fbpx

A dark shade of blue diluted with a few particles of deep plum notes that add even more sophistication to an already hypnotizing color.

LRV 11

Prepare for a new splash of inspiration and sophisticated depth with the remarkable naval blue English Channel from Behr. Naval shades of blue are in vogue now, and we suggest you pay close attention to the most fabulous hues. PPU14-19 paint color is one of them.

The magic starts with the name. Behr’s colorists were probably inspired by the actual English Channel that separates southern England from northern France. If we were to look at this area from a bird’s eye view, we would notice that this arm of the Atlantic Ocean replicates a deep shade of blue that charms with its unusual combination of no less deep undertones that bear a particular flair. Once you give it a glance, you cannot simply take your eyes off this color. All you want to do is look deeper into it and discover its inner beauty. Well, that is what happened with us, but luckily we managed to reveal the secrets behind such a fabulous shade and are ready to share them with you.

English Channel paint color features

The new alternative to the renowned naval paint colors is a dark shade of blue diluted with a few particles of deep plum notes that add even more sophistication to an already hypnotizing color. We suppose that the naval shades became so popular that experts started developing new and unique variations in this sense to meet the expectations of naval blue lovers, and believe us, they should have had really high standards since the new alternative, English Channel, goes beyond any expectations. What does it feel like? It is a replication of the deep ocean serenity, fresh ocean breeze, outstanding ocean grandeur. That’s right! Everything is traced to the ocean since such an inspiring shade of blue cannot interpret any other feelings but the ones you experience when looking or hearing the ocean. 

English Channel: is it warm or cold?

We rarely deal with cold colors, but English Channel paint color is one of them, being so deep and mesmerizing that you even get goosebumps when looking at it. By “cold,” we mean a really strong color that stands out with its freshness and sophisticated grandeur. 

How does lighting affect English Channel?

Even the warmest light undertones would not be able to beat the fearless cool notes of this shade. It stays true to its nature in almost any situation. Well, there are a few conditions that may slightly affect its appearance. It appears in its lightest variation penetrated by soothing notes in full daylight. Once it gets touched by a shade, it instantly becomes very dark, resembling the truest naval shades, although its undertones offer it a unique appearance, which will be discussed later. At the same time, artificial lighting makes it seem a bit brighter and even replicates a slight plumy shadow, particularly if the light is penetrated by warm undertones.

English Channel LRV

Do you still doubt the dark feature of English Channel? Well, its LRV is there to prove it. For a start, a quick reminder: LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value, pointing out how dark or light a shade is. English Channel has an LRV of 11. Do you imagine how dark it is, considering that 0 stands for a true shade of black? Even if it bounces back a very tiny amount of light, you can forget about any brightening and expanding effect. Nevertheless, its other features compensate for it to the fullest.

English Channel undertones

It seems that such a dark blue would simply not allow particles of any other shades to penetrate its surface. Nevertheless, in particular lighting, one can notice a slight gray-plum shadow that stands behind the exceptional depth this color should be proud of. The result as a whole makes you wonder: is it a true naval blue or a quality variation with irreplaceable undertones? The answer is always the light that plays the last violin. 

Similar colors

The popularity of naval blue has led to the development of alternatives that try to imitate the deep ocean serenity. Some of them are quite successful in this sense. There is a small chance that you can find a shade of dark blue that would replicate the same feelings radiated by a slight splash of dusky plum undertones. Still, there are paint colors that interpret at least a nearly similar sense of depth noticed at English Channel. Let’s take a look at the most prominent ones!

  • Infinite Deep Sea S500-7 – a slightly darker shade of blue with a more intense blue base;
  • Arrowhead Lake PPU14-01 – a slightly lighter alternative, devoid of the subtle plum undertones;
  • Loyalty BIC-52 – almost identical to English Channel, the difference being noticed when comparing the samples that point out a slightly lighter variation penetrated by less visible plum undertones;
  • Van Deusen Blue HC-156 by Benjamin Moore – a noticeably darker blue, although the range of undertones seems to be perfectly preserved;
  • Moody Dream D9 by Dulux – almost identical shade of naval blue, slightly lighter due to a very subtle foggy effect.

Coordinating colors

It seems that English Channel is not that predictable. As experts from Behr claim, this shade is quite bold when it comes to color pairings. It is quite friendly to other variations of blue, specifically soothing and light ones, and no less open to indeed bright shades, from a saturated crimson to a slightly muted yet bold orange. One should also consider pastels that seem to work in perfect harmony with a deep shade like English Channel. Let’s see what colorists from Behr have in store!

