Manitou Blue vs Naval
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. These are both blues, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within blue to land. Manitou Blue (LRV 26) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 21 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. Both lean cool, so they'll behave similarly in mixed or changing light conditions. With a ΔE of 34.8, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 4 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Manitou Blue vs Naval in Real Spaces
4 real rooms side by side. Seeing Manitou 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
In a living room, color works across both daylight and evening light — the same wall can read very differently at noon and at 8pm. The LRV gap is large enough that Manitou Blue will make the room feel meaningfully brighter than Naval would.
Bedroom
The context that matters most in a bedroom is how a color reads under a bedside lamp at night, not under noon daylight. Manitou Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Dining Room
A dining room lit by a dimmed pendant or candles is one of the most forgiving environments for paint — warm light softens almost everything. Manitou Blue returns significantly more light to the room — in a smaller or darker space, that difference in perceived brightness is hard to miss.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Manitou Blue reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
Manitou Blue vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Manitou 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 Manitou Blue comparisons
See how Manitou Blue stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
At LRV 83 vs 26, White Dove is decisively the brighter choice.
Ammonite reflects far more light (LRV 69 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
At LRV 26 vs 6, Manitou Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
Purbeck Stone reflects far more light (LRV 52 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
Evergreen Fog reads slightly lighter (LRV 30 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 52 vs 26, Mizzle is decisively the brighter choice.
Agreeable Gray reflects far more light (LRV 60 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
At LRV 58 vs 26, Accessible Beige is decisively the brighter choice.
Their light reflectance is nearly identical (LRV 27 vs 26), so neither reads brighter in a room.
French Gray reflects far more light (LRV 43 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
At LRV 55 vs 26, Tranquil Dawn is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 13, Manitou Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 44 vs 26, Hardwick White is decisively the brighter choice.
Pure White reflects far more light (LRV 84 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
Manitou Blue reads slightly lighter (LRV 26 vs 21), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
At LRV 66 vs 26, Balboa Mist is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 74 vs 26, Shoji White is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 83 vs 26, Snowbound is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Manitou Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 68 vs 26, Skimming Stone is decisively the brighter choice.
Dix Blue reflects far more light (LRV 41 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
Calamine reflects far more light (LRV 68 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 25, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
At LRV 26 vs 12, Manitou Blue is decisively the brighter choice.
At LRV 45 vs 26, Saybrook Sage is decisively the brighter choice.
Pale Green reads slightly lighter (LRV 31 vs 26), a gap that shows most in low-lit rooms.
Manitou Blue reflects far more light (LRV 26 vs 7), opening up a space where Pine Needle encloses it.
With LRVs of 26 and 24, the two reflect almost the same amount of light.
Guilford Green reflects far more light (LRV 57 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.
Just Walnut reflects far more light (LRV 72 vs 26), opening up a space where Manitou Blue encloses it.