Benjamin Moore Hale Navy

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Last Updated on August 10, 2026 by Cate

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy HC-154 is a deep navy blue paint color with rich gray undertones that give it a timeless, sophisticated look. Unlike brighter navy blues, Hale Navy feels soft and refined, making it a popular choice for cabinetry, accent walls, front doors, and home exteriors. It pairs beautifully with crisp white trim, warm wood tones, brass hardware, and natural stone, making it a versatile option for traditional, modern, coastal, and farmhouse-style homes.

WHAT COLOR IS BENJAMIN MOORE HALE NAVY HC-154?

Hale Navy is undoubtedly a navy blue paint color.

Benjamin Moore describes the color perfectly,

A use-anywhere shade of navy with a classic maritime feel.

Benjamin Moore

Now, don’t confuse Hale Navy with Naval. Yes, they are both navy blue, but they are two different colors by different brands. People often mix these up, thinking there is a Sherwin Williams Hale Navy and a Benjamin Moore Naval.

But it’s the opposite, Sherwin Williams Naval and Benjamin Moore Hale Navy.

LRV, HUE FAMILY AND COLOR COLLECTIONS

1. LRV: 8.36
2. HUE FAMILY: PB or Purple-Blue
3. COLOR COLLECTIONS: Best Selling Paint Colors, Historical Colors

Let me discuss with you what these stats mean.

Hale Navy has an LRV of 8.36.

That number has no meaning unless you know what LRV means. So let me tell you.

LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a scale used by design professionals to measure the amount of light reflected from and/or absorbed by a surface. The scale range is 0 to 100, with 0 being absolute black and 100 being pure white.

A great article to read to learn more about LRV is Light Reflectance Value: What Do Those Numbers Mean?

With a low LRV of 8.36, Hale Navy is not very light-reflective.

Hale Navy is from the purple-blue hue family. This is a very valuable piece of knowledge to have because It allows you to understand the paint color a bit more. For example, it can give you insight into what color it may shift to or show in certain qualities of light.

As for the color collections, Hale Navy is part of a couple of them. The most notable one is the Best-Selling Paint Colors.

The color collections aren’t truthfully telling us much about the color per se. However, it’s interesting and fun to see what other colors are alongside it.

HALE NAVY COLOR STRIP

• Buckland Blue HC-151
• Whipple Blue HC-152
• Marlboro Blue HC-153
• Hale Navy HC-154
• Newport Blue HC- 155
• Van Deusen Blue HC- 156

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WHAT ARE THE UNDERTONES OF HALE NAVY?

Blue. There are no surprises here. Hale Navy, as you would expect, has blue and gray undertones.

Even though these undertones are straightforward, I want to remind you that undertones are subjective and not the same for everyone. Light, fixed elements, and decor colors will affect how the paint color performs.

This is something that really isn’t conveyed enough, and it’s why I push sampling paint colors so much, probably to the point of annoyance.

If you are wondering how Hale Navy will look, you need to grab a paint sample and test it in your home. It’s the best way to get a precise representation of how the paint color will look.

IS HALE NAVY WARM OR COOL?

Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy is a cool-toned paint color.

It can sometimes be challenging to determine whether a paint color is warm or cool. Some colors you can tell right away, and some, well, you are left guessing.

When you wonder what the tone of a paint color is, I have a tip that can sometimes help you figure it out.

All you need to do is compare the paint color to another.

This lets you see the warmth or coolness better. Visuals always help, so here’s an example.

Explore More Warm-Toned Paint Colors:

• Edgecomb Gray – Benjamin Moore
• SW Kilim Beige
• Benjamin Moore Collingwood
• SW Agreeable Gray
• Worldly Gray SW
• Mushroom Paint Colors
• SW Creamy

DOES HALE NAVY LOOK GRAY?

No, it doesn’t look gray.

The thing is, it’s not a super saturated blue. It has low chroma, which means there’s more gray in it, resulting in a less vibrant blue.

HALE NAVY, LIGHTING & CARDINAL DIRECTIONS

Lighting is one, if not the most important, factor in determining the appearance of a paint color.

It largely affects how you will perceive a paint color. For this reason, it’s a great idea to be knowledgeable about the lighting conditions and the cardinal direction of the room you are choosing the right paint color for.

NORTH-FACING ROOMS – Light in North-facing rooms comes off cooler and somewhat bluish. Lighter colors may appear more muted, while bolder colors will show up, or appear sounder.

SOUTH-FACING ROOMS – In South-facing rooms, there tends to be a consistently bright light throughout the day. Warm and cool tones work with south-facing light, This light intensifies colors, so darker colors will seem a bit brighter while softer colors will appear to look like they are gleaming.

EAST-FACING ROOMS – East-facing rooms have the brightest light in the mornings, with a yellow-orange tone. If an east-facing room will be used mainly in the evenings, going with a warm palette will help balance the lack of natural light.

WEST-FACING ROOMS – Early evening is when West-facing rooms have the most favorable light. Warmer tones might seem overwhelming because of the red-orange the light gives off. However, if the main use for the room is in the mornings, the colors won’t appear as strong as they would in the evening.

