Mediterranean vs Naval
Both from Sherwin-Williams's palette. Hue-wise, Mediterranean belongs to the blue-grey family and Naval to the blue family. Mediterranean (LRV 18) reflects noticeably more light than Naval (LRV 4), a difference of 13 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 25.5, 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 3 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Mediterranean vs Naval in Real Spaces
3 real rooms side by side. Seeing Mediterranean 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 Mediterranean 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. Mediterranean reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Mediterranean reflects noticeably more light off the walls, making the space read more open than Naval.
Color Details
Mediterranean vs Naval Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Mediterranean 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 Mediterranean comparisons
See how Mediterranean stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
