Dark Night → Benjamin Moore
The closest Benjamin Moore matches for Sherwin Williams Dark Night (SW 6237), ranked by perceptual color distance.
Finding a Benjamin Moore Equivalent for Dark Night
If you love Sherwin Williams Dark Night but need a Benjamin Moore alternative, you are not alone. This is one of the most common cross-brand paint matching searches, whether you are working with a painter who prefers Benjamin Moore, your local store does not carry Sherwin Williams, or you simply want to compare prices across brands before committing.
Dark Night (SW 6237) is a dark navy with deep navy undertones. A deep, inky navy-black. Darker than Naval, with less blue saturation. Approaches black but retains enough blue to read as the darkest possible navy rather than a true black. To find a good Benjamin Moore match, we need a color that captures not just the right depth (LRV 3) but also that specific undertone character. That is where Delta E color science comes in.
We calculated the perceptual color distance between Dark Night and every Benjamin Moore color using the CIE2000 Delta E formula, which measures how different two colors look to the human eye. A Delta E under 2 means most people cannot tell the colors apart. Between 2 and 4, you might notice a difference in certain lighting. Above 5, the difference is clearly visible side by side.
Honestly, Benjamin Moore does not have a perfect equivalent for Dark Night. The closest option is Hale Navy (HC-154) with a Delta E of 6.5, but at that distance the difference will be visible. Hale Navy is lighter and grayer. Dark Night is deeper and more dramatic. If getting this exact color is critical, you may want to explore custom color matching at a Benjamin Moore store.
Benjamin Moore Matches for Dark Night
Hale Navy is lighter and grayer. Dark Night is deeper and more dramatic.
| Dark Night | Hale Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 3 | 8.36 |
| Hex | #2B343E | #435260 |
| Undertone | Deep Navy | Blue-Gray |
| Family | Navy | Navy |
Undertone Comparison
Dark Night has deep navy undertones. A deep, inky navy-black. Darker than Naval, with less blue saturation. Approaches black but retains enough blue to read as the darkest possible navy rather than a true black.
Hale Navy has blue-gray undertones. A deep, sophisticated navy with gray undertones that keep it from reading as too bright or electric. Complex and moody.
These two colors share the same undertone family, which is a good sign for a cross-brand swap. The undertone similarity means they will behave similarly as lighting changes throughout the day, and they should coordinate well with the same accent colors, trim, and furnishings.
How These Colors Behave in Different Lighting
Dark Night in Your Room
In any lighting, this reads as very dark. In bright direct light, you can see the deep blue. In dim rooms, it is essentially black with blue depth. Dramatic and bold.
Hale Navy in Your Room
In bright natural light, the blue is more apparent. In dim or north-facing rooms, it reads as a very dark charcoal-blue. Gorgeous under warm accent lighting.
LRV and Brightness
Dark Night has an LRV of 3, while Hale Navy has an LRV of 8.36. That means Hale Navy reflects more light. If you switch from Dark Night to Hale Navy, the room should feel slightly brighter and more open.
Best Rooms for Dark Night
Sherwin Williams recommends Dark Night for: front door, accent wall, shutters, exterior trim, powder room. With an LRV of 3, this is a dark color that absorbs more light than it reflects. It makes a bold statement and works beautifully on accent walls, front doors, exterior trim, and features where drama is the goal. In a full room, make sure you have good lighting and bright white trim for contrast.
Hale Navy is recommended for: accent wall, office, bedroom, bathroom vanity, front door. The recommended applications differ slightly between brands, but the color's properties should work in the same rooms regardless of which brand you choose. Trust the LRV and undertone data more than the specific room suggestions, and always test in your actual space.
Dark Night in Other Brands
Looking for Dark Night equivalents in other brands besides Benjamin Moore? We have matches across all major paint brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
The closest Benjamin Moore match for Dark Night (SW 6237) is Hale Navy (HC-154) with a Delta E of 6.5, which rates as a "approximate" match. Hale Navy is lighter and grayer. Dark Night is deeper and more dramatic. Delta E measures perceptual color distance on a scale where under 2 means nearly identical, 2 to 4 means close with subtle differences, and over 5 means clearly noticeable.
No, they are not identical. Dark Night is a Sherwin Williams color with deep navy undertones and an LRV of 3. Hale Navy is a Benjamin Moore color with blue-gray undertones and an LRV of 8.36. With a Delta E of 6.5, you will likely notice a difference, especially in bright or direct lighting. Paint formulations differ between brands, so even colors with similar values can look slightly different due to pigment concentration, binders, and finish.
With a Delta E of 6.5, the difference is enough that they should not be used on adjacent walls in the same room. You can use them in separate rooms of the same house, but be aware that walking from one room to the other may reveal the difference, especially if the rooms have similar lighting. For the most consistent look, pick one brand for all connected living spaces and reserve the other brand for visually separate rooms like bathrooms or bedrooms behind closed doors.
There are several practical reasons to look for a Benjamin Moore equivalent. Price differences between brands can be significant on large projects. Availability matters if your nearest paint store or home center specializes in Benjamin Moore. Some painters have strong preferences for one brand's formula based on coverage, dry time, or workability. And if you are touching up existing Benjamin Moore work, matching within the same brand gives you the best consistency for seamless results.
Match calculations use Delta E (CIE2000) computed from Lab color space conversion. Color data sourced from manufacturer specifications. Last reviewed: March 22, 2026.