Last week, Benjamin Moore unveiled Blue Nova 825 as its Color of the Year for 2024. This captivating fusion of blue and violet ignites a sense of adventure, uplifts, and broadens horizons. Drawing inspiration from the radiant glow of a recently born star in the cosmos (awww!), Blue Nova invites us to explore uncharted territories in pursuit of fresh and exhilarating encounters. In our paint color review, we’ll do a deep dive into why they chose Blue Nova, what color it really is, and how to use it in your home.
Why Is Blue Nova Benjamin-Moore’s Color of the Year 2024?
Blue Nova makes a bold statement without being overpowering—it’s a comfortably dialed-back hue that encourages people to experiment with color. This color marks a significant departure from last year’s vibrant Raspberry Blush 2008-30, a lively coral with pink tones. Current trends seem to indicate consumers are feeling more confident with colors, and Blue Nova strikes just the right balance. It’s not timid; it stands out on its own yet remains a color that people can comfortably integrate into their living spaces due to its mid-tone nature. Think of it as a refreshing alternative to navy, offering a blend of approachability and innovation, embodying the spirit of exploration.
“Blue Nova 825 is an alluring mid-tone that balances depth and intrigue with classic appeal and reassurance,” said Andrea Magno, Color Marketing & Development Director at Benjamin Moore. “The Color Trends 2024 palette tells a story of duality – juxtaposing light against dark, warm and cool, showcasing complementary and contrasting color pairings. These contrasts invite us to break away from the ordinary to explore new places and collect color memories that shape the hues used in our homes.”
What Color is Blue Nova? Is It Blue or Purple?
Blue Nova is obviously quite blue, but it’s important to remember that everyone perceives color a little differently. For that reason, we like to look at something a little more objective – the spectral data. We use tools like colorimeters and spectrophotometers to accurately measure a color’s dominant wavelength (or hue angle), chroma, and other characteristics.
Blue Nova has a hue angle of 278.512°. This means Blue Nova is officially part of the Purple-Blue hue family. Frankly, it’s closer to Purple on the color wheel than it is to Blue! It’s also got a pretty high chroma value (21.331), which means that this color is super saturated with lots of vivid color. In other words, it’s not toned down with a whole lot of gray.
What is Blue Nova’s LRV?
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is a measure of how much light a paint reflects back into a room, with 100% being highly reflective and zero being not reflective at all. Blue Nova has an LRV of almost 17, which means it’s quite dark. While many paint colors in this range lose a lot of their intensity in a darker space, Blue Nova is not one of them. Its high chroma value (color saturation) keeps it popping and sparkling, even in the dark.
What Other Paint Colors Coordinate with Blue Nova?
Blue Nova 825 is the standout hue in the Benjamin Moore Color Trends 2024 collection, designed to make a bold statement in homes. The Color Trends palette for 2024 features ten distinct hues reminiscent of a sunset sky, including oranges, yellows, and light blues. These colors are “softly saturated with a nuanced approach to contrast.” They all blend traditional and modern design styles harmoniously: Blue Nova 825, White Dove OC-17, Pristine OC-75, Topaz 070, Teacup Rose 2170-50, Honeybee CSP-950, Regent Green 2136-20, Antique Pewter 1560, Polar Sky 1674, and Hazy Lilac 2116-40.
How to Use the Benjamin Moore 2024 Color of the Year Blue Nova in Your Home
Trying to figure out how to incorporate this vibrant hue into your home? We have a few suggestions!
If you’re into maximalist design and plan to stay in your home for a while, go crazy! Cover the walls!
On the other hand, if you’re planning to sell in the near future or just prefer a more reserved approach to using such a bold color, consider using it to highlight architectural features. It looks beautiful on an accent wall, a bathroom vanity, a kitchen island, or a door. Blue Nova looks great with a variety of other materials, from light white oak or darker walnut. It also complements an assortment of metallic finishes like chrome, matte black, and even hardware in brushed or antique gold.
What Other Paint Colors Are Similar to Benjamin Moore Blue Nova?
If you like Blue Nova Benjamin Moore, be sure to only get it mixed in a Benjamin Moore paint product. I never, ever recommend color matching between brands. Differences in pigments, chemical composition, and paint viscosity between brands mean they will be different. You cannot color match between brands and expect to get identical results. Looking for something similar to Blue Nova and need to use another brand? Here are a few Blue Nova dupes that are a pretty close match based on their spectral data:
- Sherwin-Williams SW 6530 Revel Blue
- Behr PPU14-18 Laguna Blue
- PPG1170-6 Wild Wisteria
- Glidden Noble Blue 50BB 18/216
Need Help Choosing a Paint Color?
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