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'Blue' Suggestions for Porch Ceiling

bamasue
16 years ago

Does anyone know if there is a definitive blue color paint used for exterior porch ceilings in Charleston?

Comments (29)

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    I read on another post some recommended blue porch ceiling colors - all Sherwin-Williams - "Atmospheric," Meander Blue" and "Waterscape." All are very pretty.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    What an education I got learning about "haint" blue ceilings! Thanks, Skeet, for those links! And wodka, I will also look at those SW colors. Apparently there is no one color, but a range of blues. Appreciate your help!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    Since we're doing the same thing with our porch, I picked up samples of the three SW colors. "Atmospheric" is a very light baby blue, "Meander Blue" is more of a turquoise, and "Waterscape" is probably the closest to the "haint" blue, in my opinion, more blue-green. I think we are going with the "Atmospheric," but that's just us. All three colors are beautiful. Good luck.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks, wodka, and I do believe we're going to have "matching" frnt porch ceilings! I bought enough SW atmospheric yesterday to do both the front porch ceiling and the screened porch in the rear. I do like the glow a blue ceiling seems to impart to the porch. Good luck with your painting as well and thank you so much for doing the legwork on colors!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    bamasue, that's great! You'll have to post pictures when you're done. Also, I'm envious of your screened porch. We had one at our old house and we loved it! Spent more time on the porch than in the house!

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    16 years ago

    bamasue, I wrote the article on Squidoo about Haint Blue. I do believe it is correct to say that Haint Blue is a range of blues to blue-green to green-blue colors. It is a color from history and there were no color formulas, just recipes. Each blue was mixed by hand, by different hands and by different eyes using basic, but certainly not consistent, materials site to site - truly recipes to follow, but no exacting formulas.

    Being inspired by the notion of Haint Blue and finding a blue for your porch ceiling that complements your house colors and makes you happy is a great plan.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Funcolors! Oh, I feel so honored by your post and congratulations and thank you for the most interesting walk through history I received from reading your article! Blue porch ceilings are certainly not commonly seen here in Alabama but the notion of having bottle trees, preferably of blue glass, certainly is; especially so in more rural areas of our southland. Now they could just as easily be known as "haint bottle trees". I first learned of the blue ceilings when I lived in Charleston..but only knew of their supposed bug repellant nature and not the haint aspect. We have lived far and wide since then and always if I had a frnt porch ceiling, I painted it blue. I just never knew if there was a specific/definitive haint shade. Your post surely cleared that up in my mind. If nothing else, I have found that a blue porch ceiling provides curious conversation and oh, how I love the beautiful glow it seems to impart with the morning sun!! Thank you for your research and the history lesson! And to wodka...if I can find some cool enough days I'll be out on the ladder!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    Bamasue - the painter started our porch ceiling yesterday, and I'm happy to report the color "Atmospheric" is lovely. We are also doing the small balcony porch upstairs the same. You will love it! Very soft and cool.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Wodka, so happy to hear you're so pleased with "our chosen color". Surely by now it's complete, huh? Mine's still in the can as they say. Had the whole house painted this past spring so decided I'd hold off on the ceilings as I had yet to choose a blue color for the painters to use...I had my hands filled enough watching after them!! And I do love to paint, so this will be fun!

  • pinktoes
    16 years ago

    Can you check with the Charleston historical society? Bet they'd know.

    The light sky blues are a tradition in GA too; people swear they keep bees from nesting. We're looking at SW's "Open Air". Or possibly, "Lauren's Surprise" or "Blue Horizon". Subtle differences. We want no haints; early morning on a clear day. Hope we've got it right.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Good luck with your choices, pinktoes! I was just out this morning getting a little mildew off the ceiling before the painting starts. Past 8AM it is just too hot to be out there. Your idea to check with Ch. Hist. Soc. was a good one! Never thought to do that...too late now, the paint is bought! But I am curious.....

  • pinktoes
    16 years ago

    bamasue: Well, duh. Put my reading glasses on and now I see you had already bought the paint. I was thinking it might be a hazy sky (probably "correct" porch color, but I want clear sky). Then I saw it near the purples on the color chart--I have fear of purple!

    Will you post back after it dries and let us know? I could be swayed by real-world evidence.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Color choices are truly so subjective and the spectrum of blues is unbelievable! I say just choose one you like that speaks "clear sky" to you and just do it!! Ahhh, the beauty of paint is that it can be changed!! Not once have I chosen to use the same shade twice anywhere;yet, each had its own way of evoking whatever my emotions at the time. Who knows why it was NOW that I decided to seek some authenticity? Maybe just to get to "talk" to you!! And then the more practical household voice of my DH says just get it done!! HA!

  • pinktoes
    16 years ago

    bamasue: see my thread on the paint colors just licensed by Historic Charleston Foundation. So glad you didn't go with the licensed version of "haint blue" called Gullah Blue. It'd work in a 1950s kitchen, though.

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    bamasue: As soon as I figure out how to link a picture here, I will send you shots of the back porch ceiling and the upstairs small balcony ceiling. By now, you might have started painting and know for yourself how good it looks!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    Bamasue, finally we have a few pics of our back porch and the upstairs balcony posted on the home photo galleries. The balcony ones didn't turn out too good, but as you can see, the house is still under construction. But, hopefully, it will give you an idea of "Atmospheric" blue we both share!

