Sherwin Williams Salty Dog SW 9177: Review & Inspiration

If you are looking at Sherwin Williams Salty Dog and trying to decide if this navy blue is the way to go, I’m happy to tell you that you’re making the right choice. This paint color is one of the best bursts of color you can add to any decor and not overdo it.

I know how overwhelming these deep and bold colors can be, so I’ve created this guide to help you determine when, where, and how to use Salty Dog. You’ll also learn its undertone and how lighting affects it. Stick around on this journey of discovery with me.

When to Choose Sherwin Williams Salty Dog

You may never use it if you are stuck wondering when to choose Salty Dog over similar blues. Salty Dog is similar to a few other colors but appears lighter when paired with them. Why should you pick it? Let me give pointers.

Need a bold accent or accessories color?

Salty Dog works best on accents because of its boldness and depth. You can also try the color in accessories or upholstery.

Picking a cool color to match a warm climate?

If you live in an area with a hot climate, you may appreciate the coolness that comes from Salty Dog. While it’s not the only color that produces this coolness, it brings a unique look that others don’t.

Trying to make a bold statement in your decor?

Salty Dog is a deep color, but it is beautiful. If you want to make a bold statement in your living room or transform the vibe in your kitchen, try this color on accents or cabinets.

Is lighting not an issue?

As a deep color, you will need a lot of lighting to make Salty Dog work. Otherwise, it may appear too dark and somber.

While these pointers are only leads, you can comfortably use them to determine when and where to use Salty Dog. But this is not where it ends: I’ve got much more to show you about one of the best blues on the market.

What Color Is Salty Dog?

The reasoning behind the paint color’s name is not known, but salty dog generally means an irritable or long-time sailor who has spent too much time out at sea. It may also mean genuine grit or resilience.

The meanings of the term seem to have no bearing on the color’s name except if you look at it from the angle of remaining a solid color regardless of what happens, which means grit.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog SW 9177 is a deep navy blue paint color with enough sophistication to transform any space. But because of its saturation, I recommend using it only minimally.

A Snapshot of the Specifications of Sherwin Williams Salty Dog

Here, I’ve created a chart to summarize the details of Salty Dog. These details, such as the LRV and undertone, show you what you need to know about the paint color at a glance.

	Sherwin Williams Salty Dog
RGB	35, 64, 88
LRV	5
Undertone	Green-gray
HEX Code	#234058

 

The LRV of Sherwin Williams Salty Dog

In the color and paint world, LRV means the light reflectance value and refers to how light or dark the color is. The value is checked on a scale of 0 to 100; 0 is for black, while 100 is for white. In other words, some colors can reflect more light than others.

However, paint colors use a scale of 2.5 to 94 because there’s no pure white or black. Every paint color has another color that keeps it from being absolute.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog has an LRV of 5, which is pretty close to the black end of the scale. You already know it doesn’t reflect much light without seeing the color. So, it requires a lot o lighting to make it work.

The Undertones of Sherwin Williams Salty Dog

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog has a bit of green and a hint of gray as its undertone. It is not apparent at first glance, but the undertone gives it that unique hue, so it’s not excessively vibrant. Undertones are important to the final appearance of any paint color and how it interacts with light.

Salty Dog looks solid in this photo, which truly represents its shade without any obvious undertone:

In the next picture, you can see a hint of green peeking through, especially in that middle section of the wall shelf.

And here, you’ll notice that the color shows a bit of gray, unlike in the last two pictures:

How Does Lighting Affect SW Salty Dog?

In bright natural lighting, Salty Dog looks solid and deep. But in low light, the color appears to be almost black. When you use artificial lighting, you may want to stick to bright white ones instead of yellow light.

This bathroom uses white artificial lighting, and Salty Dog looks darker than usual.

Now, here is the same paint color in natural lighting, looking bluer than the color in the photo above:

And here it is in warm yellow light, again darker than usual, although this may have something to do with the shadows:

Without enough light, Salty Dog may appear close to black, as you can see in this next photo:

How Does SW Salty Dog Feel in a Room?

When used only minimally, you will love Salty Dog. It brings elegance and understated sophistication to the decor. You can feel its coolness and welcoming vibe. Salty Dog is a color you can relax with without feeling clustered.

However, it can feel overwhelming when used excessively. While this depends on your style and preference, Salty Dog is saturated and may make a room smaller than usual.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog: Warm or Cool?

Salty Dog is a slightly cool color. There’s nothing crisp or icy about it, which may be because of the green undertone. The undertone adds a bit of warmth and keeps it from being overwhelmingly blue or cool, as blues are cool colors.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Color Strip: Lighter to Darker Exploration

Salty Dog is a beautiful color, but it may be a different shade than you want. A lighter or darker option may be more your style, so I’ve picked alternatives from the same color strip to give you options.

• Sherwin Williams Dress Blues SW 9176
• Sherwin Williams Salty Dog SW 9177
• Sherwin Williams In the Navy SW 9178
• Sherwin Williams Naval SW 6244
• Sherwin Williams Anchors Aweigh SW 9179

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Complementary Colors

When you pick a color and search for it on the color wheel, you will notice other colors around it. The arrangement is not random, as the color wheel is a way to arrange colors based on their relationship. That way, you can easily arrange a suitable color scheme.

Complementary colors are directly opposite each on the color wheel. Popular examples include blue and orange or red and green. Salty Dog is a dark blue, and your first thought would be orange for its complementary color.

But its deep shade negates that; the complementary color for Salty Dog is dark brown. Sherwin Williams Turkish Coffee is close to this color, although it’s not an exact equivalent.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Coordinating Colors

These colors go well together in a color scheme to create a pleasing appearance. They can be different shades but must have some similarities. Salty Dog’s most popular coordinating colors are Favorite Jeans, Gray Screen, and Pure White.

