URGENT white & navy paint names needed for north facing room

4 years ago

I have a dulux and Johnstone’s paint mixing company locally so need some paint names to look at for a nice clean white and a rich warm navy that will work for a north facing bedroom.
I was going to use my F&B off black copy in the bedroom but I’m thinking it might be too drab?

Only got a basic decorators white so could really do with getting a better one if anyone has any suggestions?
Nothing cold toned or green tinged. Need it to look white but not be too drab grey.

Thanks!!!

Featured Answer

Tani H-S
Original Author

4 years ago

Just to update.. I found an old pot of the same brand navy paint I used in my last house (the label had faded so couldn’t get it again!) which was quite a warm French navy colour and I took the plunge and mixed it with the new stuff and it seems to have worked! It’s still very dark but you can tell it’s a navy now and not black, ha ha. It could do with being a bit lighter to be honest but once I’ve added a load of pictures and mirrors and some extra lights it will be cosy.

Thanks all!!
I emptied it all out into a large bucket whilst stirring it at the same time. Cleaned the original pot out so it wouldn’t get contaminated and it all seems ok. Got enough left if I need to touch anything up.

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Comments (43)

Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
These sort of navy tones would be nice as they are quite bright so warmer? And not too dull.
Jonathan
4 years ago
I really like the combination of Hague blue and All White (both Farrow and Ball)
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Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@jonathan - isn’t Hague blue more retro toned though? Not seen the All White but I can’t afford F&B for this room so it will have to be the above paint companies or a copy of them :0/
Sonia
4 years ago
I’ve used Little Greene’s Woad on a wall in my kitchen. Lovely paint and very rich. This is a sunny south facing room, but it still looks nice at night. I’m not brave enough to do it all over!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
That looks a nice colour, Sonia - will check it out
Sarah Large
4 years ago
I have Dulux Sapphire Salute in my bedroom (north- east facing) and my dining room (south-west facing). I absolutely love it in both rooms. It’s quite a bright, rich navy blue.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@Sarah - that looks nice as well. Did you do it as a feature wall or all around in the bedroom etc?
I’m thinking of having it on 3 walls for a bedroom. There is a v large bay window in front of it so although it’s north facing, it still gets some light
Sarah Large
4 years ago
I have the dulux on three walls in the bedroom and it’s not overwhelming. We have a lot of white furniture and a wall of white wardrobes so I think we needed the colour. It was the first time I used anything but a pale neutral and it’s made me a lot braver with colours.
Daisy England
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Johnstones will copy F&B. Their mixing machine is computerised to do this. It’s what I did as I like Johnstone’s paint.

I would also add to get a sample pot first though. When they copied the F&B for me the colour was more or less identical but when they copied a Dulux colour for me last month it was nothing like and boy was I disappointed. I ended up having to buy Dulux, which isn’t the end of the world but Johnstone’s paint is much better.
minipie
4 years ago
We have Hague Blue (johnstones copy) in a north facing room. I suppose it does have a very slight green tone compared to some of the true navys, but that helps it be warm in the north light.

White: Shirting by Little Greene, Pointing by F&B. Pointing is a bit warmer and more off-white, Shirting is cleaner (but still definitely not basic white white)
Sarah U-S
4 years ago
I have a f&b Hague blue front door and love it, although a bit “peacocky”. I also have Dulux Breton Blue in two different areas and absolutely love it. It’s a proper rich navy. I painted my downstairs loo this colour over 5 years ago, and it still looks fresh and lovely - everyone compliments it. I then painted a wall in my narrow hallway with the left over Breton blue with the other walls in brilliant white - it looks great! I’m currently painting a wall in a bedroom with the new f&b de Nimres - it’s lovely too but much more grey, and less intense.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
We have a Valspar Peaceful panorama (But probably not Navy enough for you) on our bedroom wall which we love... and then a colour matched F&B school house white with it.. works really well. warm colours, slight off white, but looks more like a white white in certain lights.

