Super Nova
What Super Nova Actually Looks Like
Super Nova 1414 sits in that territory between deep charcoal and soft black, with a noticeable purple-violet cast that keeps it from reading as a straightforward gray. In a well-lit room it shows its color clearly. In low light or a north-facing space it can read almost black, which is not a bad thing if you want drama. It is a dark, settled color with real depth.
Super Nova Undertones
The RGB values confirm it: the blue and red channels are close but the blue edges slightly higher, which is what gives this color its violet-purple quality. It is not a warm charcoal. It leans cool and slightly purple, and that undertone becomes more visible when you place it next to a true neutral gray.
Where Super Nova Works Best
Super Nova is an interior color suited to spaces where you want enclosure and atmosphere. An accent wall, a home office, a dining room with good artificial lighting, or a powder room where the small square footage lets a dark color feel intentional rather than oppressive. It can also work on trim or cabinetry if you want a deep, moody alternative to black.
Where to put Super Nova
A dining room with warm incandescent or candlelight sources is where Super Nova performs well. The artificial light pulls the purple forward and gives the walls a rich, enveloping quality that works for evening entertaining.
In a home office it creates focus. The dark walls recede visually, which some people find helps with concentration on a screen. Pair it with a warm-toned wood desk and lighter ceiling to avoid the room feeling like a cave.
Small square footage is an asset here. A dark powder room feels intentional and bold rather than dim. Add a warm-toned light fixture and a light-colored vanity to balance the depth of the walls.
A single wall behind a bed or sofa lets you use the color without committing the whole room. It anchors furniture against it and the violet undertone adds interest without competing with most upholstery colors.
What to Pair With Super Nova
Because Super Nova carries a cool violet undertone, it pairs well with warm neutrals that offset that coolness, and with metals and materials that have their own depth. No specific coordinating colors are listed in our database for this color, so consider warm off-whites, soft brass or aged brass hardware, and natural wood tones as your starting framework.
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Colors that clash with Super Nova
Super Nova already leans cool and violet. Placing it next to a cool blue or teal wall or large upholstered piece can make the whole room feel cold and tonally flat because there is nothing warm to push against.
A very cold, blue-white trim next to Super Nova can make the contrast feel harsh and can actually amplify the violet in the wall color in an unflattering way.
At an LRV this low, a room that depends entirely on natural light from a north or east window will read very dark, possibly oppressively so, for most of the day.
Common questions
The Benjamin Moore color code is 1414. The LRV is 9.53, which places it firmly in the dark end of the scale. The hex and RGB values are available in the color spec block on this page.
That depends on your lighting. In warm artificial light the violet-purple quality becomes visible and the color reads as a dark plum-gray. In cool daylight or low north-facing light it can pull toward a near-black charcoal. Sampling it on your actual wall in both lighting conditions before committing is strongly recommended.
For most wall applications, eggshell gives you enough durability to wipe down the surface while keeping the color looking flat and rich rather than reflective. Matte is fine in low-traffic rooms. Avoid satin or semi-gloss on walls because the sheen will bounce light and can make the undertones shift in unpredictable ways at this depth of color.
Our database lists Super Nova as an interior color. Check with your Benjamin Moore retailer to confirm whether an exterior formula is available for your specific application.