In the Navy vs Salty Dog: The Comparison That Actually Helps You Decide
In the Navy and Salty Dog sit on adjacent chips of the same Sherwin-Williams color strip, roughly one LRV point apart, and they still disagree. In the Navy is a navy that leans toward black. Salty Dog is a navy that refuses to. On a paint card the gap looks like a rounding error. On four walls, it decides whether the room feels like a study at midnight or a harbor at dusk.
I have used both across residential projects, and the choice is never a coin toss. In the Navy delivers depth and restraint. Salty Dog delivers saturation and presence. Clients who ask for a dark navy are usually picturing one of these two without knowing which. Here is exactly how I tell them apart.
This guide covers the real difference in undertone and saturation, how each color behaves in north and south light, where each belongs on walls and cabinets, and a one-day light test that settles the decision.
At a Glance
| In the Navy | Salty Dog |
Brand | Sherwin-Williams | Sherwin-Williams |
LRV | ~4 (3.7) - very dark; absorbs nearly all the light that reaches it | ~5 (4.7) - a hair more reflective, but the gap barely registers; saturation separates the two, not LRV |
Colour category | Blue-black neutral - behaves like a softened black with a navy cast | True saturated navy - reads as unmistakably blue and holds that identity longer as the light drops |
Undertones | Cool blue held back by grey and ink (hex #283849) - the depth leads and the blue sits behind it | Cool, saturated blue with a faint teal edge (hex #234058) - the blue leads and the depth follows |
Character | Moody, enveloping and tailored; pulls the eye toward art, brass and pale furniture instead of toward itself | Confident, nautical and expressive; the color is the feature, so the room feels blue before it feels dark |
North-facing | Risky if you want navy - drops to flat blue-black in cool, low light and the blue disappears; fine when near-black is the goal | More dependable - the saturation keeps a readable blue cast when north light is flat and grey, though it still reads dark |
South-facing | Excellent - strong light reveals the blue-grey depth and stops it reading as plain black | Vivid - direct sun pushes the saturation up and can make it read brighter and sharper than expected |
Open-plan | Strong as an anchor - the restrained blue reads as a dark neutral across zones and settles into mixed light and materials | Harder to place - a saturated blue becomes a visible statement from every sightline; best contained to a feature wall or built-in |
On walls | A full-room wrap that feels like a deep, tailored backdrop; shrinks perceived space and flatters artwork, pale linen and warm wood | A deliberate blue room that reads as color first; needs white trim and generous daylight to stay crisp rather than heavy |
On cabinets | Reads close to black against white stone and brass; the choice when the kitchen should be dark with a softer edge than true black | Reads clearly navy against white marble and brushed metals; the pick when cabinets should look blue, not black |
Use together? | Not on adjacent surfaces - beside Salty Dog the gap is too small to read as contrast, so it looks like a mismatch | Yes, in separate spaces - a Salty Dog entry or living room and an In the Navy study coexist, provided no sightline connects them |
Trim for each | Pure White SW 7005 or Extra White SW 7006 for crisp, graphic contrast against the blue-black | Alabaster SW 7008 for a softer coastal edge, or Pure White SW 7005 for sharp, high-contrast definition |
Style fit | Modern traditional, library and study, transitional, dark kitchen, moody contemporary | Coastal, nautical, traditional, preppy; strong on front doors, entries and exteriors |
Architect's pick | When the brief is a dark neutral that behaves like black but keeps a navy cast, and the room has daylight or warm materials to show the blue | When the brief is unmistakably blue and the light is cool, flat or uncertain, so the color must hold its identity without help |
Sherwin-Williams In the Navy SW 9178 - What It Really Looks Like
In the Navy has an LRV of approximately 4, which puts it firmly in the very-dark category. At that depth a color stops reflecting and starts absorbing. In the Navy takes this far enough that it reads as blue-black in most rooms, with the navy appearing only when strong light finds it. The hex value, #283849, explains why: cool blue, low saturation, plenty of grey. There is nothing flashy here.
The character is restraint. The blue never shouts. It sits behind the depth and gives the room a tailored, enclosed quality that suits libraries, studies, dining rooms and kitchens with brass and pale stone. In daylight it reads as ink. After dark, under lamps, it can slip toward black entirely. That is either the effect you want or the problem, depending on the brief.
Before you commit to a full-room dark, the In the Navy review breaks down exactly how it behaves on walls, doors and cabinets in different light directions, which is worth reading if In the Navy is already your front-runner.
