How to Use Sherwin Williams 2020 Color of the Year NAVAL

The Sherwin Williams 2020 Color of the Year has been announced, and it’s a good one: Naval SW6244. I’m going to tell you all about, plus, there’s an exciting announcement at the end of this post!

The 2020 Sherwin Williams Color of the Year is a deep, rich blue that works in both classic and modern settings. It’s not quite navy, not quite royal blue. I used this color in a vacation home I designed two years ago:

2020 color of the year naval SWSherwin-Williams Naval SW6244

I painted this vintage dresser in Sherwin Williams Naval. Because it’s painted in a high gloss finish, it appears a bit lighter and more royal blue than you will see in images where it’s been painted in a flat or eggshell finish.

Sherwin Williams Naval

It’s a rich and delicious color, and not-at-all trendy. A classic! Let me show you some ways you can use it in your own home:

5 Best Places to Use Sherwin Williams 2020 Color of the Year – NAVAL

1. Furniture

Update a dingy old side side table or dresser with a glossy coat of SW Naval:

furniture painted sherwin williams color of the year naval

2. Kitchen Island

Break up the monotony of a dark wood kitchen island with a rich, dark blue:

color design by The Decorologist

3. Dining Room Ceiling

Create a dramatic effect with a rich, dark dining room ceiling:

dark blue ceiling design by Kristie Barnett, The DecorologistThe Decorologist

4. Bed Focal Wall

While you have to be careful to not go crazy with random accent walls, the wall behind the bed is a GREAT place to create a focal wall:

dark blue bed wallroom design by The Interior Maven, color by The Decorologist

5. Exterior

Stand out from your neighbors by using a classic, yet bold exterior paint color like Sherwin Williams Naval:

echelon custom buildersEchelon Custom Builders

Be sure to test Naval with a Small Wall paint sample board to be sure the color is right for your space! They are available in 2-packs at your local Sherwin Williams retailer or packs of 50 here.

If you love color as much as I do, maybe paint color consulting is the ideal career for you! Sound interesting? Find out more in my NEW ONLINE CERTIFICATION COURSE:

paint color training course

 

 

26 Comments

  1. Gloria Staats

    Very excited about Naval! I am thinking of using as the door color for a red brick home with white trim… I follow your blog, so I was familiar with how you have used it successfully and beautifully in so many different places and surfaces, so fun!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Gloria,
      It’s a great color for a front door! Thank you for following, dear! 😉

      Reply
  2. Paula Van Hoogen

    Good choices!
    Naval is clearly a carefully thought out little sprinkle.
    You found the best uses, Kristie.
    This is discernment.
    ♥️Paula

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thank you, Paula! It’s an easy color to dip your toe in! 😉

      Reply
  3. Beth Lester

    It’s nice to see a paint company come out with a color of the year that is immediately useful and already has some popularity base. Love this color!

    Reply
  4. Janet Lorusso

    Love this color – an extreme step up from last years pick LOL! That blue painted dresser is da bomb, Kristie! Love love love! and that navy ceiling too!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thank you so much, Janet! I love painted ceilings . . .

      Reply
  5. Julie Lampe

    I have long been a fan of Naval by Sherwin williams. It has a great coolness to it that looks phenomenal with a glossy sheen, like you see on the dresser and nightstands in your images.

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Hi Julie,
      Yes – Naval has been a nice paint color choice for quite awhile now. It’s surprising SW is just now calling it out!

      Reply
  6. Lisa Peck

    Fun ideas for using Naval! and your new course sounds very interesting!

    Reply
  7. Claire

    Isn’t this a beautiful colour?! It’s very much like Hale Navy by BM, which I love and have used often. I adore your dining room project with the painted ceiling! And congratulations on your online colour course, looks very comprehensive! xo

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thanks so much, Claire! I love Hale Navy when I want something more sophisticated and moody, but Naval is fun and crisp – more saturated and reads more “blue.” Have a great week, friend!!

      Reply
  8. Mary Ann Benoit

    Not my favorite color, but loved the ideas and options you gave for how to use it! Really interesting on the ceiling!

    Reply
  9. Leslie Carothers

    Hi Kristi:

    I enjoyed reading this post and seeing the various ways you’ve used NAVAL in your design work. I especially liked it on that vintage dresser, which is exactly the furniture I had in my bedroom when I was a young girl!!

    And the tip about how it looks slightly different, depending on whether it’s matte, semi-gloss or gloss, was a good one.

    Thanks for the inspiration and good luck with your new online course, too!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thank you, Leslie. This online course has been years in the making!

      Reply
  10. Lori Evans

    Great color and greater post. 🙂 Nicely done!

    Reply
  11. Sheri Bruneau

    Such great examples of how wonderful this color is! I LOVE the dresser and the night stand paired with gold hardware.

    Congratulations on launching your new online course!

    Reply
  12. Deborah Main

    I love, love, love that navy blue home!!! This color is so perfect as it goes with so many other wonderful colors like orange and gold as you share so clearly. What a fun job you must have selecting colors for your clients!

    Reply
    • Kristie Barnett

      Thank you, Deborah! Choosing new paint colors is definitely my favorite thing to do for clients – what a difference good color makes!

      Reply
  13. Barbara James

    I love the color. Could I use Naval on a bedroom ceiling in a farmhouse? I wasn’t planning on using crown molding. Do I need to?

    Reply
    • Daria Quinn

      Hi Barbara,

      If you are going to do a different color on the ceiling, it is always best to have crown molding – but not absolutely necessary. Make sure you pair Naval with a white or a light neutral on the walls. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  14. Andrea Johnson

    I love this color. We are thinking of using it on the exterior of our home. I am curious to know what color you used for the trim. Thank you!

    Reply
  15. Lauren

    Wow, the dresser looks great! How did you paint it? I’m wanting to paint my kitchen cabinets SW Naval, but not sure how to go about doing so as cabinets are a bit more complicated than a wall…

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

paint color training course

Staging Certification

paint color training course

Color Certification

paint color training course

My Staging Book

paint color training course
Psychological_Styling_Accessorizing_Video_Pic
web-just-the-right-furniture-arrangment-product-image

Small Wall

paint color training course
Loading...