we've actually used the school house white as the base for most of the house :-)
PRO
Paintforme
4 years ago
@Tani H-S, have you made the choice yet?
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Well I meant to get a few samples but b&q didn’t have half of the ones suggested (brand wise) and I completely forgot to look at the Breton Blue, doh. So I got the dulux sapphire one that was mentioned - but the pot and a tester so if it doesn’t work in our room I can test it before opening the pot. Lol.
It’s a bit of a trek from us so took a chance;0)
PRO
Cour Interior Design
4 years ago
I love brilliant white coving and doors in satin wood and here’s a list of some great blues: Valspar’s on a Mission, F&B’s Siffkey Blue and Little Greene’s Hicks Blue. All warm and fun.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Well I did the tester and left it for a few days. It’s a nice colour (sapphire one) but .. I feel it’s a little bit too bright blue for me. Funny because I’m not scared to go really dark and dramatic but I’m scared of bright colours, ha ha.
Mostly because it’s going onto 3 walls.

I have some old navy I used to love that I could possibly mix with it but it might go funny so I’m thinking something like the sapphire but just a tad darker?

Do you think I could mix a bit of dark grey with it to make it less bright?? Or shall I just try another colour? Ha ha
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Ps the sample chart and the on screen colour of sapphire salute look really nice and not too bright. But my paint sample is really bright and more of a cobalt colour so I’m confused.
- for those who have the sapphire salute, would you say it is more of a bright cobalt?
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
I feel like you’re better off getting a different colour than trying to mix stuff you already have - would be a nightmare if you find a small area that needs a touch up! Or if you run out after 2.5 walls!

Maybe look at valspar as there’s thousands of shades and might be “easier” to find one slightly less bright potentially?

We used their “rock up” from their out of this world collection for the base on a feature wall I did a few years back, gorgeous deep inky blue
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Looks great! @ Gabby.

I did have a look over their samples but the light in there was awful and it looked so different when I pulled the samples away from the holders. Wonder why they have such rubbish lighting :0/

My base is white wall so I wonder if that also makes a difference. I have lots of this muted grey blue paint left that the chinney breast is done in so I will try the sample over that to see if it dulls it down a bit as I can do the first coat in the grey as i don’t like the grey so it’s not going to waste, ha ha
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Our B&Q has a little light box that supposedly has different light conditions to see what it would look like in different times of the day... but I know what you mean.. looks incredibly different depending on where you stand!

The skeptical me would wonder if it's so that you end up buying loads more samples!

*fingers crossed* that it's better over the grey!
rinked
4 years ago
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@gabby - is it more of a purple blue? The rock up ?

Going back there after brunch to take that other paint back and swap it.

Issue now is the old chimney breast wall was painted in a muted dark grey blue colour so the samples look completely different. Which means now I have to either paint that wall white first or paint the other walls grey - otherwise they will be different colours. LOL.
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Yea, it does have a slight purple tinge from memory (wall's now gone so I can't take more pics for you)

Found this one online its from the valspar websites but without all their words over the top of it! that looks quite similar from memory!

But then we painted 3 coats over a copper wall! soooo definitely didn't have a white base!!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
So.. i think I’ve found one which hopefully will turn out ok as it’s Valspar so I don’t think I can return it once it’s mixed :0(
It’s called India Ink and it’s quite dark but a warm inky blue.
Figured if it looks awful then I will use it in my hallway! LOL
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I have good news for you Tani... I think this applies even if it's one of their colours you've mixed yourself!

https://www.valsparpaint.co.uk/guarantee/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAw4jvBRCJARIsAHYewPNvlOpXcjl2em0yzuopEdlYU78VB9jXhnahyXQQPaPqwDSTjswoirEaAkVGEALw_wcB

Not a return, but a refund on a replacement!
Sonia
4 years ago
Tani, are you near north Hertfordshire? I’ve got quite a bit of LG Woad left over if you want it and give it a try.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
@Sonia - no I’m up North near Blackpool way unfortunately.

