Saturday, June 6, 2020

Haint Blue

Sherwin Williams

Having spent most of my adult life as a resident of Virginia, vacationing with my family every summer in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and now as a full time resident of Florida, I am delighted to learn about another wonderful Southern tradition. Many of you might have noticed the trend of painting porch ceilings blue. Check out this wonderful example above with Chinese Chippendale railings, antique wicker, and potted palms. Well this painting porch ceilings blue has been a Southern tradition for generations. Theories abound as to its origin - it extends daylight hours because it looks like the sky, it wards off evil spirits or "haints," it keeps away bugs and spiders who confuse the blue ceiling with sky.

via Pinterest

This light blue even has a name - Haint Blue. Whatever its origin, I would love to do this in my lanai in my new home. I even have a blue I would like to use - Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue - a historic and very lovely blue indeed.

BM Palladian Blue

Here is another fun example below with the ceiling painted Palladian Blue.

Washington Post

Do you like this idea? Any other suggestions on a blue paint color?

26 comments:

  1. I painted the inside of the coffered ceiling in my bedroom SW Hinting Blue and I love it! Walls are white. No need to limit this to the porch or lanai.

    best, teaorwine

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    1. I completely agree and love the look inside - I have posted many rooms with blue ceilings.

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    2. Bet that's beautiful - it seems to be a color that is invigorating and calming at the same time.

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  2. I love Palladian Blue. I painted a bathroom this color six years ago and it is absolutely gorgeous with the white tile, black accent tile, and white fixtures. The Ben Moore Aura paint the painters used looks as perfect as the day they applied it. The Palladian Blue color hasn't faded, yellowed, or changed in any way. I think it would be perfect for a ceiling!

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    1. I use and recommend BM Aura exclusively. Their matte/flat is my fave including in bathrooms in the bath and spa formulation. Your bathroom sounds gorgeous.

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    2. I love the flat BM Aura in the bathroom. I also used the flat BM Aura to paint another room Old Navy. BM Aura is the best paint made, IMHO.

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    3. I completely agree - it is worth every penny.

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  3. The undersides of the overhangs on my house are painted a light blue, and the exterior of the house is white. I always thought this prevented birds from nesting there because they confused the blue ceilings with the sky. I adore the Haint blue color in the first photograph, and the fact that the wicker chair and ottoman are painted the same color. I find these soft monochromatic color schemes soothing and calming and easy to live with.

    I love reading your blog, Beth, especially in these stressful times. Thank you.

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  4. We don’t have a porch, so I painted our kitchen and breakfast nook ceiling Haint blue. It still makes me smile!

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  5. I am originally from Charleston and all the porch ceilings of my childhood were haint blue. Now I'm landlocked in Atlanta but all of my porch ceilings are blue as well as my eating area ceiling and my Master Bathroom ceiling. It's really airy and relaxing and I love having indoor ceilings painted as well. I've used a variety of SW colors through the years. SW Watery was one!

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    1. Charleston is the epicenter of haint blue. So many wonderful examples.

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  6. Those are all beautiful porches...but the color I am wild about is the color on the pillars in the first picture. I like that better than the ceiling in that photo--are those both Haint Blue with just different lighting? A color we used that we absolutely love is Benjamin Moore Caribbean Breeze 661. I am so glad to hear your new house has a lanai....I wasn't sure most houses in that area have one. Do they?

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    1. It is hard to tell from the picture, but to me it looks like it's all the same color. I will check out Caribbean Breeze. Every house I have looked at here has had a lanai. Most do, especially in gated communities.

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  7. My own “porchico” ceiling is haint blue, of course. Soothing and inviting. NC summers are hot and humid, but my haint blue ceiling is like a cool breeze. Best wishes.

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  8. Its a beautiful colour ! Oh I am a bit late, sorry ... congrats on the new house too!!!

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  9. Love blue! I painted my sunroom ceiling BM April Sky.
    ~suburbanmom2

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  10. There's a new special edition Southern Living magazine out that's all about Porch Style. There's a page devoted to haint blue and they recommend a few colors. Stardew by Sherwin Williams, Rainwashed by Sherwin Williams, Green Blue by Farrow and Ball, Drizzle by Sherwin Williams, and the beautiful Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore that you suggested.

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  11. I live on the Treasure Coast and we painted our lanai ceiling Meander Blue SW6484. We have never regretted it.

    From a former Alexandria, VA resident, welcome to Florida. You will love Venice.

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    1. I will check that out. Thanks. This is a lovely area.

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  12. I painted the front door and awning stripes on my Florida cottage Palladian.Blue and I love it.

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