Hale Navy will look a bit more grayed down or muted in a north-facing room. And in a south-facing room, it will look a bit brighter and bluer.

It’s important to remember to always take lighting into consideration while choosing a paint color. But you cannot forget about the other elements that influence how a paint color may look. This includes fixed elements like cabinetry, flooring, tiles, etc., as well as the decor colors you choose for your home.

HOW CAN I SAMPLE HALE NAVY?

I’m an advocate for testing and sampling paint colors. I wholeheartedly believe it’s a legit way to see how a paint color will react in a room.

There are several different ways to sample paint colors. To get the most out of your samples, grab the sampling paint colors worksheet.

LEARN HOW TO TEST YOUR PAINT SAMPLE THE RIGHT WAY.

GRAB A SAMPLING PAINT COLORS WORKSHEET TO LEARN HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SAMPLES

Make your life easier.

Remember to swatch your paint colors. Pick up your Samplize Peel & Stick paint samples today!

WHAT IS THE BEST TRIM COLOR TO USE WITH BM HALE NAVY?

Some paint colors are more difficult to find a trim color for. Luckily, Hale Navy is not one of them.

As many of us know, white is the most common color for trim. And quite frankly, I absolutely love Hale Navy with a clean white trim. I find that the contrast between the two colors is unbeatable.

A few of my absolute favorite white paint colors to pair with Hale Navy are:

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.
• Benjamin Moore White Dove.
• Sherwin Williams Pure White.
• Sherwin Williams Snowbound

READ MORE: THE BEST WHITE PAINT COLORS FOR TRIM

WHERE TO USE?

BEDROOM WALLS

IS HALE NAVY A GOOD EXTERIOR PAINT COLOR

Hell to the yes, Hale Navy is a good exterior paint color!

Deep, rich navy blues have been a trendy exterior paint color for a bit now. And Hale Navy fits that bill.

The reason I like it as an exterior color (other than blue being a favorite of mine) is that it has the depth to stand up to that big, beautiful, bright sun.

You can use it on the body of the exterior, or if you want just a pop of color, paint your front door using Hale Navy.

Another fantastic thing about this color as an exterior paint color is that it looks great with brick. Brick is something we tend to struggle to find a coordinating color for. So it’s always helpful to hear a color that will work.

READ MORE: PAINT COLORS TO GO WITH BRICK

WHAT COLORS GO BEST WITH BENJAMIN MOORE HALE NAVY?

I find blues in the realm of Hale Navy are a bit easier to coordinate with. Even though it is blue, I find it to be very similar to a neutral.

One of the easiest ways to find coordinating colors is by looking at the color wheel. Colors that are directly opposite from one another are complementary colors. In this case, the opposite of blue is orange.

The color wheel is a very handy tool when it comes to creating color palettes.

With that said, I have a few colors in particular that BM Hale Navy pairs beautifully with.

WHAT IS THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COLOR EQUIVALENT?

This is a question I often hear: whether there is a paint color equivalent in another paint brand.

The answer is no, there is not.

There are colors that are very similar, but I have yet to find an exact dupe.

Often, colors are so similar that they are nearly indistinguishable once they are painted on the walls.

But I understand why people ask about equivalents. Sometimes, we don’t have access to certain brands, and if you fall in love with a paint color from that brand, you want to find it elsewhere.

So for the curious, I have found two Sherwin-Williams paint colors that are comparable.

Reminder* The colors you view on a computer screen are not an actual representation of the paint colors themselves. To see the true color, always swatch your paint samples.

IS HALE NAVY OR NAVAL DARKER?

• Sherwin-Williams Naval has an LRV of 4, which is a bit lower than Hale Navy’s LRV of 8.36
• Both are considered naval colors.
• SW Naval has a bit more color or chroma to it, whereas Hale Navy is a bit grayed down and not as vibrant.
• SW Naval is the darker paint color of the two

HALE NAVY VS POLO BLUE

• Benjamin Moore Polo Blue has an LRV of 5.67, a bit lower than HN’s 8.36
• BM Polo Blue is the darker of the two colors.
• Both are similar in colorfulness or chroma. They are both grayed down.
• Polo Blue is a very dark shade of navy, moving close to black.

HALE NAVY VS OLD NAVY

• Benjamin Moore Old Navy has an LRV of 5.13, which is lower than HN’s 8.36
• Old Navy is the dark paint color
• BM Old Navy has more chroma or colorfulness to it.
• Both are solid navy paint colors

FINAL THOUGHTS

Let me start off by saying I love the color blue, so it’s to be expected that I love Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. And guess what? I do love it!

Why is Hale Navy so popular?

That’s easy to answer. This is a paint color that has it all. It has depth; it’s not too vibrant and not too dark, and it works with all decor styles. It truly is phenomenal.

If you are into darker paint colors and a lover of blue, I can’t see you not loving this color.

As usual, if you are thinking about using Hale Navy, make sure you swatch it first. Testing paint colors in your home will save you from possibly making a big mistake.

By sampling paint colors, you can see how they truly look in your home. It’s the only way to accurately see the paint color in your space.

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