@Gabby - I was at the counter and quizzed them on what you found. It’s only if the paint looks nothing like the sample. So you go and buy another one and have to paint it next to the original one so they can compare the difference. Then they will refund one.
However, she said that if it was too dark or too light, I can take it back and they will darken/lighten it for me in their machine so it mixes well
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
That’s a shame Tani - not at all how I read it! At least you know they can remix it and change it slightly for you!
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
I know :0(

Worse thing is that I was convinced to buy the extra large and more expensive paint (because it’s a deep colour) and I was dubious but everyone was like ‘oh just go for it - it will be fine’ and I hate the colour :0(
It’s too dark and looks black on the wall with no warm tones and not quite like the sample card. I should have bought some testers but we’ve been there 3 times already and it’s a 45 min round trip each time so I just bit the bullet, lol.

So now I’m trying to see how it looks over different base colours to see if I can ‘warm it up’ a bit.

Guess I will just have to go back and get it lightened but I’m not sure if they just put white in it, what colour it will turn out :0/
Gabby Wong
4 years ago
Oh Tani! I'm sorry to hear you're having so much bother with finding the right colour! and being such a trek is a real pain!

Really hope they manage to make it a bit lighter for you and turn it into a colour you love!
Sonia
4 years ago
Tani, I know there’s a delivery charge, but you can order paint for home delivery. I ordered my Cromarty paint from F&B direct. Obviously that wouldn’t work for colour matching!
rinked
4 years ago
Blue is never a warm color.
PRO
OnePlan
4 years ago
Try changing the light bulbs to a warm while or adding a low up lighter with warm white bulb in to add warmth into the wall via lighting too .
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Hi Tani. Sorry to hear your troubles with paint colours. I’ve done it myself and bought paint on a whim just going from the colour card and then regretted it. Not sure if it helps but from my dye mixing days, the way to to warm up a dark navy was to add a deep rust red. Probably about a 1-10th ratio. It will still be a dark color but the red and brown will give it some depth. If you’ve got some cheap artists acrylics you can experiment yourself, mix a straight red with a bit of burnt umber and possibly tiny bit of black then add to some of your existing paint. You could possibly get the red mix scanned and get it in a tester pot or 1 litre so you can add to your existing paint.
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Ooh, just read that you wanted it lighter in which case add some white to the red rather than black. Basically a pink. It’s the red base which will will stop from feeling too cold a colour. Just be wary as too much red and it can start to make it look purple.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Rachel - so just a standard bright red and add white? Still 1/10 ?
And does it have to be the same paint or just a decorators white paint and acrylic red?
Would have to empty it out into a bucket to make sure it’s mixed properly, lol!
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Hi Tani. Mmmm. Mixing colours by hand can be tricky in large quantities which is why I suggested taking a small sample of your existing paint first and and seeing how other colours change it. For sampling you can use any acrylic paint (acrylic has similar properties to emulsion) as you’re just trying to identify which colour you need for mixing, could be other tester pots, kids acrylic paints, artists acrylics etc. but when doing the final mix I would use the same brand and finish paint. In theory (and from memory) to make a dark navy blue lighter and warmer you’d need more of a dirty peach colour then add this to the navy at approx 1 part peach to 10 navy then add more if needed. All a matter of trying and testing. Having said all this it may be possible to sell the paint you have now (after all navy is popular atm) and get another colour.
rachelmidlands
4 years ago
Had some time this afternoon and just so happened I had some cheap artists acrylics next to me so I did a couple of experiments (see pic). Hard to judge colours from photos but the centre one which is a kind of muddy pink seemed to work really well when added to a very dark navy.
Tani H-S
Original Author
4 years ago
Ah fabulous - you’re a star Rachel!

It’s hard to even see the navy in the paint I have which is probably because it’s a north facing room and it’s not that sunny at the moment, lol!
I’m sure some warm lighting will help as suggested by OnePlan as I’ve just got the central chandelier in there at the moment.
pmasmith3
4 years ago
Can't wait to see it Tani!
Sonia
4 years ago
Thrifty. Girl after my own heart! Looking forward to seeing the finished article.
steel3
4 years ago
I have a north facing kitchen, and I mixed about 1 part white to 2 parts of my chosen colour. It might help you with your room to add more white than you think you need for 2 reasons - sometimes blue paint can be less opaque than other colours, and the white makes it more opaque, therefore fewer coats of paint are needed. Also the colour intensifies a lot when on the walls so looks much darker then on a small sample. Good luck