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Wodka!! What a gorgeous home! I know you must be anxious to move in. And yes! Atmospheric says it all!! I hope pinktoes will take a look at your uploads as it is the clear blue she was looking for! No, my paint is still in the can under "temperature control". We've had mid-90 temps and company! Neither conducive to painting! Like the coming of Christmas, my blue ceiling will be all in the anticipation but your photos surely are tempting to me!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    Bamasue, thank you so much for your kind words! It means a lot. We lost our home and everything in it to Katrina, and it has taken almost two years to get to this point. I never thought I'd get excited about a house again, but feelings change and fears lessen, although August and September are the scariest months, as far as hurricanes go. But this house will have good elevation and be away from the water. We can't wait to have our own roof over our head again (and part of it's blue - ha!)

  • pinktoes
    16 years ago

    Oooo! I saw wodka's blue. That's it bamasue. I have to update my porch file. Funny how much clearer it looks than the sample did; it is what it's name suggests it to be.

    Thanks, guys! And good luck wodka.

    Bamasue: we're dying here, too. Air quality in Atlanta, GA is so bad this week they've told everybody to just stay inside in the air-conditioning. (That has its good side--not required to paint, etc.)

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Wodka, I still cannot begin to comprehend the tragedy and suffering that was/still is Katrina/Rita, but I know firsthand of the devastation to my home state of LA...from family still there and the weeks I spent as a Red Cross volunteer. You and yours have obviously and thankfully come a very long way as in your words "your own roof over your heads, and part of it is blue"! Too cute! I truly pray the blue will keep the hurricane haints away as well!

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    pinktoes and bamasue - all of our porches are going to be so pretty! We were out at the house this morning and standing on the back porch, the ceiling seemed to just be a continuation of the sky, which is the look I think we all were aiming for!

  • bmillis
    16 years ago

    I'm also painting my new screened porch ceiling blue. I got samples at Sherwin Williams (those $5 samples are great), and painted both Atmospheric and Vast Sky (on the same color card, but one shade darker) on a cross beam since the bead board is not installed yet. I thought the Atmospheric was not "blue" enough, so I chose Vast Sky. I hope I haven't gone too dark! It's a southern exposure and has skylights, so the extra light might make the difference. I have enjoyed the postings and recommendations.

  • wodka
    16 years ago

    bamasue - I wanted to ask how your Louisiana family members are doing post-Katrina. We lived there for 9 years and still have friends there. I admire people like you and the many volunteers who generously donated and continue to donate their time to help our states recover. As you know, it will take a long time, and probably will never be the same. After the storm and living in a loaned camper for several months (we didn't qualify for FEMA, even though we lost everything but the clothes on our back), we found a place to rent - rent was and is enormous. Then certain residents started causing trouble, and police cars became a regular occurence. It would have been better if we could rent another year, but we want to get out of here. Fortunately, for us, we found a wonderful builder and will love our house, even if it takes time to furnish it. It will be ours.

    Sorry to ramble.

    bmillis - I'm confident your color "Vast Sky" will be beautiful, especially if it was on the same color card. I could have easily picked any of the three I was looking at. You'll have to let us see it when you're done. But don't paint today. It looks like practically all of us are under a heat alert around here.

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Bmillis, wodka is right and I do believe that given your southern exposure and skylights, Vast Sky will serve to better give you that sky glow we have searched for. I've never wanted to choose too light a shade as it does fade with time/elements. And, besides, I rather like making a statement to those haints! Yeah, I bet Atlanta is Hotlanta for sure!!
    Wodka, thanks for asking. My extended family all fared well. They are scattered throughout LA from NO to Monroe. My b-i-l in NO had wind damage only and needed a blue roof. All is well and repaired. It's families such as yours that I salute for the sheer horror of the loss you faced, then somehow managed to make-do, and ultimately grew whole from the experience. For the rest of my life I will wonder about so many of those families in those shelters in BR and Lafayette where I served. Though Alabama is now where I live, Louisiana will always be home! Ya'll stay inside now and enjoy the AC!!

  • lydialunch04_gmail_com
    16 years ago

    What fun! I have been looking for the perfect blue paint for my new porch that my son is building for me. I live in Florida, but being from S. Carolina and in love with Charleston, I was intrigued when I picked up a mag the other day and found a page on 'haint blue.' then came across this forum while googling it. Thank you all for your suggestions--going to run out to Sherwin Williams today and get some samples. And yes, it is too hot to open the can right now, but come October I'll be ready! One question--has anyone used or seen the Armstrong vinyl beadboard ceilings? Trying to decide between real wood and vinyl. With the humidity and mold factor high where we live, we want easy upkeep!

  • bamasue
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Hi Lydia! Glad our postings were of some help to you. Sorry, I have no history with vinyl beadboard ceilings so can't help with your decision. I do, however, have life history in FL..Merritt Island..and agree that ease of maintenance is always the way to go and possibly the way I might lean as I do recall that the elements there were torturous. Good luck!

  • pinktoes
    16 years ago

    lydialunch: Near Atlanta, GA and the humidity is pretty fierce here. At the new house we're not sure what to use on the screen porch ceiling, but pretty sure it won't be vinyl. Everything vinyl here gets mold/mildew SO bad. It seems to be something about the vinyl that attracts it.

    We're considering one of the James Hardie new sheet goods products for ease of maintenance/durability (as good as vinyl for durability and better than wood for maintenance and possibly durability as well). It's marketed as a substitute for exterior plywood. Try their website if you're interested.

    Enjoy your blue ceiling. We'll have one too.

  • lydialunch
    16 years ago

    Pinktoes, Thanks for the suggestion about Hardie; my son had mentioned that as well. I also came across a website for AZEK products (I think it's pvc), and their photo gallery is quite stunning. We're going to check that out with the local dealers, as there are a couple here who carry it. It's also paintable. But I will look at Hardie. You're right about the vinyl, we have the siding and it's constant upkeep. Good luck with yours!

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