What Colors Make Dark Blue: Every Mixing Method an Architect Uses

Whether you are mixing paint on a palette, trying to recreate a specific dark blue shade, or simply trying to understand how dark blue is made from other colors — the answer depends on which dark blue you are trying to achieve and which primary colors you are starting from. Navy, midnight blue, royal blue, and indigo are all dark blues but they are made differently and they behave differently in rooms and on surfaces.

This guide covers every method for making dark blue — from the simplest primary color mix to the more nuanced combinations that produce specific dark blue shades — with the exact ratios and the adjustments to make when the result isn't quite right.

The Basic Answer — What Two Colors Make Dark Blue?

You cannot make a true dark blue from scratch using only other colors — blue is a primary color, which means it cannot be mixed from red and yellow the way secondary and tertiary colors can. However, you can darken an existing blue and shift its undertone in specific directions using a small number of additional colors.

The most important thing to understand is the difference between darkening a blue and changing its undertone. Adding black darkens blue but also dulls it — the result is a greyed, flat dark blue rather than a rich, deep one. The methods below achieve dark blue with depth and character rather than just darkness.

What Colors Make Dark Blue — Quick Reference

Method	Approximate Ratio	Result
Blue + Black	4 parts blue : 1 part black	Dark blue — flat, slightly grey undertone
Blue + Purple	3 parts blue : 1 part purple	Dark blue — richer, more violet depth
Blue + Dark Brown	4 parts blue : 1 part brown	Dark navy — warm, earthy undertone
Blue + Black + Purple	3:1:0.5	Deep midnight blue — complex and rich
Blue + Ultramarine	1:1	Deep saturated blue — jewel-tone quality
Prussian Blue + Black	3 parts prussian : 1 part black	Very deep navy — cool, slightly green
Blue + Indigo	2 parts blue : 1 part indigo	Deep blue-violet — indigo character

Method 1 — Blue and Black

Adding black to blue is the most direct way to make dark blue and it works — but it comes with a trade-off. Black contains all color pigments and when added to blue it greys the color as well as darkening it. The result is a dark blue with a slightly flat, neutral quality rather than a rich, saturated dark blue.

Start with a pure, mid-tone blue and add black in very small increments — a little black goes a very long way. A ratio of approximately 4 parts blue to 1 part black produces a good dark blue in most paint types. Add more black gradually if more depth is needed, but stop before the color loses its blue character entirely and starts reading as charcoal.

To correct a blue-black mix that has gone too grey: add a small amount of pure blue or a touch of purple to restore the richness. Purple counteracts the greying effect of black and brings depth back without lightening the color.

Method 2 — Blue and Purple

Blue and purple together produce a dark blue with significantly more richness and depth than blue and black — because purple contains blue and red, the red component adds warmth and complexity rather than the greying effect that black introduces. The result is closer to a midnight blue or deep indigo than a straightforward dark blue.

A ratio of 3 parts blue to 1 part purple produces a deep blue-violet. Adjust the proportion of blue upward for a truer dark blue, or increase the purple for more violet character. This is the method I use most often when I need a rich, complex dark blue — the purple depth gives it the quality of a paint color rather than just a darkened blue.

This combination sits in the same color family as indigo — for a full understanding of where indigo sits between blue and purple, the indigo guide covers that distinction in detail.

Method 3 — Blue and Dark Brown

Adding a small amount of dark brown — burnt umber or raw umber — to blue produces a dark navy with a warm, earthy undertone that is quite different from the cool, grey result of blue and black. This method produces the warm navy quality seen in paint colors like Sherwin Williams Naval or Benjamin Moore Hale Navy — a navy that reads as rich and sophisticated rather than cold.

Use burnt umber for a warmer, slightly orange-brown result. Use raw umber for a cooler, more neutral dark navy. Start with a ratio of approximately 4 parts blue to 1 part brown and adjust — too much brown will push the blue into a muddy dark teal. The goal is a barely perceptible warmth that prevents the navy from reading cold, not a visible brown influence.

Method 4 — Prussian Blue

Prussian Blue is one of the darkest and most saturated blue pigments available — it is an intense, deep blue with a slight green undertone that has been used in painting and design for centuries. Starting with Prussian Blue rather than a standard mid-tone blue means you are already working at the deep end of the blue spectrum.

Prussian Blue on its own reads as a very deep, cool blue-green. Adding a small amount of black deepens it further towards a near-midnight blue, while adding purple warms it towards a richer navy. It is one of the best starting points for mixing any dark blue where depth and saturation are the priority.

Method 5 — Blue and Ultramarine

Ultramarine is a deep, intense blue with a slight violet quality — mixing standard blue with ultramarine produces a deeply saturated dark blue with jewel-tone character without the greying effect of black or the warmth of brown. The result sits between a deep royal blue and a navy, with a richness that comes from the intensity of both pigments.

This method works best in oil and acrylic paint where pigment intensity is high. In standard wall paint the ultramarine effect is less dramatic — for wall paint applications, the blue-black or blue-purple methods are more practical for achieving specific dark blue shades.

How to Make Specific Dark Blue Shades

How to Make Navy Blue

Navy blue is a dark blue with a slight warm undertone — closer to blue-black than blue-violet. The most reliable method for mixing navy is blue plus a small amount of dark brown (burnt umber) plus a touch of black. The brown introduces the warmth that distinguishes navy from a pure dark blue, and the black adds depth without the purple shift.

