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A brown-charcoal paint with a black-like gray base radiating a warm earthy note of comfort; one of the highly-demanded dark paint colors on the market and a designers' favorite.

LRV 8

Everybody is talking about the switch from gray tones to the bright pearls of the season. Yet, nobody said that we should cancel gray at all. Why not adapt it to the current trends? That’s what renowned color brands do, and Dulux follows suit. This time, the beloved manufacturer impresses us with a splendid earthy charcoal shade Namadji inspired by the dark brownish gray witnessed at the foothills within the Namadgi National Park in Australia. Even the name shows that we deal with a paint color from Dulux’s 2023 Connect color collection (connecting to nature).

Namadji Paint Color Features

Did you know that Albert Einstein wore only gray suits so that he would not waste his mental energy on picking colors? Or, that gray is the defining color of popular brands like Swarovski, Forbes, and Mercedes? Gray cannot get out of trend. 

Back to our newly found gray tone, Namadji is an astonishingly dark gray hue, almost fading into black. What keeps it from falling into the true black group of shades is its visible earthy trace of brown. While introducing a dramatic accent into the interior, the attention-stealing gray adds comfort to simultaneously ensure style and a sense of home. 

Namadji: Is It Warm or Cold?

The subtle brown hint in this brand-new gray is determined by the concentration of red in Namadji, which prevails over green and blue in its RGB value. Consequently, despite being considerably dark and profound, this gorgeous charcoal tone is a warm paint color.

How Does Lighting Affect Namadji?

When engaging in a play with direct natural light, Namadji can slightly fade out and feel substantially lighter, mainly referring to exterior design. In the interior, this organic charcoal tone emanates a woody effect, a brown-biased shade of dark gray, when the right light hits, specifically in rooms that face the southern side. On the opposite side, cold natural light brings out the blue tinge in Namadji.

This trendy paint color needs a lot of natural or artificial light since too much dark gray may seem intimidating and depressing, especially if not paired with brighter tones. Note that Namadji instantly turns black under the effect of a shadow or at night.

Namadji LRV

Colorists have not yet developed true shades of black, which would have a Light Reflectance Value of 0. Although Namadji is not a black tone, it is very close to this extremity with an LRV of 8. Therefore, this dark paint color almost doesn’t reflect light at all. We don’t recommend painting walls in a small room with limited access to sunlight.

Namadji Undertones

As they say, there is nothing new on the horizon. We already know that Namadji is a deep charcoal shade diluted with particles of earthy brown and a very tricky blue note of color that comes to the surface under precise conditions.

Similar Colors

Especially for you, we found the best alternative paint colors to Namadji so that you can choose one that works best for your design. Discover new gray and black shades.

  • Aged Cypress by Dulux Australia – in contrast with Namadji, this slightly darker shade reveals an impressive charcoal tone with pronounced green undertones;
  • Stable Gates by Dulux – a slightly lighter brownish-charcoal with a less saturated effect;
  • Off Broadway MQ1-35 by Behr – a tiny bit less brown shade of black for a more neutral alternative to Namadji;
  • Coffee Bean C70-35 by Behr – a black-dark brown tone as noticed on a real coffee bean that gives off a subtle purplish effect if compared to Namadji;
  • Black Bean Soup 2130-10 by Benjamin Moore – an intense purple-brown black paint, substantially deeper and richer than the charcoal shade from Dulux;
  • Sealskin SW 7675 by Sherwin-Williams – a brighter and more brownish-black, a perfect lighter replacement.

Coordinating Colors

Picking the right matching colors for this dark charcoal shade is easy if you follow a few rules. If you want to balance the eye-catching features of Namadji, try pairing it with cool or warm tones of white, blue, green, or purple. On the other hand, to enliven the palette, consider bright pinks, yellows, or oranges. And, as usual, a few expert choices from Dulux:

  • Sandy Day S14C1 – a medium-to-light beige slightly gravitating towards the warm side, perfectly balanced by a floating gray veil;
  • Apparition S16B2 – a trendy neutral beige with an alluring warm trace, great to use with lighter and darker colors;
  • Whisper White SW1C2 – a timeless ivory-white tone with played-down yellow undertones that make for a versatile paint;
  • Casper White Quarter SW1H4 – as they call it, “true white tone” with subtle yellow-gray undertones that suit any color and design style;
  • White on White SW1E2 – a bright, slightly cool white with clean blue undertones that add serenity and contemporaneity to the design;
  • Meadow Lane Quarter S26C1Q – a cool blue-green with a fresh and relaxing effect.

Use of Namadji in Interior Design 

Namadji is a trendy paint color for trim and walls. Bearing a unique feeling of confidence and lush sophistication, it will help you stand out with an original design. Discover the latest design ideas that use the complex personality of this dark charcoal tone.

Get the Look: Charcoal, White, and Wood

Due to its richly-grained brown undertones, Namadji partners stylishly with natural wood and white, making for one of the most aesthetically pleasing palettes ever. This combination works primarily for Modern adaptations to Rustic, Mid-Century Modern, Cottage, Provence, Farmhouse, and Industrial. Insert a few Vintage accents as well, such as brass, copper, and distressed surfaces that would emphasize the worn-out brown tinge in Namadji.

Classic Study

Black is one of the trendiest home office colors this season. If you want to stay up to date, yet authenticity is a priority, choose the original alternative to black – the dark charcoal from Dulux. We like the combination between this old money color and Classic studies with built-in bookcases, carved wooden desks, and brass accessories. 

Master Bedroom

Namadji, even though a charcoal shade, looks pretty close to black, which is an unconventional color in the sleeping space. Still, if you take this bold step, be sure your primary bedroom won’t go unnoticed. You can achieve a comfy personal space by decorating dark gray-colored walls with wood or an up-to-the-minute bedroom with contemporary details all in black. This luxury design idea is a 100% successful option for those who find comfort in dramatic palettes and intriguing details.

Modern Kitchen with a Twist

You can always stick to the classic all-black kitchen; let’s settle this, Namadji can be safely called black. Why not go for more? Especially now when there are so many gorgeous design ideas. Go with more or less classic-of-its-kind white-washed walls, white-marble backsplash and backdrop, wooden cabinets, and black accents. Or, try the Mid-Century Modern trend with functional kitchens of wood with black accessories and last-century aesthetics. 

Luxury Bathroom

We are impressed by the emerging trend of luxury bathrooms that emphasize this space as a room for relaxation rather than functional only. We can see an increase in Eco-style bathrooms with a black base color, natural wood or stone, and mandatorily greenery. For black, we suggest Namadji, which obviously has a luxurious story to reveal. Switch also to floating bathroom fixtures and consider a free-standing bathtub. 

Use of Namadji for House Exterior

Namadji is a highly-demanded paint color for exterior design. We managed to find plenty of successfully decorated houses that display the beauty of this contemporary charcoal shade. Modern concrete houses and Traditional wood exteriors look similarly stylish and inviting when painted with the warm brown-gray from Dulux. 

Dulux’s earthy charcoal with the beautiful name Namadji stands out from thousands of charcoal hues through its fantastic natural undertone that brings us closer to the outdoors. Now may be the perfect time to try something new for your home’s design. Start with a spectacular black-like gray that experts have already added to their wish lists.

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