Last week on a whim, I painted our downstairs bathroom Benjamin Moore Hale Navy! Talk about making great decisions on the fly. This makeover could have gone so wrong, but thankfully, I used a navy paint thought by many to be the best blue that Benjamin Moore offers.
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All Hail Benjamin Moore Hale Navy: the King of Navy Paints
When it comes to paint colors, in most cases it’s best to go with the tried and true. That’s not to say you can’t find a lesser known paint color that works. But in some cases, the hard work has been done for you- why go out on a limb?
There is a reason why some paint colors reign king while others are little known. These popular paint colors just work… in most lightings; in most spaces.
Deciding Between Benjamin Moore Hale Navy vs. Old Navy vs. Van Deusen
These were the 3 best paints from Benjamin Moore for the small, north-facing bathroom that I was working with. An extra step that pays off in a big way is putting extra big swatches on your wall. This way you can stand back and study the differences.
I cut out squares of my kids’ craft paper, painted them, and taped them up in natural light.
- Hale Navy has some gray undertones
- Old Navy is a deep, saturated navy
- Van Deusen is the bluest of the bunch
We went with the ol’ designer favorite Hale Navy, seen on our bathroom vanity below:
Shop: Mirror | Sconce | Framed Flag
What are the undertones of Hale Navy? Nothing worse than buying a few gallons of paint only for it to turn violet on you. Benjamin Moore Hale Navy has some sophisticated dark gray undertones, but mostly it is just a deep, rich blue.
You could literally use dozens and dozens of various shades of white with this paint and they will all look great! It looks great with crisp white and creamy off white.
Is Hale Navy a warm paint or a cool paint? It has both cool and warm undertones, meaning this paint is so versatile it will look great in both types of rooms.
Do you have cool tones in your home or face North? Hale Navy will look fantastic there. Mostly warm tones or brass lighting throughout? Hale Navy will shine in those rooms too!
Is Hale Navy too dark? Can I use it in small rooms without a lot of light? Whenever you use any dark paint, make sure you have some white in the room. This is especially true in smaller or north facing rooms.
You need help to reflect light and bounce it around. White countertops, white walls, white drapes, etc. Dark colors pop when contrasting with something white next to it. Case in point: my small bathroom, which faces north, with 1 very small window.
I paired Hale Navy with my shiplap that is painted Sherwin Williams Extra White: a crisp, true white. (You can read more about Sherwin Williams Extra White in my home here).
Actually, you will notice in most of these photos there is a lot of white (not necessarily stark white – it could be a cream too!) in the room. Not only does this make the navy pop, but it also keeps the dark color from overpowering the room.
What about black? Do black and navy clash? This paint is light enough to be distinguished from the black and hold its own. See case in point below:
Source: Benjamin Moore
Similar stools here
Black stool, black window casing, black stove… and Hale Navy cabinets on the kitchen island as the stunning show stopper!
Hale Navy Cabinets
In 2020, we’ve started to see white kitchens using darker moodier accent colors. (You can read about all the latest kitchen trends here). Benjamin Moore Hale Navy on cabinets is extremely popular as a cabinet color, especially with white countertops. This makes an excellent paint color choice if you are ready for some drama!
Those that aren’t ready to give up a white kitchen but want something new? Painting only the kitchen cabinets on the island, or just the lower kitchen cabinets with Hale Navy and leaving the uppers white can take your kitchen to the next level!
Hardware: Navy and Brass
Another question is always what kind of hardware to use on hale navy cabinets! Brass and navy are a dream team together.
Source: Kountry Kraft
This custom cabinet company created a stunning kitchen here using Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, and a gorgeous marble backsplash.
See the stools they used here:
Source: Bria Hammel
In this darker room, Hale Navy looks much more gray. Still just as lovely!
Blue stripe pillow here / Plaid pillows here and similar here:
Source: Laura_Cadenhead on Instagram
See her X-Back stools for sale here
Source: Holst Brothers
Source: Benjamin Moore
Shop The Stools and Similar Basket Lights Here:
Source: Studio McGee
Source: Home With B
Shop her round affordable mirror here:
Hardware: Navy and Nickel
But wait – what about silver tones? Hale Navy has those gray undertones, making it look equally great with silver hardware.
Let’s take a look at Hale Navy cabinets with cooler nickel tones now…
Source: Modern Cottage Collective
Her nickel pendants perfect in this space. Shop them here.
Source: Cindy Kramer
Source: Sealy Design
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Source: Studio McGee
Hale Navy Exterior
Next to a crisp white house, I do love a navy exterior on a home. It looks especially cozy with a gray roof to bring out the charcoal undertones.
But, on the other hand, it also looks nice with warm, browner roofs.
Source: Home Bunch
Hale Navy looks nautical on this lakefront home, contrasting against medium gray stonework.
Source: Inviting Home Exteriors
This classic Victorian home is all Benjamin Moore paints. Featuring Hale Navy exterior siding, Oxford White trim, Aura on the shutters and window trim, and Comet on the porch floor.
Look how nice it looks next to the gray roof. It brings out a lot of the gray undertones in the navy.
Photo Source: Interiors By Color
This Hale Navy exterior is charming with the warm wood front door.
Photo Source: McLlveen Lumber
The roof has shades of brown in it, but the crisp white trim keep the home from looking dark. Lovely!
Are you starting to see how Hale Navy goes with everything?
In general, picking paint colors is tricky because they depend on so many factors in your home. Lighting, the direction your home faces, etc.
Thankfully, neither of these are of much concern with Hale Navy! It might look slightly different in one room to the next – but it always looks great!
Another must read: White Paint Colors In My Home, or Using Blue Paint In My Kitchen, or Building Our Home. I hope you found this article helpful. Happy painting!
Good morning, Chrissy! I loved reading your blog about BM Hale Blue. It is just want I needed for inspiration for my lake house small bathroom. The house has stained woodwork throughout and I feel it’s on overload! I may use hale blue on cabinet and maybe the wainscoting, that is on the bottom of the wall. I’m not sure what to use on upper walls and shiplap ceiling to go with bone/almond fixtures, probably a creamy white!
Stay well and keep decorating!
Cindy
Hi! Great blog on Hale Navy! We live in WI by a lake and will be painting our exterior in the coming weeks. Currently, it’s tudor colors, light brown for body and dark brown for trim with some brick as well. Considering Hale Navy for body, SW Alabaster for trim ad SW Quite Coral. Any experience with this combo? Thanks!!! Very helpful article. I also ready that many recommend having a BM dealer mix up the Hale Navy, i.e. no color match elsewhere! Opinion???