  • Early September M550-2 – very light shade of bright blue, resembling the clear sky in the early morning, refreshed by a cool beginning of September;
  • Adirondack Blue N480-5 – soothing shade of cool blue that seems rather blue-gray that would definitely work in harmony with the deep blue notes of English Channel;
  • Rumors MQ1-15 – dark crimson penetrated by a subtle brownish shadow that radiates very intriguing feelings;
  • Wine Leaf N400-7 – dark and cool green that perfectly replicates the natural vine leaf green, serving as a very competent contrast when applied to the English Channel paint color;
  • Cavalry Brown N220-7 – dark brown with rich earthy notes, being one of the most suitable companions for PPU14-19 when it comes to formal settings;
  • Purple Prince P550-7 – bright shade of purple, slightly saturated that would serve as a perfect accent that harmonizes with the English Channel undertones;
  • Aerial View S530-3 – very soft and light blue, resembling the clear sky at dusk in summer;
  • Red Clover S150-4 – lovely shade of dusty pink slightly muted that goes in perfect contrast with English Channel;
  • Green Balsam PPU11-15 – cool and light green with a surprisingly soothing base that would serve as a refreshing companion for the main character of this article;
  • Ginger Jar M300-5 – a slightly muted orange with unbeatable yellow notes and a very balanced base;
  • Thermal S440-7 – very dark green that would surely stand out even on such a dark background as English Channel.

Use of English Channel in interior

The wide range of coordinating colors makes English Channel a versatile color. It might not go with any style, but it would definitely not skip Vintage, Coastal, Rustic, and contemporary approaches. The list of design solutions grows larger since PPU14-19 can serve as the main color and an accent. Let’s see how it really works and what an interior enriched with this shade looks like!

A new look at accents

It would be a shame to speak about such a bold color and skip the idea of integrating it into the interior as an accent. Be it an accent wall, wall paneling, a built-in bookcase, a piece of furniture, the trim, an interior door, the backdrop of an open-shelf bookcase. Such an approach would suit particularly monochromatic settings that require a new splash of color that would dilute the palette and add a sense of depth and serenity. English Channel seems like the perfect variant.

An all-Naval-Blue interior

It is very dark, extremely deep, and outstandingly bold that you couldn’t probably imagine a room with all walls painted in this shade. Well, the successful implementation of this approach is there to prove that English Channel works no less fabulous as the main character of the fairytale. That’s right! A space painted entirely in this shade looks like something out of a fantasy. Accompany it with a few splashes of white or dark wood texture, and your interior will be brought to reality. It would not suit any preferences, but if you are all about bold statements, this one is surely for you.

Living room

Use English Channel as an accent to dilute your color palette if it feels too monochromatic to you or opt for a whole makeover by painting the walls entirely in this shade and adding a few splashes of other bold colors to enrich the space with vibrance, which the deep English Channel will surely balance. On the other hand, by making sure that the space is embraced by dim lighting conditions, your walls painted in naval blue will become quite dark and serve as a perfect background for the green or gold accents of an Art Deco interior. 

Bedroom

You are free to use this shade to the fullest in the bedroom since it is your personal space, and you adapt it to your preferences. Still, English Channel may seem quite imposing if used to paint all the walls. At the same time, an accent wall is the perfect source of visual interest not devoid of serenity that a bedroom would benefit from. Dark wood for the furniture, matching naval blue for the bedding, and splashes of white for a smooth transition; this way, your bedroom will not lack harmony or individuality.

Kitchen and dining room

The classic combination of lower cabinets painted in naval blue and white upper cabinets with a crispy white backsplash is certainly one of the most suitable approaches for a contemporary kitchen. Sleek, rather functional, and not devoid of individuality, your kitchen will reach an entirely new level with such a design. For those who wouldn’t mind a bit of exquisite finesse, experts suggest considering a similar approach while opting for a black backsplash and brass hardware. It is much easier in the dining room, where nothing can replace the standout pairing between walls painted in naval blue and wooden furniture, which will shine in a new way with a splash of greenery. 

Bathroom

It is quite easy to work with English Channel in the bathroom. You either paint the walls in this shade and consider wood for furniture or opt for naval blue cabinetry on a light background. From a functional arrangement to a few splashes of brass, you are free to sculpt the personality of this space, depending on your standards of style.

Use of English Channel for house exterior

English Channel is a real find for those who want their house to stand out and radiate an impressive sense of contemporary aristocracy and personality. Consider painting the house walls in naval blue and complementing them with white for a rather modern appearance and wood for a traditional look. 

Are you in love with this color but not ready yet to embrace it to the fullest? You can always opt for a smaller splash of color by painting the front door, which will look no less impressive for the house exterior.

The English Channel PPU14-19 paint color from Behr is the alternative to naval blue homeowners and designers have been looking for lately. Luckily, it preserves all the finesse of a true naval shade while bringing its own sense of individuality with limitless depth, astonishing notes of harmony, and timeless appearance.

online interior design service
Give a new look to your room with our professional online interior design service