Napoleonic Blue
Napoleonic Blue · #2E3C5F · LRV 5 — cool blue tone, very dark — reads black in most rooms.
- 1Napoleonic Blue5
- 2Waterloo13
- 3Charcoal Blue19
What Color Is Napoleonic Blue, Really?
Napoleonic Blue reads as a cool blue tone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover how Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Napoleonic Blue
Napoleonic Blue earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Blues calm a room, which makes them popular in bedrooms, bathrooms and home offices.
How Lighting Changes Napoleonic Blue
At LRV 5, Napoleonic Blue is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. Its blue undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.
Most complaints about Napoleonic Blue are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Annie Sloan Napoleonic Blue directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Majestic PurpleSW 6545 · Sherwin-Williams | 4.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Blue GrottoCC-964 · Benjamin Moore | 3.6 | 6 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | Victory BluePPG1165-7 · PPG / Glidden | 3.8 | 5 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Victory BluePPG1165-7 · Glidden | 4.0 | 5 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Anchor's Away140-7DB · Dutch Boy | 2.7 | 5 | Color page → |
| HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | Purple MidnightHGSW 2401 · HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams | 4.7 | 5 | Color page → |
Similar Annie Sloan Colors
The nearest shades to Napoleonic Blue within Annie Sloan's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #2E3C5F in HSL space. Pair Napoleonic Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
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