Denim Blue Paint Colors
Sitting coolly between acid-washed and indigo, faded denim is always in style, and this wear-with-anything staple blue paint color is always popular in home design. And it’s no wonder: The soft, understated tone is one of the most livable blue paint colors. To get that feel, team an undersaturated blue (one softened with white or gray) with lighter and darker shades to create a soothing contrast.
Paint colors pictured:
- Palatial Skies 800, Benjamin Moore
- Regale Blue SW6801, Sherwin-Williams
- Roadster Blue 4006-68, Valspar (discontinued)
- Afton Blue 70BG 68/163, PPG
- Yacht Blue S490-4, Behr
Navy Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS
Naval by Sherwin-Williams is one of the most popular navy blue paint colors on the market. This deep blue shade has a cool gray-green undertone and looks classic enough to work as a neutral. It has a serene quality and looks beautiful layered with white marble, antique brass accents, and light neutral tones. Try this timeless blue shade in a home office, on your front door, or as a kitchen cabinet color.
Paint color: Naval by Sherwin-Williams
Modern Blue Paint Colors
Although blue is a classic, don’t avoid the hue if your style is more modern. To keep the palette simple, choose a medium blue for the major pieces, such as window treatments, upholstered furniture, or bedding, and a paler blue paint color for the walls. It’s easier to match paint colors to furniture, accessories, and fabrics than the other way around because paints offer greater variety.
Suggested paint color: Blue Haze 1667, Benjamin Moore
Cornflower Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BEHR
Cornflower blue is a medium blue shade that's soft and gentle. Inspired by nature, a cornflower blue paint color fills a room with a tranquil, reassuring, yet lighthearted atmosphere. Use this lovely blue shade as an accent color on decorative wall paneling, a mantel, or stair risers for an unexpected touch of whimsy.
Paint color: Bluebird by Behr
Royal Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN MOORE
A royal blue shade exudes a regal elegance. This one has a hint of violet that gives it a beguiling quality and a bright vibrancy. Although it's a deep shade of blue, it's not quite as dark as navy blue and injects much more vivid, saturated color into a space.
Paint color: Dark Royal Blue by Benjamin Moore
Eggshell Blue Paint Colors
Invoke a sense of peace in your nest with hues inspired by blue-tone eggs. This soft shade of blue-green is Ontario-based decorator Michael Penney’s signature hue. “Robin’s-egg blue is a good beginner color,” he says. “We see it in the sky and water all around us, so our eye is used to it.” However, this pale blue can be difficult to pick from paint chips. “If you look at a real egg, it has a dash of green with the blue,” Penney says. “Choose from blues that neighbor greens.”
This livable hue can underscore the palette of a whole house. “Maybe it’s the walls in your living room and the ceiling in your bedroom, a table in the den, and china in the dining room,” Penney says.
Paint colors pictured:
- Arctic Blue GLB14, Glidden
- The Good Life B38-3, Ace Hardware (discontinued)
- Serene Sky 540C-2, Behr
- Sea Breath 5006-7A, Valspar
- Quench Blue SW6785, Sherwin-Williams
Baby Blue Paint Color
GLIDDEN
A sweet baby blue will look beautiful in a nursery, bedroom, or spa-inspired bathroom. This light blue shade works well with midtone woods and both warm and cool neutrals. Finish the space with crisp white trim and textured details such as fun throw pillows, blankets, and a fluffy area rug.
Paint color: Ocean Cruise by Glidden
Saturated Blue Paint Color
It’s hard to beat bright white as a companion for blue. The two timeless colors look especially fresh when paired with a snappier hue, such as magenta or mustard yellow. Choose a blue that’s either pale or saturated (not a middle tone) to keep the palette fresh.
Suggested paint color: Port Au Prince PPG1238-7, PPG Paints
Sapphire Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF VALSPAR
Go with a sapphire blue shade for a moody, mysterious, and sophisticated look. This deep jewel tone looks ultra-luxurious when paired with velvet upholstery and brass accents and is a stunning choice for a dark and moody color palette. Alternatively, pair it with other jewel tones for a more vibrant and playful space.
