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These Homeowners Are Happy to Have the Blues

A sky view without a skylight: Some homeowners say the blue on their porch ceiling helps promote a calm, cool atmosphere.
A sky view without a skylight: Some homeowners say the blue on their porch ceiling helps promote a calm, cool atmosphere. (CNS Photo From www.carolynbates.com)
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When customers ask him for recommendations, Langhorne starts their search with a few suggestions across the spectrum of blues: Benjamin Moore's Mystical Blue ("more of a true blue"), Crystal Springs ("blue with a little green to it") and White Satin ("periwinkle blue"). But he tells homeowners the choice should ultimately be based on the other colors on the house and what they like best. "I always tell them, 'It's your ceiling,' " he says, "You can do anything you want."

But most paint experts agree that the best shade of blue is the one that fits the look of the house. "You don't want [a blue ceiling] to look like an afterthought or like it came out of nowhere," cautions Zoe Kyriacos, architectural color consultant for Colors by Zoe in Takoma Park. "You want to make it look like it was part of the package."

She says blue can be used on any style of house; it just depends on the blue. "A traditional house would use a more traditional color, something lighter. On a contemporary house you can do something bolder, something brighter." Personally, Kyriacos prefers blues with hints of other colors, which make the blue more complex and interesting to look at, she says. A blue with a drop of red in it, for instance, adds "a little warmth."

Also consider the natural light. Colors tend to get washed-out when used outdoors, so there's a little wiggle room to go darker than you would indoors. But be careful not to go too dark. "You want to keep the blue soft, light and airy," Langhorne says. "If you go too dark, it will bring your ceiling down and make the space feel smaller and more closed in, even outside."

For Parlakian, the process was easy. She simply picked a subtle shade she liked (Benjamin Moore's Arctic Blue) and painted.

And now that she has gone blue, she'll never go back.

Hues You Can Use

Suddenly have the urge to paint your porch ceiling? Here are more blues to consider:

C2: Oracle, Fresco, Kind of Blue

Sherwin-Williams: Atmospheric, Meander Blue, Waterscape

Benjamin Moore: Ice Blue, Crystal Blue, Whispering Spring


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