In paint form, navy blue sits at an LRV of approximately 4-8 — very dark, absorbing most light. For a full guide to navy blue paint colors for walls and interiors, the navy blue paint colors guide covers the best options across paint brands.

How to Make Midnight Blue

Midnight blue is darker and cooler than navy — it has more black in it and less of the warm undertone that navy carries. Mix blue with black (4:1 ratio) then add a very small amount of purple to restore depth without warmth. The result is a deep, cool, almost-black blue that reads as dramatic and sophisticated.

Midnight blue in interior design is one of the deepest wall colors available — with an LRV typically under 5 it absorbs almost all light. It works best in rooms with strong natural light or deliberate low-lighting design.

How to Make Royal Blue

Royal blue is brighter and more saturated than navy — it sits at a medium-high depth rather than a

dark one. To deepen a royal blue towards a dark royal blue, add a small amount of purple rather than black — the purple intensifies the saturation without dulling the color the way black does. A ratio of approximately 5 parts royal blue to 1 part purple produces a darker, richer version that retains the brightness of the original.

How to Make Indigo

Indigo sits between dark blue and violet — it is made by mixing blue and purple in approximately equal parts, then darkening with a small amount of black if more depth is needed. The result has a blue-violet quality that is distinct from both pure dark blue and purple. For a full breakdown of what indigo looks like and where it sits between blue and purple, the dedicated guide covers that distinction in detail.

Troubleshooting — When Your Dark Blue Mix Goes Wrong

Too Grey or Flat

Cause: Too much black. Fix: Add pure blue or a small amount of purple to restore richness. Black greys all colors — even a small excess will dull dark blue significantly. Next time, add black in much smaller increments.

Too Green

Cause: The base blue has a green undertone, or too much Prussian Blue. Fix: Add a small amount of red-violet or purple to counteract the green. Alternatively, switch to a purer blue base without green in its undertone.

Too Purple

Cause: Too much purple in the mix. Fix: Add more pure blue to pull the color back towards the blue end of the spectrum. Add in small increments — dark colors shift quickly with small additions.

Too Brown or Muddy

Cause: Too much brown, or brown added to a blue with a green undertone. Fix: Add pure blue to dilute the brown influence. For future mixes, use a cleaner blue base and add brown in very small amounts — a little goes a long way in dark mixes.

Dark Blue in Interior Design

Dark blue is one of the most versatile and enduringly popular colors in residential design — it works equally well in traditional, contemporary, and transitional interiors and it suits almost every room in the house. The depth of dark blue absorbs light and creates atmosphere in a way that lighter colors cannot, which is why it is the go-to choice for rooms where intimacy and drama are the brief.

For how to use dark blue in rooms — wall colors, cabinetry, and accent applications — the best blue paint colors guide covers the full range of dark and mid-tone blues for interior use. For how dark blue works on exterior facades, the blue exterior house colors guide covers that application specifically.

For the colors that work best alongside dark blue in a room scheme — the combinations that prevent dark blue from reading cold and heavy — the colors that go with navy blue guide covers every pairing in detail.

Need help choosing the right dark blue for your space? Book a color consultation here — bydesignandviz.com/book-online

Frequently Asked Questions

What two colors make dark blue?

Blue and black is the simplest two-color method for making dark blue — approximately 4 parts blue to 1 part black. For a richer result, blue and purple (3:1) produces a darker blue with more depth and less of the greying effect that black introduces.

What colors make navy blue?

Navy blue is best made by mixing blue with a small amount of dark brown and black — the brown introduces the warm undertone that distinguishes navy from a pure dark blue. A starting ratio of 4 parts blue, 1 part black, and a small touch of burnt umber produces a reliable navy. Adjust the brown content for more or less warmth.

Can you make dark blue without black?

Yes — blue and purple makes a rich dark blue without black. The purple adds depth and complexity without the greying effect of black. Blue and dark brown also produces a dark navy without black. Both methods produce a darker blue with more character than the blue-black method.

What color does blue and purple make?

Blue and purple makes a dark blue-violet — the exact shade depends on the ratio. More blue produces a dark blue with violet depth. Equal parts produces indigo. More purple produces a dark violet. For a dedicated guide to the blue and purple combination and what it produces in different ratios, the blue and purple color guide covers every variation.

How do you make dark blue lighter without losing the depth?

The key is to add white in very small amounts and mix thoroughly before assessing. Adding white to dark blue lightens it but also reduces its saturation — the result will be a mid-tone or pale blue rather than a lighter version of the same dark blue. To preserve depth while lightening slightly, add a small amount of a lighter, more saturated blue rather than white — this maintains the richness of the color while increasing the LRV.

Final Thought

The most important rule in mixing dark blue is to work in small increments — dark colors are unforgiving and a small addition of black, purple, or brown shifts the result more dramatically than the same addition would in a lighter color. Always mix more than you need from the same batch, since recreating an exact dark blue mix is extremely difficult.

For dark blue in interior design, understanding the undertone of the blue you are working with — whether it leans warm, cool, green, or violet — is more important than the specific mixing method. The undertone determines how the color behaves in a room, and no mixing method will compensate for choosing the wrong base blue for your specific space.

Want help choosing the right dark blue for your home? See our design packages here — bydesignandviz.com/#interiordesignpackages

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 color reviews, interior design guidance, and residential design projects. Beril has specified dark blue paint colors across residential projects in the UK and internationally.