Sherwin-Williams Salty Dog SW 9177 - What It Really Looks Like
Salty Dog has an LRV of approximately 5, which puts it in the same very-dark category as In the Navy. The number is where the similarity ends. Salty Dog, at #234058, carries far more saturation, so it reads as a true, deep blue rather than a blue-black. The blue is the point.
In daylight it looks rich and committed, closer to ink meeting ocean than to charcoal. Under lamplight it deepens but keeps its blue longer than In the Navy does. A faint teal edge gives it a nautical quality, which is why it suits coastal and traditional schemes and rooms that want a clear color identity. It does not fade into the background. It takes the lead.
Anyone weighing Salty Dog against the greyer, softer navy it is most often shortlisted with should read the Salty Dog vs Naval guide first, because it shows how Salty Dog's saturation holds up against a navy with less blue in it, which is the same question this comparison turns on.
The Real Difference Between In the Navy and Salty Dog
The simplest way to put it: In the Navy is a blue that hides. Salty Dog is a blue that shows. Hold the chips together and the difference is saturation, not darkness. In the Navy is greyer, more restrained and closer to black. Salty Dog is cleaner, more vivid and closer to a true navy.
The LRV numbers will mislead you. In the Navy sits at approximately 4 and Salty Dog at approximately 5, so on paper they are twins. In a room, that one-point gap does almost nothing. What the eye registers is how much blue each one carries. In the Navy gives you depth. Salty Dog gives you color. Choose by that, not by the reflectance figure.
The trim story is simpler than it looks. Both navies want a clean, bright white on joinery. In the Navy takes Pure White or Extra White best, because near-black depth turns crisp white into graphic contrast. Salty Dog is more flexible and can take Alabaster for a softer coastal finish. Neither forgives a dingy off-white. If you suspect both are a touch too extreme, Naval is the nearest Sherwin-Williams neighbour to each of them, and the In the Navy vs Naval guide explains what you gain and lose by stepping back to a greyer, slightly lighter navy.
Not sure which one is right for your room? A Color Direction consultation gets you a full custom palette built around your space - book yours here. |
When to Choose In the Navy
Choose In the Navy when you want a dark neutral that behaves like black but keeps a navy cast. These are the conditions where it is the right answer:
Rooms with strong natural light, south or west facing, where the blue-grey depth has light to work with. Studies, libraries, dining rooms and snugs where an enclosed, tailored mood is the brief. Kitchens with brass hardware and white or pale stone, where cabinets should read as nearly black without the severity of true black. Spaces with pale furniture and warm wood to carry the contrast. Walls that need to recede behind artwork.
Avoid In the Navy in dim north-facing rooms with no lighting plan, where it will read as flat black and lose the navy entirely. Avoid it in small, windowless spaces where cozy tips into heavy. And avoid it anywhere the brief is a recognizable, vivid blue. It will not deliver one.
When to Choose Salty Dog
Choose Salty Dog when the brief is an unmistakable, saturated blue that has to hold its identity. These are the conditions where it outperforms In the Navy:
North-facing rooms where the light is cool and flat and the color needs its own saturation to read as blue. Coastal, nautical and traditional schemes where blue is the central idea. Front doors, exteriors and entry halls where a clear color statement is the point. Kitchen cabinets that should read as navy against white marble and brushed nickel rather than black. Feature walls and built-ins, where one confident blue does the work of an entire scheme.
Avoid Salty Dog across open-plan spaces where it will announce itself from every sightline. Avoid it if what you actually want is a black-leaning dark neutral, because the saturation will feel too colorful. And avoid it beside strong warm accents where the contrast can turn strident.
How the Pairings Differ
For In the Navy on walls, Pure White or Extra White on trim gives the sharpest definition, because crisp white against blue-black reads graphic and deliberate. Skip warm creams, which look muddy beside it. In the Navy on walls and trim together is a strong move for a fully enveloping study or library.
For Salty Dog on walls, Alabaster or Pure White on trim are the two reliable routes. Alabaster adds a softer, coastal feel. Pure White sharpens the blue and makes it read cleaner and more formal. Salty Dog on cabinets against white walls is a classic, uncomplicated pairing.
For flooring, both colors work with warm wood. In the Navy loves mid and dark oak, herringbone and warm stone, where the warmth lifts the blue-black. Salty Dog suits pale oak, limestone and natural fiber rugs, where the lightness keeps the saturated blue from feeling heavy. Cool grey tile beside either one pushes the room toward cold.
