Color Guide: How to Use Navy Blue

Navy is the darkest blue and in its true form appears almost black. It gets its name from the uniforms of the British Royal Navy and is associated with uniforms, dress clothing and other traditional sartorial choices.

Navy is an elegant and serious color, and it evokes serious things like tradition, solidity and strength. It is definitely a masculine color. But it doesn't have to be somber. Pair it with crisp white and you get a brisk maritime feel — think yachting with the Kennedys. Put it with bright colors — lime green, bright pink and sunny yellow look great with navy — and you get something modern and vivacious.

Navy is extremely versatile and works in almost every style of decor. Use it on the walls when you want to go dark but not quite black. Use it as a contrast against white trim and interesting architectural details. Use it as a way to give a boring box more depth and interest.

Its very close relative, indigo, is often used interchangeably with navy and is seen in many traditional designs and arts. Traditional Japanese shibori cloth is very close to navy, and many Indian and South American designs incorporate it too. Because of this, it can go boho, eclectic and exotic as well.

Here are 24 examples of navy's acrobatic abilities as a design anchor.