Color spec
| Brand | PPG / Glidden |
| Name | Mariner Blue |
| SKU | PPG1162-7 |
| Hex | #3F546B |
| RGB | 63, 84, 107 |
| HSL | 211°, 26%, 33% |
| LRV | 8 |
| Undertone | cool blue tone |
| Family | Blue |
What Color Is Mariner Blue, Really?
Mariner Blue (PPG1162-7) is a deep, dusky navy. Its hex sits at hue 211 with 26 percent saturation and 33 percent lightness, so it is a true blue rather than a gray-blue, but it is dark and muted enough that in most rooms it reads almost black until direct light hits it and the blue surfaces.
Its light reflectance value is 8, which puts it firmly in statement territory. A color this dark absorbs light instead of bouncing it around, so it feels rich and enclosing rather than airy.
PPG treats this as its go-to navy, and it has shown up in HGTV PPG-sponsored makeovers, which is a big part of why people search for it. It suits anyone who wants a moody, grounded color for a study, an island, a front door, or an accent wall, and it works in both traditional and modern homes.
At 26 percent saturation, Mariner Blue is not a near-neutral. There is a clear blue reading here, sitting at hue 211, which lands in the blue zone with the faintest cool lean rather than tipping into teal or purple. It stays honest as a navy.
Because the color is so dark, the undertone mostly hides until light reaches it. On a shadowed wall it can look near-black; in a sunbeam or under a lamp the blue jumps forward. That is normal for any deep navy.
To judge it, paint a large sample and hold a bright white and a pure black beside it. Against white it looks decisively blue; against black it looks lighter and bluer than you expected. Also check it near cool grays like Limited Gray (PPG1010-3), where its warmth or coolness is easiest to read.
Best Rooms and Uses for Mariner Blue
An LRV of 8 makes this a contrast and statement color, not a whole-home light color. On four walls of a small, dim room it can close the space in, so it shines most where you want drama and depth: a study, a dining room, a powder room, or one accent wall behind a bed or fireplace.
It is a strong choice for cabinetry. A dark navy island or lower kitchen cabinets paired with lighter uppers and a warm counter is a classic, high-contrast look, and Mariner Blue holds up in that role.
Outside, it works as a front door or shutter color against a light body, and as a full exterior it reads as a deep, near-black navy with a nautical edge. Keep trim crisp and light so the depth has something to push against. On interior trim it is too dark for most rooms; reserve it for the walls or millwork you want to stand out.
How Lighting Changes Mariner Blue
With an LRV of 8, Mariner Blue reflects very little light, so the room's exposure decides how alive or how black it looks. In north-facing rooms, which get cool, steady light, it stays dark and can flatten toward charcoal. Use it there only if you want a genuinely moody, cocooning result.
South-facing rooms get the most direct sun, and that is where the blue reads clearest and richest through the day. East light makes it brightest in the morning and quieter by afternoon; west light does the reverse, warming and deepening it in the evening.
Bulb color matters just as much. Warm bulbs around 2700K mute the blue and push it toward black, which can feel heavy. Cooler bulbs near 3500K to 4000K keep the blue legible. Always test on more than one wall, because a dark color rarely looks the same on a sunlit wall and a shadowed one.
Most complaints about Mariner 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.
TEST IT IN YOUR LIGHT →Mariner Blue vs Similar Colors
PPG's own navy family is close, so the differences are subtle but real. Admiralty (PPG1042-7), LRV 7, is a touch darker and slightly more slate, so it reads a hair grayer and heavier; choose it when you want the color to sit even closer to black.
Regatta Bay (PPG1154-7), LRV 8, shares the same lightness but leans more toward teal, with a green-blue edge that Mariner Blue does not have. If you want a navy that stays clearly blue rather than drifting toward the sea, Mariner Blue is the safer pick.
Shimmering Sea (PPG1152-7), LRV 8, is another near-match at the same depth, but it too carries a cooler, slightly greener cast. In practice, sample all three side by side, since at this darkness the family reads almost identical in shadow and only separates in direct light.
Colors That Go With Mariner Blue
For trim and ceilings, pair it with a clean white like Pure White (PPG1001-1), LRV 88. The high contrast frames the navy and keeps a dark wall from feeling like a cave.
For a warm second color, Stone Beige (PPG1024-3), LRV 49, gives you a mid-tone neutral that softens the navy and reads friendlier than gray. If you prefer a cooler pairing, Limited Gray (PPG1010-3), LRV 56, sits calmly beside it for adjoining walls or built-ins.
As a lighter blue accent that stays in the same family, Reflecting Pool (PPG1148-3), LRV 51, ties a scheme together without competing. And for a near-black grounding note on a door or trim detail, Black Magic (PPG1001-7), LRV 4, deepens the mood. Warm wood tones, brass, and aged bronze all flatter this navy; polished chrome keeps it cooler and more modern.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint PPG / Glidden PPG1162-7 directly — but if you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches:
Similar PPG / Glidden colors
closest in the PPG / Glidden deckThe nearest shades to Mariner Blue within PPG / Glidden's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #3F546B in HSL space. Pair Mariner Blue with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Accessibility (WCAG contrast)
WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.
The Questions Everyone Asks
Is Mariner Blue warm or cool?
Mariner Blue is a cool color. It sits at hue 211 with 26 percent saturation, so it is a genuine blue with a faint cool lean rather than a warm or purple-leaning navy. Because its LRV is only 8, it looks nearly black in shadow, but direct light reveals a clear, cool blue. Warm bulbs will mute the coolness noticeably.
What trim white goes with Mariner Blue?
Pure White (PPG1001-1), with an LRV of 88, is a clean, high-contrast trim white that frames Mariner Blue well and keeps a dark wall from feeling closed in. Glidden White on White (GLN-29) at LRV 88 is a comparable option. Keeping trim bright is important with a color this deep, since the contrast is what gives the navy definition.
Does Mariner Blue work on kitchen cabinets and exteriors?
Yes to both. On cabinets it is a strong navy for an island or lower cabinets, paired with lighter uppers and a warm counter for contrast. On exteriors it works as a front door, shutters, or a full deep-navy body that reads close to black. In every case, pair it with crisp light trim so its depth has something to push against.
What does an LRV of 8 mean for Mariner Blue?
LRV, or light reflectance value, runs from 0 for black to 100 for pure white. At 8, Mariner Blue reflects very little light and absorbs most of it, which is why it looks dark and can read as near-black in shadow. Practically, it is a statement or accent color, not a whole-room brightener, and it needs good light and light trim to show its blue.
How is Mariner Blue different from Indigo Batik?
Both are deep blues at about LRV 8, so they look similar in shadow. Indigo Batik (SW 7602) from Sherwin-Williams is a well-known navy that reads a touch grayer and softer, while Mariner Blue holds a slightly cleaner, cooler blue. The difference is subtle and only shows in direct light, so sample both if you are deciding between them.
Should I sample Mariner Blue before painting?
Yes, always. A color this dark changes a lot with exposure and bulb color, looking near-black in a north room or under warm light and clearly blue in direct sun. Paint a large sample on more than one wall, view it morning and night, and hold a white and a black beside it so you can see how the navy really behaves in your space.
Will It Work in YOUR Room?
No page can promise how Mariner Blue behaves in your light. Upload a photo and see it on your own walls in seconds — before you spend a cent on samples.
TRY MARINER BLUE ON YOUR ROOM →
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