Van Deusen Blue vs Naval
Van Deusen Blue (Benjamin Moore) and Naval (Sherwin-Williams) come from different manufacturers. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. The 8-point LRV gap — 12 for Van Deusen Blue vs 4 for Naval — means Van Deusen Blue will open up a space more effectively. Where Van Deusen Blue leans blue, Naval reads cool — a distinction that shifts noticeably depending on the light source and surrounding finishes. A ΔE of 12.9 puts these firmly in different territory — two distinct design choices rather than close alternatives. Below you'll find 7 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Van Deusen Blue vs Naval in Real Spaces
7 real rooms side by side. Seeing Van Deusen Blue and Naval in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
Living Room
A living room wall sees more varied light than almost any other surface in the house, which makes the choice between these two more nuanced than a chip suggests. Van Deusen Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Bedroom
Bedrooms are typically lit with warmer, lower light than the rest of the house — a condition that flatters warm tones and deepens cool ones. Van Deusen Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Dining Room
Dining rooms often rely on warm incandescent or candlelight, which flatters warm undertones and mutes cool ones. The brightness difference is modest but present — Van Deusen Blue gives the walls a little more lift.
Bathroom
Small bathrooms intensify color. A shade that seems quiet in a larger room can feel immersive when you're surrounded by it on four walls. Van Deusen Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
House
A full exterior is the most demanding test for a paint color — scale and outdoor light both amplify differences that seem small on a swatch. Van Deusen Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Front Door
On a front door, the color is both the first and last thing you see — a context where even a modest tonal difference reads clearly. Van Deusen Blue reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet color is always seen in context — against countertops, backsplash, and hardware — which amplifies undertone differences that might disappear on a plain wall. Van Deusen Blue has the edge in reflectance, which shows as a quiet sense of added space rather than an obvious contrast.
Color Details
Van Deusen Blue vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Van Deusen Blue on one side and Naval on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Van Deusen Blue comparisons
See how Van Deusen Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
White Dove reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 69 vs 12, Ammonite is decisively the brighter choice.
Van Deusen Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 12 vs 6), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 12, Purbeck Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 30 vs 12, Evergreen Fog is decisively the brighter choice.
Mizzle reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 60 vs 12, Agreeable Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Accessible Beige reflects far more light (LRV 58 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
Denim Drift reflects far more light (LRV 27 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 43 vs 12, French Gray is decisively the brighter choice.
Tranquil Dawn reflects far more light (LRV 55 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 13 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Hardwick White reflects far more light (LRV 44 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 84 vs 12, Pure White is decisively the brighter choice.
A 9-point LRV gap (21 vs 12) makes Artichoke the marginally brighter of the two.
Balboa Mist reflects far more light (LRV 66 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
Shoji White reflects far more light (LRV 74 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
Snowbound reflects far more light (LRV 83 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Skimming Stone reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 41 vs 12, Dix Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 12, Calamine is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 25 vs 12, Treron is decisively the brighter choice.
With LRVs of 12 and 12, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Saybrook Sage reflects far more light (LRV 45 vs 12), opening up a space where Van Deusen Blue encloses it.
At LRV 31 vs 12, Pale Green is decisively the brighter choice.
A 5-point LRV gap (12 vs 7) makes Van Deusen Blue the marginally brighter of the two.
At LRV 24 vs 12, Cement grey is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 57 vs 12, Guilford Green is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 72 vs 12, Just Walnut is decisively the brighter choice.