• Sherwin Williams Favorite Jeans SW 9147: A mid-tone denim blue with enough coolness and lightness to complement the much-darker Salty Dog.
• Sherwin Williams Gray Screen SW 7071: A light gray-blue paint color that perfectly blends with Salty Dog for a softening effect.
• Sherwin Williams Pure White 7005: A little yellow warms this bright white paint color, but it works well as a trim color for Salty Dog walls.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Color Palettes

You can try the following palettes if you have an entire house to paint. Add other colors to match your color scheme or style.

Contrasting Color Palette

• Monorail Silver SW 7663: A medium gray with a cyan-blue undertone that brightens the room and blends with Salty Dog.
• Gardenia SW 6665: A light tan paint color that reminds you of the sandy seashore on a beautiful day. It has a little red undertone.
• Torchlight SW 6374: A mid-tone yellow-orange paint color reminiscent of ripe wheat brings something warmly different to any decor.

Monochromatic Color Palette

• Mineral Gray SW 2740: A blue-gray paint color that complements Salty Dog without overwhelming the decor.
• Scanda SW 6529: A denim blue paint color with enough depth to stand alone but perfectly pairs with the richer Salty Dog.
• Dress Blues SW 9176: Another deep blue, just a shade lighter than Salty Dog but with the same undertone to act as an excellent alternative.

Coordinating Color Palette

• Pure White SW 7005: A little yellow warms this bright white paint color, but it works well as a trim color for Salty Dog walls.
• Gray Screen SW 7071: A light gray-blue paint color that perfectly blends with Salty Dog for a softening effect.
• Favorite Jeans SW 9147: A mid-tone denim blue with enough coolness and lightness to complement the much-darker Salty Dog.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog vs Similar Colors

Salty Dog is a unique color, as all other paint colors are. But if you want alternatives, I’ve picked some for easy reference.

SW Naval vs SW Salty Dog

Naval has a lower LRV of 4 and shows more gray than Salty Dog. While both colors are from the same color strip, they look different when placed side by side.

SW Dress Blues vs SW Salty Dog

Dress Blues is lighter than Salty Dog, with an LRV of 6. Apart from this difference, both colors are almost the same.

SW Indigo vs SW Salty Dog

Indigo has an LRV of 6 but is technically purple with massive blue undertones. When compared side by side, Salty Dog looks deeper and more bodied than Indigo.

SW Indigo Batik vs SW Salty Dog

Indigo Batik shows a lot of gray, which makes it a moody color. Although it has a higher LRV of 8 than Salty Dog, it looks more somber and less blue.

Benjamin Moore Paint Color Equivalent for Sherwin Williams Salty Dog

You won’t find an equivalent paint color for Sherwin Williams Salty Dog from Benjamin Moore or any other brand. No two shades are exactly alike, so they have different names and categories.

However, Benjamin Moore’s Twilight 2058-10 is close to the Salty Dog shade. Champion Cobalt 2061-20 is similar, although it’s not as saturated as Salty Dog.

Where Can You Use Sherwin Williams Salty Dog?

Where you use this paint color depends on what you want. Since it’s such a deep color, it works better when used in bits. Try it on cabinets, accents, accessories, or trims in your kitchen, living room, bedroom, nursery, laundry room, bathroom, etc.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog in an Entryway

Although not yet completed, this entryway looks gorgeous with a combination of white, Salty Dog, and light wood tones.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog on a Bathroom Vanity

If you want a dramatic look in your otherwise neutral color scheme bathroom, don’t look any further than Salty Dog. Believe me when I tell you that color is one of the best cabinet or vanity color choices.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog in a Dining Area

Do you want that stately look in your dining area? Start a conversation as a trendsetter when you use Salty Dog around the room. Get inspiration from this decor.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog on a Door

Blue doors are the best; you will see why in a moment. If you have white or light gray as the porch color, Salty Dog may look amazing as the front door color.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog in a Living Room

Try this paint color in your living room for that regal, sophisticated look.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Paired with Various Colors

While Salty Dog is too dark to pick up hues from different colors, I want to show you how it pairs with other vibrant colors. Looks good?

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog in a Bedroom

As mentioned, Salty Dog works best when used on furniture or accents. Check out this bedroom to see what I mean.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog Paired with Wood Tones

There are a lot of wood tones in this room, but Salty Dog holds its own in their midst. Get inspired on how to combine colors from this decor.

Best Trim Color for SW Salty Dog Exterior

White is the best option if you want the color to pop. However, since it’s outside the house, light gray or a light shade of blue may also work.

Best Trim Color for SW Salty Dog Walls

While Salty Dog is used on the wainscoting, the color takes up a good part of the wall. White is used as the trim color, and the combination looks great. Try SW Pure White, High Reflective White, or Extra White for the trim.

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog on Exterior Walls

The greenery around it only adds to the beauty of the color, especially with the white window frames and door.

Best Ceiling Color for SW Salty Dog Walls

As with trim colors inside and outside, white goes well on the ceiling if the walls are painted with Salty Dog. SW Ceiling Bright White works well in such a room. You can also try a light gray color for a unique look.

Conclusion

Sherwin Williams Salty Dog is a deep blue paint color with an LRV of 5 and an undertone of green. It looks dark in low light but shows a beautiful blue hue in bright natural light. Try it in your decor, even if you want to maintain a neutral tone.

Using Salty Dog only minimally is ideal for any room because it can feel overwhelming. Colors as saturated as this blue tend to make a room feel smaller and the walls closer than usual. Pair Salty Dog with bright neutrals and soft pastels for the best result.

Ready to go? Have fun finding the best colors for your decor, and don’t hesitate to ask further questions.