When to Skip Salty Dog: Too Much Depth or the Wrong Hue?

Define a reason to reject the sample

Skip Salty Dog when its color character or depth conflicts with a fixed finish you plan to keep. The main issue to resolve here is navy that approaches black under cabinet lighting. Salty Dog is among the deepest navy references here, with less reflectance than Indigo Batik.

Why the white counters and aged brass relationship matters

A white counter and brass handles can define the cabinetry, but the lower door still needs to be acceptable when obvious blue recedes.

Salty Dog has an LRV of 5; Sherwin-Williams Indigo Batik SW-7602 is 8. The difference is 3 points, with Indigo Batik returning more light under the reference measurement.

The material conflict matters more than popularity

Skip Salty Dog when the project requires visible hue in every shadow or when the dark area loses boundaries you want to preserve. A smaller painted feature may resolve the scale issue; if depth itself is the problem, compare a lighter candidate rather than relying on decorative highlights.

Choose the next sample for a specific reason

Judge the blue on the lower door before using it for tall cabinets as well. The undertones and neighboring colors covers that related choice. The physical-sample checklist covers that related choice.

If making Salty Dog work requires replacing materials you intended to keep, revise the paint shortlist first. A successful sample should resolve the room brief, not expand the renovation without a clear reason. Before ordering samples, compare room-planning features in the paint color visualizer roundup.