For hardware, aged and unlacquered brass suit both. In the Navy also takes brushed nickel well. Matte black hardware disappears against it, so avoid it on cabinets. Salty Dog pairs particularly well with polished nickel and chrome, which reinforce its nautical character.
Architect's Verdict - In the Navy or Salty Dog?
Neither is the safer default, because they fail in opposite directions. In the Navy fails by going flat and black. Salty Dog fails by turning vivid. The right choice depends on which failure your room can tolerate.
For rooms where the goal is depth, In the Navy is the more tailored choice. It gives you the weight and mood of a near-black without the harshness of one, and it lets art, brass and pale furniture do the talking. In a south-facing study with warm wood and good daylight, it is the more sophisticated of the two. It earns that on restraint.
Salty Dog is the right choice when the room needs to be blue, and stay blue. In cool or uncertain light it holds its identity where In the Navy would slide toward black. On coastal and traditional schemes, front doors and cabinets that should read navy, it has a presence In the Navy cannot match. It commits. That is its value.
The test I always use: buy sample pots of both and paint two large patches, at least two feet square, side by side on the darkest wall in the room, the worst case for any dark navy. Check them at 8 am on an overcast morning, then again at 9 pm under your usual lamps. In the Navy passes if it keeps a visible blue-grey cast in both; if it reads flat black, choose Salty Dog. Salty Dog passes if the blue stays deep and composed; if it looks bright or sharp in daylight, choose In the Navy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is In the Navy darker than Salty Dog?
Yes, but only slightly. In the Navy has an LRV of approximately 4 (3.7) against approximately 5 (4.7) for Salty Dog. The darker impression comes mostly from lower saturation, which makes In the Navy read closer to black. Salty Dog's richer blue makes it feel more colorful and a little lighter in the same light.
Which is better for kitchen cabinets?
In the Navy for a near-black look, Salty Dog for a clear navy. In the Navy reads close to black against white stone and brass. Salty Dog reads distinctly blue against white marble and brushed metals. Sample both on a cabinet door in your actual kitchen before committing, because countertop and hardware undertones shift the result.
Which is better for a north-facing room?
Salty Dog handles north light better. Its saturation keeps a readable blue cast when the light is flat and grey, while In the Navy tends to collapse toward blue-black in the same conditions. Both are dark, so plan layered artificial lighting for either one.
Can I use In the Navy and Salty Dog in the same house?
Yes, in separate rooms. Avoid putting them on adjacent surfaces or in connected sightlines. The difference is too small to read as a deliberate contrast, so the pairing looks like a mismatch. Using the same white trim across both keeps the house cohesive.
Does In the Navy look black?
In low light, often yes. In dim rooms, north light and evenings it reads as blue-black. Strong daylight brings out the navy cast. If keeping some visible blue matters to you, sample it on the actual wall and check it at several times of day.
What is the LRV of In the Navy vs Salty Dog?
In the Navy has an LRV of approximately 4 and Salty Dog approximately 5. To one decimal place the figures are 3.7 and 4.7. Both are very dark and both absorb most of the light that reaches them. The practical difference is saturation, not reflectance.
Final Thought
In the Navy and Salty Dog are both excellent dark blues. The choice between them is not about quality. It is about what each one does to a room.
If you want depth, restraint and a near-black with a navy cast, In the Navy will give you a tailored, composed room. If you want saturation, a clear blue identity and reliability in cool light, Salty Dog will give you a color that holds its ground. Paint two large patches side by side on the darkest wall, then check them at 8 am and again at 9 pm under lamps. Choose the one that still looks like the room you imagined. The answer will be clear within 24 hours.
Want a complete colour scheme built around In the Navy or Salty Dog? Our design packages cover full palette selection, finish recommendations, and 3D visualisations - see our packages. |
About the Author
Beril Yilmaz is a qualified architect and interior designer based in the UK. She runs BY Design And Viz, a design platform covering paint colour reviews, interior design guidance, and residential design projects. Beril has specified both In the Navy and Salty Dog across residential projects in the UK and internationally - In the Navy in studies, libraries and dark kitchens with brass hardware and pale stone, Salty Dog in coastal-leaning living spaces, entrance halls and cabinetry where a clear blue was the brief, occasionally within the same home in separate rooms.
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