the opposite scenario. For east and west-facing rooms, I recommend choosing a shade based on how it appears during the time of day when you use the space most often.
More Colors To Consider
Although navy blue paint is loved by designers, it may not feel like the best fit for your home.
If this list of navy blue colors isn’t moving you, check out some of the other dark and moody shades in our series of paint color deep dives!
- Gauntlet Gray (Sherwin Williams) – a slightly warm dark gray.
- Kendall Charcoal (Benjamin Moore) – a neutral deep gray.
- Aegean Teal (Benjamin Moore) – a deep blue-green that acts neutral.
- Iron Ore (Sherwin Williams) – a very deep charcoal that’s almost black.
- Tricorn Black (Sherwin Williams) – a soft black that looks great anywhere.
- Retreat (Sherwin Williams) – a dark muted green color with gray undertones.
- Black Fox (Sherwin Williams) – a soft, dark charcoal gray paint color.
- 15 Best Blue Paint Colors – a list of favorite blues (beyond navy) to peruse.
- Best Timeless Blue Kitchen Cabinets (Ideas + Tips) – perfect blues for cabinets.
- 15 Best Blue Paint Colors To Make Your Home Beautiful – beyond navy, beautiful blues for your whole home.
- 13 FAVORITE Soothing Blue-Gray Paint Colors To Love
- 10 Best Blue-Green Paint Colors For A Beautiful Home
- 10 Favorite Trim Paint Colors
- Favorite Wall And Trim Color Combinations
I’ve gathered only the creme de la creme of navy hues to give you a solid list of possibilities and help narrow down your own list. I share a short description of each shade and a photo to show how it can appear in real life.
NOTE: I have published more in-depth paint color reviews on many of these shades. If you want more information about them (including undertone information and more real-life examples), simply click to the articles provided!
Hale Navy (HC 154) has gray undertones that make it look deep and muted rather than royal blue. This shade has an LRV of 8 and will deliver on the drama without looking too bright or rich.
Here in our camper bunkroom renovation as seen on Instagram, Hale Navy looks bright thanks to a lot of incoming sunlight…
But in other spaces that are less well-lit, its typical look is more of a dark blue-gray, which you may be better able to appreciate here on the ceiling in our dressing room.
Naval (SW 6244) is dark – very dark. It has an LRV of 4 (which means it reflects hardly any light) and is a true blue because it lacks the green or purple undertones that blues often have.
Naval is used in this classic kitchen from The Grit & Polish and it is so. much. fun.
3. Benjamin Moore Blue Note
Blue Note (2129-30) is richly saturated, but with an LRV of 9.02, it’s not quite as deep as Sherwin Williams Naval or even Benjamin Moore Hale Navy.
Its navy undertones give it a classic blue appearance as you can see in this home office from Peace and Pine Designs.
4. Benjamin Moore Gentleman’s Gray
Gentleman’s Gray (2062-20) is a deep shade with an LRV of 7.26. This muted and “blackened teal blue” (Ben Moore’s description, not mine) projects a bold vibe that paves the way for pairing with brighter shades like the teal in the headboard.
In my own home, we’ve used Gentleman’s Gray for our kitchen island.
For another example, take a close look at this wall from Z Design at Home. Here you can see the gray influences and hint of green.
4a. Benjamin Moore Washington Blue
“Wait a minute…why did you number this one 4a instead of 5?” you may be wondering. Well, Benjamin Moore did something a little sneaky (and smart) in the marketing department, and I’m gonna fill you in 😉.
Sometimes, in order to maximize a color’s reach and popularity, paint brands will give the same exact paint color multiple names. WHAT?! Yes, it’s true.
Such is the case with Benjamin Moore Washington Blue CW-630 and Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20. They are identical twins.
Both shades share an LRV of 7.26, and have gorgeous gray and green undertones to create a luxuriant blue that oozes serenity and sophistication. Check it out in this living room from @cottageprep!
5. Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue
Newburyport Blue (HC-155) is one of the lightest shades on this list of navy blue paint colors, with an LRV of 10.31.
