Charcoal Blue is a popular Sherwin Williams navy blue paint color.
It is a dark and smokey paint shade that works well on home exteriors, cabinets, accent walls, and doors.
Charcoal Blue is a part of the 2019 Aficionado color collection.
It is is a navy paint color, but is also considered a neutral, since navy blue can be used as a neutral shade in a room.
If you are looking for a dark gray-blue paint color, keep reading for all the details on Sherwin Williams Charcoal Blue.
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What Color is Charcoal Blue Paint, by Sherwin Williams?
Charcoal Blue is a very dark gray-blue paint color. It leans more blue than gray, but definitely has a good bit of charcoal in it.
Compared to other navy blue paint colors, Charcoal Blue looks a little softer because of the heavy gray in it.
Charcoal Blue is a mature sort of paint color. It isn’t vibrant or bright, but instead is more moody and sophisticated
Charcoal Blue Undertones
Charcoal Blue is a blue paint color with a lot of charcoal undertones in it.
Additionally, Charcoal Blue has a bit of a purple undertone. This purple undertone is important to recognize, because it can show up depending on your lighting and the other colors in the space.
For example, if you have other blue shades in the room that are more of a true navy or a true blue, you may see that purple undertone in Charcoal Blue.
But, if you have purple in the room, it will downplay the purple undertone in Charcoal Blue.
Charcoal Blue LRV
Charcoal Blue has an LRV of 6.
LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value. It is a number on a scale of 0-100. A value of 0 means that a color is completely black. A value of 100 means that a color is completely white.
The LRV of a paint color gives us information about how light or dark a paint color looks in a room.
Additionally, it tells us how much light the paint color will reflect. The higher the number, the more light is reflected back into the room. The lower the number, the more light is absorbed by the paint color.
An LRV of 6 means that Charcoal Blue is a very dark paint color. It absorbs most of the light that hits it.
This is important information to have about a paint color because it helps to make decisions about where to use it.
A room that is dark can handle a touch of Charcoal Blue here and there, but you probably don’t want to paint a whole wall in this paint color.
Is Charcoal Blue Warm or Cool?
Since Charcoal Blue is a blue paint color, it is a cool shade.
Cool paint colors are expansive, and tend to make the walls seem further away.
Charcoal Blue is a dark, murky paint color that is reminiscent of a cloudy night sky.
What Color Goes with Charcoal Blue?
Charcoal Blue works with whites, creams, yellows, beiges, cool grays, warm grays, blush pinks, lighter blues with similar undertones, and purples.
From this list of coordinating colors, you can see that Charcoal Blue is a fairly versatile color.
For specific colors that Charcoal Blue works well with, Sherwin Williams recommends Gossamer Veil, a light grieve paint color, Moonlit Orchid, a smokey purple paint color, and Creamy, an off-white paint color.
Trim Paint Colors for Charcoal Blue
If you’re looking for a trim paint color to go with Sherwin Williams Charcoal Blue, check out Pure White and High Reflective White.
These two paint colors are popular shades for trim because they work with most other paint colors.
Pure White is a soft white paint color with gray and yellow undertones. It still looks white, but isn’t stark.
High Reflective White is Sherwin Williams lightest and brightest white paint color. It doesn’t have much in the way of undertones, so it works with any paint color.
Charcoal Blue is very dark though, and works with lots of white paint colors. Another great trim color for Charcoal Blue is Extra White.
Extra White has a cool blue undertone, so it is not the best for every paint color, but works really nicely with Charcoal Blue.
Where Can I Use Sherwin Williams Charcoal Blue?
Charcoal Blue is a great paint color to as an accent shade in your space.
Because it is so dark, it isn’t the best paint color for an entire room. Instead, it is best reserved as a pop of a dark neutral shade. This can help ground a space and provide a place for the eye to rest.
Charcoal Blue is a great paint color for doors, accent walls, cabinets, furniture, and exteriors.
How Does Charcoal Blue Compare to Other Navy Paint Colors?
Each time I do a full paint color review, I like to compare the paint color I am discussing to other popular paint colors in that color family or with similar uses.
Here, we’ll look at Charcoal Blue in comparison to other navy blues: Hale Navy and Naval.
Charcoal Blue vs. Hale Navy
Hale Navy the most popular navy blue paint color by Benjamin Moore. It is a dark, deep navy paint color with a bit of green and black undertones.
The main difference between Hale Navy and Charcoal Blue is the undertones. Charcoal Blue has a bit of purple, and Hale Navy has a bit of green.
When you compare these two paint colors to each other, you see the undertones pop out even more.
Both are great paint colors, and I would decide between them based on what else was in the room. For rooms with more warm colors, I may go with Charcoal Blue. For rooms with more cool colors, I may go with Hale Navy.
Click here for more details on Hale Navy.
Because these two are so similar and yet so different, the best way to figure out which one is going to work in your space is to view them in your space. My favorite no-mess way to see paint colors in a room is with Samplize. More on that in a minute.
Charcoal Blue vs. Naval
Naval is the most popular Sherwin Williams navy blue paint color. Naval is a deep and dark navy paint color with black undertones. It is a very classic sort of navy blue, without a lot of brightness to it.
Charcoal Blue is a more muted shade that Naval, but also a slightly warmer blue due to the purple undertones.
Now, I’m not saying that it is a warm blue, but just that when you compare the two, you see the purple in Charcoal Blue.
If you just want a nice, neutral navy, Naval is going to be a better choice than Charcoal Blue.
Click here for more details on Naval.
Wondering How To Pick the Perfect Paint Color?
I have the best solution for you!
Samplize sells peel and stick paint samples in almost every paint color.
These no-mess, peel and stick sheets are made from real paint, so they will show you exactly what the paint color will look like.
Simply place them on your walls next to your trim, furnishings or fixed elements, and easily see which paint color works best in your space and with your lighting.
Then, peel the sheet off your wall and reapply it somewhere else if you like. You can try several different paint colors with no mess, no fuss and no cleaning paint brushes.
Oh, and you can have them in your home by tomorrow with OVERNIGHT shipping!
As a bonus, be sure to use the code LoveRemodeled10 at check out to get an extra 10% off! Samplize sheets are cheaper than a sample can of paint, and way less work.
They are the easiest (and fastest!) way to try a paint color in your home, with no hassle.
Final Thoughts on Sherwin Williams Charcoal Blue
Charcoal Blue is a popular Sherwin Williams grayish navy paint color. It is murky and has a softness to it, despite being very dark.
If you are looking for a smokey navy blue paint color for your space, Charcoal Blue should be on your short list!
Have a question? Leave me a comment! Remember to check back for a response – it may take me up to a week or two depending on how busy I am, but I’ll be sure to get back to you!
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Want to see all your paint options in one convenient place? Click here to get everything you need to start painting, including Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paint color decks!