Paint color: Sapphire Earrings by Valspar
Aquamarine Blue Paint Colors
Try out the bolder side of blue with aquamarine hues. Before painting your walls, designer Khristian A. Howell recommends giving aqua a test run on a piece of furniture. “It’s not a sub for painting the whole wall—nothing is—but it gets your hands dirty with the color a little bit,” Howell says.
“Being bold is all about balance,” she says. In other words, don’t use aqua on every surface in the room. A tiny dose will make an impression, especially in a room full of grays, creams, and whites.
Paint colors pictured:
- Balmy Seas 490C-3, Behr
- Corner Brook A37-1, Ace Hardware (discontinued)
- Nautical 5007-9C, Valspar
- Surfboard 25B2, True Value Paint (discontinued)
- Schooner A58-5, Olympic (discontinued, but Soft Schooner Green 50GG 48/194, PPG is comparable)
Cyan Blue Paint Color
BENJAMIN MOORE
A cyan blue shade is an eye-catching mix of blue and green that produces a vibrant yet restful color. Use it to create a relaxing bedroom retreat, layering it with light tone-on-tone neutrals such as off-white and beige. Cozy up the space with light woods, matte black metal accents, and plenty of soft textures.
Paint color: Mill Springs Blue by Benjamin Moore
Serene Blue Paint Colors
For a more serene look, scale back the intensity of blues and stick to only one or two variations. When using less intense hues, contrasting counterpoint is less important. The goal of a muted palette is to be subdued, so adding too many opposing elements will defeat the purpose.
Suggested paint color: Winter’s Breath PPG1038-3, PPG Paints
Teal Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BEHR
Inject a bold dose of color into a room with a true teal blue shade. It's a complex blue-green hue that's an intense mix of cyan and turquoise. Like a tropical breeze, this cool blue ushers in a refreshing ambience and works well in a bedroom, bathroom, or to update an old piece of furniture.
Paint color: Thai Teal by Behr
Watercolor Blue Paint Colors
Inspired by vibrant skies and ocean waves, the appeal of these watery blues is hard to deny. The love of blue is instinctual because we see so much of it in the sky, says New York designer Elaine Griffin, who explains how to translate this beloved hue into a gorgeous blue paint color for your walls.
Consider how much light the room receives. “A south-facing room flooded with sunlight will always look great in a rich, bold color,” Elaine says. In a room with less light, opt for a pale color on walls and save intense hues for accents.
Paint colors pictured:
- Meander Blue SW6484, Sherwin-Williams
- Tropical Surf 30BG 72/069, Glidden
- High Tide 27B7, True Value Paint (discontinued)
- Soar 510A-1, Behr
- Poolside B56-3, Olympic (discontinued)
Chambray Blue Paint Colors
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN MOORE
Like a perfectly worn-in pair of jeans, a dark chambray blue shade feels cool and comfortable. It's understated and familiar, has a faded finish, and is a versatile hue that suits a variety of interior spaces. Try it in a modern bedroom with dark woods and graphic textiles, a streamlined hallway featuring a contemporary gallery wall, or a minimalist bathroom with matte black hardware and slate gray tile.
Paint color: Denim Wash by Benjamin Moore
Sophisticated Green-Blue Paint Colors
Green-blue can quickly go candy-coated and childlike. Bring in a little maturity with a stately, midrange neutral, such as taupe or camel brown. Using a light tone as the main neutral will not have the same effect, while a dark brown or gray might drain the color of its cheeriness.
Suggested paint color: Spa SW6765, Sherwin-Williams
Sky Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN MOORE
Sky blue is a pale blue shade that's soft, crisp, and optimistic. Morning Sky Blue by Benjamin Moore is a clean and calming hue perfect for a primary suite or a kids' bedroom. It's well-suited for both a vibrant color palette when paired with bold red and darker blues, as well as a soft and muted color scheme made up of white, beige, and taupe.
Paint color: Morning Sky Blue by Benjamin Moore
Cobalt Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BEHR
Make a colorful design statement with a cobalt blue shade. This dramatic hue is intensely saturated and looks great on built-in bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, or bathroom vanities. Pair it with white for a lively feel, and add green accessories, warm woods, and mixed metals for a visually layered space.
Paint color: Dark Cobalt Blue by Behr
Mood-Lifting Blue Paint Colors
Soft colors aren’t the only hues to impart a relaxing tone. These serene blues will also do the trick. It might seem counterintuitive to call bold blues relaxing, but “when we gaze out into deeply hued ocean waters, is that relaxing? Absolutely,” says San Francisco designer Kelly Berg.
