Painting the Porch Ceiling Blue

Gallavant through neighborhood streets of Charleston and you're bound to catch a glimpse of a porch ceiling painted blue.  According to The Southerner's Handbook, the tradition of using 'Haint Blue' for porch ceilings, as well as front doors and even trim, is closely tied to Gullah culture.  Gullah wisdom suggests that haints (vicious ghosts) are unable to cross over water, so the blue paint color acts as a barrier to keep the spirits out of the home.  The book Very Charleston suggests that sky blue ceilings also deter bugs from nesting - I'll report back with my personal experience in a few months.  I'll be able to do that because I painted the ceiling on our small back porch this weekend.

I love the charm of any painted ceiling, but especially those painted blue.

Here's the before shot showing the simple wood beadboard painted white.  It was fine, just missing the character I knew I wanted for this back porch which looks out to the woods.

Choosing the right blue was a must.  I wanted something a little bit more vibrant and slightly turquoise because I knew it could stand up to all of the nature surrounding the porch.  I choose SW, Cay, and I love it!

My motivation for this project was reignited when I visited the Smart Home in Palmetto Bluff last week.  The designer for that home chose a dusty blue, which makes for another interesting choice.  Here's a picture I took during my visit -

Thinking of painting your porch ceiling blue?  Consider these colors options -

Left is SW Piazza Blue D-CR075, the most traditional choice for haint blue.

Middle is SW Cay 6772, my favorite and what I chose for my porch.

Right is SW Resolute Blue 6507, a little more mellow bluer blue.