Blue. Historically, light blue is the go-to porch ceiling paint color—and for good reason. It mimics the natural sky and makes a covered porch feel open and inviting. However, it's important to find a shade that speaks to you and your house's locale.
Haint Blue Porch Ceilings are said to keep wasps and other bugs from nesting in the corners of your porch!
A sky blue ceiling is a traditional color, it keeps the spiders away, and the birds and wasps from nesting, supposedly because they think it's open and no shelter. Anecdotally, we had lots of birds, wasps and spiders nesting on our porch, after we painted it blue, they went away.
The shade of blue used on many southern ceilings is often called “haint blue”. This light blue-green color is especially popular in southern coastal cities like Charleston, SC or Savannah, GA because of the historically haunted nature of these cities.
Blue porch ceilings are said by some to promote a cool, calming atmosphere. The tradition also has some superstition behind it -- that blue ceilings ward off evil spirits, as well as spiders and wasps, and that blue is a harbinger of good luck.
Sherwin-Williams, Waterscape, SW 6470
Said to help ward off "haints" or evil spirits by mimicking the sky or a body of water, haint blue is also a good way to confuse bugs and draw them upward, away from porch-sitters.
It became less known for scaring ghosts away, but more known for keeping wasps and birds away. It has been known to keep them from nesting since they believe that the blue represents the sky. Some people even call it dirt dauber blue.
Haint blue is a collection of pale shades of blue-green that are traditionally used to paint porch ceilings in the Southern United States. Hex #D1EAEB is a popular shade of haint blue. The tradition originated with the Gullah in Georgia and South Carolina.
When blue paints were first used on ceilings, they were usually milk paints, and those paints often had lye mixed into the composition. Lye is a known insect repellent, which would explain why insects would avoid nesting on a painted porch ceiling or ledge.”
One color that the majority of birds avoid is white. A dull or bright white signals alarm and danger to birds, causing them to avoid those areas.
Blue lights on porches, historically, have been a way for homeowners to honor and support law enforcement. The movement traces its roots back to 1989, when Dolly Craig chose to light up her window with a blue bulb, remembering her son-in-law, an officer tragically lost in the line of duty.
Sherwin-Williams Niebla Azul Haint Blue Ceiling
SW Niebla Azul (Sample) is another gorgeous haint blue paint color that we love to pair with dark blue exterior color schemes. It is darker and bluer than SW Tradewind, with an LRV of 53.
What colors are mosquitoes attracted to? Compared to humans, mosquitoes see a smaller range of colors. One study found that red, orange, cyan (blue-green), and black tend to draw mosquitoes, while colors that make you more difficult to see can repel mosquitoes, including white, green, blue, and purple.
Blue. Historically, light blue is the go-to porch ceiling paint color—and for good reason. It mimics the natural sky and makes a covered porch feel open and inviting. However, it's important to find a shade that speaks to you and your house's locale.
An article from professors at Oklahoma State recommends that “when in wasp-infested areas, avoid wearing sweet-smelling colognes, perfumes, and hair sprays and bright orange, yellow, and blue clothing, as they will attract flying wasps. Khaki, tan, and dark colors are less attractive to wasps.”
Haint blue is a longstanding tradition for porch ceilings, particularly in the South, where it is said to have originated with the Gullah Geechee people of the lower Atlantic coast.
Joanna says she loves "lighter blues with gray undertones because you can use them as neutrals." Suggested Paints: Rainy Days by Magnolia Home or Clean and Crisp by Farrow & Ball.
The practice traces back to the Gullah Geechee, enslaved people living in the low country of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Gullah folklore explains that ghosts, also referred to as “haints,” were not able to cross water. In order to repel evil spirits from plantations, porch ceilings were painted a soft blue.
According to de Paz, spring and fall are the ideal seasons for painting just about everywhere in the country. “The weather is warm and the sun is not strong enough to overheat the surface that you are trying to paint,” he says. There's also less likelihood that you'll encounter temps dipping too low.
SW 7651Front Porch
Relax and kick your feet up with this cool and comforting mist gray neutral. Its cyan undertone gives this hue a gentle mood and an easy disposition.
While there's no guarantee that a blue porch will keep bugs and ghosts at bay, you can be sure it will attract attention. "Simply put, many people choose to paint the porch ceiling blue because of the way it makes that space look and feel," Wadden says.
Wasps have a strong sense of smell and dislike certain plants like peppermint, spearmint, basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, thyme, citronella, bay leaves, and lemongrass. They are also repelled by vinegar, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and sliced cucumber.
If you've ever strolled through the picturesque neighborhoods of the Southern United States, you might have noticed an enchanting trend—front porch ceilings painted in various shades of blue. This unique and longstanding tradition has piqued the curiosity of many visitors and residents alike.