If a color makes you feel good, it will likely soothe you, too, Berg says. “Listen to your intuitive response to color. Fear can hold us back from picking the colors that feel good, but be brave!”
Paint colors pictured:
- Lyndhurst Duchess Blue 5002-5C, Valspar (discontinued)
- Embellished Blue 510D-4, Behr
- Adrift 26A6, True Value Paint (discontinued)
- Fountain Head A38-7, Ace Hardware (discontinued)
- Acapulco Cliffs B57-4, Olympic (now Acapulco Cliffs PPG1150-5, PPG)
Cerulean Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BEHR
Cerulean blue is a midtone blue shade that's close to cobalt but slightly more muted. It's a mesmerizing sky-blue shade that's a great choice for an accent wall, whether in a bedroom behind the headboard or at the end of a long hallway, to create depth and dimension.
Paint color: Cosmic Cobalt by Behr
Robin's Egg Blue Paint Color
BENJAMIN MOORE
Create a calm and serene interior with a classic robin egg blue. Powder blue with a touch of green makes for a soft and elegant all-over wall color. Layer it with cool metals such as polished chrome and patterned textiles for timeless charm and character.
Paint color: Robin's Nest by Benjamin Moore
All-Blue Paint Color Scheme
If blue is your hue, go for it in an all-blue color palette. Vary the intensity of the hues, and stick to either the cool or warm side of blue for a coordinating look. Add warm accents like orange pillows, gold frames, or honey-hued wood furniture or floors to create a balanced look.
Suggested paint color: Blueberry 2063-30, Benjamin Moore
Warm Blue Colors
Warm blues are not a myth, says Elaine Griffin. To find one (and avoid a room that gives you the chills), “look for a blue with lots of yellow undertones,” she suggests. You can determine a blue paint color’s undertones by comparing the saturated side of the paint chip to other primary colors.
Suggested paint color: Clear Vista PPU13-11, Behr
Indigo Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS
Indigo is a deep violet-leaning blue that makes a vibrant statement. This dramatic shade of blue pairs well with a light, cool pastel shade such as Rarified Air or with an array of other bold colors such as red, orange, and yellow.
Paint color: Indigo by Sherwin-Williams
Deep Teal Blue Paint Colors
For a blue with a dramatic flair, go with teal shades. “Teal doesn’t work well as a monochromatic palette,” says the color expert and interior designer Philippa Radon. “It embraces other colors.” Radon recommends bright accents such as crimson, citrus green, or neon yellow to keep it fresh.
Paint colors pictured:
- Moroccan Blue 26A7, True Value Paint (discontinued)
- New World E8-2, Dutch Boy (discontinued)
- Teal Zeal B58-5, Olympic (now Teal Zeal 58GG 71/202, PPG)
- Tidewater SW6477, Sherwin-Williams
- G*psy Teal 5010-8 R, Valspar (discontinued)
Haint Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN MOORE
Haint blue is best known for being used on porch ceilings in the South for both practical and aesthetic reasons. It is said to keep bugs away in the summer, but it also creates the illusion of blue skies to visually expand the porch.
Paint color: Blue Allure by Benjamin Moore
Light Blue Paint Color Ideas
In a room layered with light blues, strike a balance between structured and airy. Spindly furniture with a dark finish, such as these aged-bronze beds, adds visual weight without dragging down a watery palette. A small bit of pink or red can also help energize the room.
Suggested paint color: Dew Pointe M450-1, Behr
Turquoise Blue Paint Color
COURTESY OF GLIDDEN
For an energetic and refreshing shade of blue, opt for a turquoise paint color. This vivid tropical-inspired turquoise, a mix of blue and green, makes for a bold accent wall in a bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. It's also a charming choice for a beachy exterior when paired with crisp white trim.Paint color: Fling Green by Glidden
Blue-Gray Paint Colors
Tap into the neutral side of blue with hues tinged with gray. Blue-gray paint colors are serene and subtle, ideal for relaxing spaces like bedrooms or baths. Pair the color with a crisp, clean white to prevent it from looking washed out.
Suggested paint color: Bracing Blue SW6242, Sherwin-Williams