It has similar green undertones to Gentleman’s Gray – that’s probably why it pairs so well with the teal accents in this nursery from Flourish and Knot!
6. Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart
Cheating Heart (#1617) has an LRV of 6.89 and is a good balance of navy, gray, and black.
It’s a very muted navy and can look almost black in low lighting, and in bright lighting offers just a hint of blue. I love how @styled.by.kristy used it in this hallway!
7. Sherwin Williams Cyberspace
Cyberspace (SW 7076) is another deep and muted navy blue. With an LRV of 6, it has strong gray undertones similar to Ben Moore’s Cheating Heart.
Notice just a hint of blue in this room from A Classy Fashionista?
8. Sherwin Williams Sea Serpent
Sea Serpent (SW 7615) is a gorgeous navy blue with deep green and gray undertones. With an LRV of 7, its depth falls right in the middle of this list of navy blue paint colors.
Less muted than Hale Navy, Sea Serpent proudly displays its navy nature in this entryway from Mindfully Gray.
9. Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
Wrought Iron (2124-10) is a very dark navy with deep black undertones and an LRV of 6.16.
In fact, some people would say this shade looks like a blue-tinted black. However, one glance at this image from @blesserhouse will show that Wrought Iron is definitely navy (albeit a dark one).
Although In The Navy (SW 9178) has green undertones that often show up in yellow-tinted lighting, you won’t see a hint of them here on this kitchen island from @jubileehavencottage.
With an LRV of 4, it’s one of the darkest navy blue paint colors on this list, but you’d never realize it in bright natural light.
11. Sherwin Williams Indigo Batik
This moody hue has an LRV of 8 and purple undertones that tend to show up in natural lighting.
Indigo Batik (SW 7602) adds a majestic vibe to any room and makes a great neutral backdrop for a kids’ room like here in our son’s bedroom, where we used Indigo Batik applied with a denim faux paint technique that makes the paint look more like wallpaper.
Westcott Navy (#1624) is a classic navy with an LRV of 9.84. Although this shade may be one of the lighter navy blue paint colors on this list, it’s everything you could want in navy paint.
No coincidence that The Lily Pad Cottage chose it for the exterior of this house. Love!
13. Sherwin Williams Salty Dog
The winner of the navy blue paint name award would undoubtedly go to this one, SW Salty Dog 9177.
This color is a true blue, and leans toward royal blue, rather than the deep and dark end of the navy spectrum. It’s a fun, spunky, energetic blue that’s way more playful than moody.
With an LRV of 5, it’s definitely not light and airy. It’s saturated, but it doesn’t give off the same bulky undertones that a Hale Navy, or Gentleman’s Gray may. It’s reliably blue.
I’ll share two pictures of this shade, the first being in bright sunlight on one of our camper renovations.
As you can see, in direct sun, Salty Dog looks true blue, leaning toward navy.
But when the sun goes down and shadows start to fall, you can see Salty Dog goes more navy…
Here’s one last shot of Salty Dog, seen on another travel trailer we renovated (but we loved the color scheme so much we used it twice).
The other colors on this camper are Behr Ultra White (straight outta the can, no tint) and Sherwin Williams Showstopper (the red stripe).
That’s a wrap on my collection of the best navy blue paint colors. I hope it helps you save time AND find the perfect shade for your home. This classic color family can add just the touch of daring boldness you crave.
Remember it’s always better to sample than be sorry!
If you’re seriously considering any of these deep blue shades, then do yourself a favor and use samples! These large, peel-and-stick, re-usable, re-positionable ones are truly my favorites ⤵
Pin these navy blue paint colors for later! And if you use one, leave a comment on the pin. That helps others know whether they’d like to try one of these paint colors, too!
Ready to show those boring, bland walls who’s the boss at home? This no-cost guide will help you sidestep mistakes that almost everyone makes when it comes to picking paint! You’ll be on your way to perfect paint promptly…pinky swear.
Theresa says
I want to paint my front door sherman wiliams In the Navy but i don’t know what “white or neutral to paint the hallway. Very little light..thanks