When we were designing our home, I knew I wanted large porches with haint blue ceilings. It is a very southern thing to have on your home and I think it is so beautiful. I have been busy trying to pick the perfect blue color and I love the way ours turned out!
Haint blue ceilings are an old tradition done in the south and it was originally thought that the color would deter ghosts and spirits. Later it was said to be used to deter bugs because they thought the blue color looked like the sky and they were less likely to set up nests, etc on a blue ceiling. Both of these are great reasons, but I also did it because I love the way it looks.
I say this every time with paint colors, but it is so important. . .ALWAYS try paint swatches on your own home. They look so different depending on light, other colors around, etc. It is so hard when you see something online that you love because it won’t necessarily look like that on your own home. It is a good starting point, but you have to swatch. Even for our own home I was considering doing one color under our front porch and a different color under our back porch because the light was so different. Ultimately I ended up using the same color, but something to think about.
***We only used Sherwin Williams paint. I had some other brand colors that were custom matched to SW paint.
COLORS ARE:
- BM Smoke color matched to Sherwin Williams paint
- BM Sleepy Blue color matched to Sherwin Williams paint
- SW Waterscape
- BM Smoke at 50% color matched to Sherwin Williams paint
- SW Tidewater
- SW Watery at 75%
- SW Watery at 75% (this was a mistake and they were supposed to do Watery at full strength, but accidentally did the same swatch twice
- BM Smoke at 75% color matched to Sherwin Williams paint.
So….my favorites were #7 and #8. Originally I was going to do #8 on the front porch and #7 on the back porch, but after thinking about the fact that I will have bluestone on the patio floor I decided that #8 would look better and be less “beachy”.
After much research and swatching we went with BM Smoke at 75% in Sherwin Williams paint. I am so happy with this decision. You will see from the photos below that each photo the color looks different. Again, reiterating how important it is to use your own swatches. Photos, lighting, etc make the colors look different. I LOVE this color. It is the perfect shade of blue. Not too soft, not too dark, not too green, etc.
We did the same color full strength on the butlers pantry cabinets and the pantry door.
If you are looking for a good neutral blue I would definitely consider this one. It has great undertones and works well with other colors.
Can’t wait to get more finished and share soon!
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**We are building our home with Joe Vastano with Joseph Paul Homes. The Joseph Paul Homes website is under construction. You can see his work on his Instagram and Facebook **
Stunning. Impeccable taste Elaine.
Thank you so much!
I’ve always been a fan of Haint blue and agree with you about trying colors before deciding on the final color. I wish I’d had you to advise me twenty+ years ago when I built my house. No insect has ever built a wasp nest or dirt dobber nest on my patio ceiling. That can’t be said for my balcony ceiling, where the same color appears darker, almost grey. Obviously the insects fail to see it as a Haint color. I also like your garage doors. Would you mind sharing the name of the manufacturer and the style name the manufacturer has given to the doors?
Thank you so much. Ours were actually custom built locally. They are solid cedar. I actually wanted to go with a different material, but our HOA wouldn’t allow it. Sorry, wish I was more help!
Love the Haint Blue. I also have a must have in a new build. If you have a tall foyer with a hanging light, you can have it on a hidden motorized cord. This way when you need to clean it or change a bulb, you flick the switch and the light lowers to the main level. The motor is hidden in the attic and the switch is located in the foyer.
Thank you. Such a great idea. I wish we would have done that in our family room!