The 10 Best Haint Blue Porch Ceiling Paint Colors
LET’S FIND THE BEST HAINT BLUE FOR YOU
If you live in the southern states or a coastal city, you’ve likely lived in a home with haint blue porch ceilings. Even if you aren’t coastal, many people choose haint blue to ward off mosquitoes and keep away spirits. Whatever your reason for reading this blog post, I’ve got you covered…in paint.
But first, we need to knock off a few questions that always come up when looking for this elusive blue hue…
WHAT IS HAINT BLUE?
Haint Blue paint colors are shades of blue-green—never blue-violet—and are always in the lighter, higher LRVs (Light Reflectance Values). You won’t find a dark, haint blue.
However, the perception of haint blue changes depending on who you’re talking to. Some see haint blue as quite a bright blue-green with minimal gray; others see a more subdued blue-green with a strong gray foundation. And while you can use haint blue anywhere in your home, when referring to this color, most are referring to a blue ceiling on their porch.
Whatever haint blue is to you, I’ve got your color!
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT HAINT BLUE?
This is a tough one. Being a ‘color’ haint blue can be fussy about its color palette. If you have a white home, it won’t be hard to find a good shade, but for those with homes that are painted warmer earth tones, a ‘color,’ and even certain shades of gray, it can be tricky to find a good partner.
Why?
Because haint blue is generally a ‘clean color’ or at least, it’s ‘cleaner’ than most siding colors. Many siding colors are more ‘dirty’ or earth-toned, and it can be tough to partner clean colors with dirty colors. In this case, you have three options…
1. Choose a haint blue that you love and that feels good, even if your siding color isn’t 100% happy (as shown below).
2. Add some gray to your haint blue to calm it down. This could make your siding happier, although it could take away from a bit of that ‘haint blue effect.’
3. Repaint your siding (extreme measures) to humor your favorite haint-inspired shade better!
Sometimes, there isn’t ONE MAGICAL COLOR that suits all existing finishes, as well as your personal tastes – sometimes, something has to give.
WILL PAINTING YOUR PORCH CEILING HAINT BLUE REALLY WORK?
If you’re talking about repelling bugs like wasps and mosquitoes, there are mixed views and no proof. Could it have been the lye in the old milk paints that deterred bugs? Maybe. Could it be an old wives’ tale? Who knows? But if it makes you feel better about your buggy situation, that’s what matters!
As for scaring away evil spirits, in reading this blog post written by a Ginger, you’re already engaging with those known to steal souls, as apparently, we don’t have one, soooooo (wink wink).
Now, I only show photos from my Online Color Consulting clients and readers on this blog – I don’t sneak photos from other Creators! This means I don’t have photos of all these glorious colors in action, but I have ALL the helpful information you need to get sampling!
Kylie M Front Door Paint Color Consultation
And lastly…
A FEW HAINT BLUE PICKIN’ TIPS…
- Make sure that the blue outweighs the green. Because Haint Blues are always blue-green blends, it’s easy for that green to jump in front.
- Stick with paint colors with LRVs between 55 and 75 to hit the real haint-blue look.
- Don’t be afraid to try a few different types of haint blue—including those with a bit more color and those with a bit more gray! You just never know what will settle best on your home until you see it.
1. BENJAMIN MOORE BIRD’S EGG 2051-60
Bird’s Egg is a beautiful blue color. With a subtle dose of green and very little gray, this blue is gorgeous for porch ceilings (and kid’s rooms). Bird’s Egg has an LRV of 66.84, plunking right in my happy place regarding how light or dark the average color is.
This porch ceiling is Benjamin Moore Bird’s Egg.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Bird’s Egg HERE!
2. SHERWIN WILLIAMS MEANDER BLUE SW 6484
Meander Blue is a gorgeous one to sample. While it has an LRV similar to Bird’s Egg (66), a bit more gray has been added, taking the edge off this blue-green hue. Don’t get me wrong; this is still a ‘color forward’ shade, but it’s not as clean as Bird’s Egg.
Will the gray in Meander Blue help it coordinate better with your siding? Ehhhhh, it’s still pretty ‘colorful,’ but it would be easier than some of the colors on this page.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Meander Blue HERE!
3. SHERWIN WILLIAMS TIDEWATER SW 6477
Tidewater is as pretty as it sounds and my favorite of the bunch! This blue-green blend has a great degree of color but a ‘decent’ gray backdrop.
Tidewater has an LRV of 65, so it’s more or less the same depth as the others – it’s just calmer.
If you’re looking for a happy medium between haint blue and a color that suits your fussy siding color, this could be it.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Tidewater HERE!
4. SHERWIN WILLIAMS WATERY SW 6478
If you love Tidewater, compare it with Watery, which is like the light-medium version of it – it has a bit more meat on its bones. Watery is another beautiful blue-green melange with a decent gray foundation.
As for depth, Watery has an LRV Of 57, which, admittedly, is a TOUCH darker than I might normally go with this intesity/degree of color, but hot damn, is she ever purdy.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Watery HERE!
5. BENJAMIN MOORE SMOKE 2122-40
If you’re into a more passive approach, you might love Smoke. This gorgeous shade of blue has a solid, strong gray foundation and less green than many of the options on this page. This combination makes it pretty darn flexible towards a wide range of exterior siding colors.
Smoke has an LRV of 56.39, and while I wouldn’t go much lower, especially if your porch area is super dark, this is one beauty shade.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Smoke HERE!
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Smoke
6. SHERWIN WILLIAMS BLUE HORIZON SW 6497
If your idea of haint blue is a bit lighter than the above options, check out Blue Horizon. If you ask me, it’s a BIT lighter than ideal, with its LRV of 78, but its degree of color and purpose makes up for it. This gorgeous blue-green has a reasonable intensity while still having a bit of gray for a chill effect.
Remember, you can always try lightening or darkening a paint color by 25% or 50% if you want to tweak things!
3 Steps to Create Your Perfect Paint Color: Lighten & Darken
I’ll add that the lighter your haint blue porch ceiling is, the tougher it can be to integrate into an existing color palette (depending on your siding/trim colors, of course). You might find that colors with a bit more depth are easier to pull into your color scheme.
On the other hand, if this color is right up your alley, compare it to Benjamin Moore Crystal Blue and Benjamin Moore In Your Eyes; see which one fits best!
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Blue Horizon HERE!
7. SHERWIN WILLIAMS TRADEWIND SW 6218
If you’re eyeing up #5, Smoke, you’ll want to sample this bad boy, too. Tradewind is a lovely, smokey blue with a subtle green undercurrent.
This gorgeous blue-gray hue has an LRV of 61, which sits in a great spot for the average porch ceiling.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Tradewind HERE!
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Tradewind
8. BENJAMIN MOORE DOLPHIN’S COVE 722
If you like Bird’s Egg but want to see a touch more green (without tipping the scales), check out Dolphin’s Cove. This gorgeous blue hue has a decent, but not remotely overwhelming, green mixed in.
With an LRV of 66.86, it’s the same depth as Bird’s Egg but with that wee tweak in the undertone. Remember, sampling and COMPARING similar shades is one of the most important parts of your color pickin’ journey!
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Dolphin’s Cove HERE!
9. SHERWIN WILLIAMS RAINWASHED SW 6211
I highly recommend Rainwashed. When it comes to shades of haint blue that are flexible to a ‘reasonably’ wide range of siding colors, this one is near the top. Rainwashed is a heavily grounded blue with some gray and green, making it a bit more earth-toned while still holding a pretty shot of color.
This popular haint blue hue has an LRV of 61, which is a great depth to play around with!
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Rainwashed HERE!
Paint Color Review of Sherwin Williams Rainwashed
10. BENJAMIN MOORE PALLADIAN BLUE HC-144
If you compare Palladian Blue to Benjamin Moore Smoke, you’ll see different sides of the same coin. Both colors take a shot at the haint blue title, just in different ways.
Palladian Blue is more of a blue-green blend you must watch, as the green CAN show up quite a bit. Compared to Smoke and its commitment to blue, you’ll also see a bit less gray in Palladian Blue.
I would also compare Palladian Blue with Rainwashed, as they’re kissin’ cousins (illegal in many States, by the way). Notice how Palladian Blue picks up just a touch more color and less gray.
Get your Peel & Stick sample of Palladian Blue HERE!
READ MORE
The Best Blue-Green Blend Paint Colors
How to Choose Your Exterior Paint Color
Is Gray Still Trendy On Exteriors, Walls, & Cabinets?
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Hi Kylie,
One of your choices is my absolute favorite! I have used Benjamin Moore’s Smoke in several rooms throughout my current home as well as former homes.
I have Smoke in a bedroom and spare bedroom. In fact, I love it so much that I also used it on my kitchen island.
The bedrooms are in South facing rooms and appear very blue green. However, my kitchen is in a North facing room and the color appears more blue gray.
Haint blues are my love language and I’ve especially loved this post.
Thank you!
Andrea, I’m so excited you love it and I would seriously LOVE to see all of this Smoke you’ve got going on (if you’d care to send photos, but if not, I totally get it 🙂
I’m glad you love it as much as I do!
I have SW Rainwashed in my professional office space and in 5 church classrooms . (I picked, but got buy-in first). It is refreshing without being too “coastal”- it is in the neutral color section of the Sherwin Williams giant paint fan so it not too childish or tiresome! It is cheerful!
Terrie, this is such great feedback for others, thank you!
I just used Palladian blue in my half bath. When you look into the room it looks green. However, once inside the room (sitting on the potty) it totally looks blue! Just a fabulous blue/green shade!❤️
Hey Rebecca, thank you for this, as it’s helpful for other readers who are thinking about using it!
Any suggestions for a haint blue shade with a very warm brown exterior (brick)? House faces N-NE with lots of landscaping so I fear anything too green. Would SW Niebla Blue work? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Hey Christina! With a very warm brown, I would lean into subtle blue-greens vs a more legit blue like Niebla Azul. Brown bricks tend to prefer this type of color over a stronger blue hue 🙂
I’ve learned from you. It’s not always what I want, its what my house wants. My sunporch ceiling chose Meander Blue. LOL. Thank you for the colors. We had tried a Haint Blue project here before but I chickened out and went with a color that was so light you can barely tell its blue. Looking forward to Meander Blue up there. Also purchased a rattan weave flush mount lighting fixture. Going for a Tommy Bahamas look out there for the Summer!