Pages

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Things We Love: Blue Ceilings


Sophie Munro Photographer via Coastal Living

 The lovely and talented Sarah Richardson says that she hates white ceilings and does most anything to avoid them. Well, that's not good news for my house because, in general, the ceilings are white, white, white. While creating a playroom for our new baby boy, though, we're taking Sarah's advice into consideration and going with a blue ceiling. Now to find that perfect shade... We're crossing our fingers that these beautiful photos will get us started. Hope you enjoy!

Conceptual Kitchen and Millwork
We love this gray/blue shade, but every time we've attempted this one it comes out looking way too blue. Anyone know of a perfect grue? Yup. That's gray and blue mashed together. Kind of like Brangelina. It also means "to shudder" if you're studying for the SAT. We, thank heaven, are not.

Design Traveller

 
Ruthie Sommers Design
LOVE the striped walls, which is giving me another playroom idea... 
This Photographer's Life


Herlong Architects

Isn't this ceiling beautiful?
Turquoise, Tulips and Bliss


Turquoise, Tulips and Bliss
A tour guide in Charleston told me that painting your porch ceiling blue keeps the bugs away. Ours was blue in our old house in New Bern, and I actually think it helped!

Herlong Architects
Or maybe it was the ceiling fans that kept the bugs away. Either way, only steps from the river we had very little insect traffic.
This Photographer's Life 

Country Living Magazine

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday and are getting back into the swing of things. It will be summer before we know it!


Photobucket

44 comments:

Kate Lewis said...

what a fun idea! i really like the bold blue in the first image and the rustic feeling in the image from Design Traveller.

Jessie said...

These images are so inspiring. I really like the one with the swing looking at the backyard. It's such a calming and relaxing space.

Jessie

Amy Vermillion @ Martineau Vermillion Interior Design said...

Blue ceilings in the South are also called Haint Blue to keep the oogie boogies away…AND the bugs.
Cheers,
Amy

Kristin said...

I've never thought about it, but it is actually very nice!!! :)

x Kristin

Krystal said...

ok, the idea of a painted ceiling is SO cool.

Linh said...

We painted the ceilings of our ENTIRE house various colors according to the different rooms and it was a great idea. It added more depth into each room and we loved it. However, we were sore for days afterwards! Beautiful pictures! I just spent about a minute daydreaming about living on one of these porches. One day...
xoxo
-linh

http://la-lalinh.blogspot.com

Marianne {Style For Living} said...

I love haint blue ceilings, they are suppose to keep evil spirits away. Fun color for a playroom ceiling too!

lizziefitz said...

Marianne hit the nail on the head , Charleston porches are painted Haint Blue. Also Ben Moore Palladian Blue looks great on ceilings:)

under spanish moss said...

Blue ceilings are used often in South Louisiana for porch ceilings. I used Summer Shower by BM for my porch ceilings. The shade is very soft and would work well inside if you are going for a soft look. A bold blue would be beautiful as well.
Angela

Anastasia said...

I love the idea of painting the ceiling in a different tone. Hope to do that one day. Inspiring images. x Anastasia of Decor is like butter

The enchanted home said...

All so beautiful but that conceptual kitchen picture and that breakfast room with the peaked ceiling in pale blue is quite specatacular and I would love to have my meals in such a gorgeous space every day! Love the idea of painting the ceiling a pale blue color..so soft, serene and soothing. Well done!

Priscila Peters said...

The white kitchen is to die for. Love and love it. What else do I love? The shade of blue on that ceiling.

Stacey said...

I have a few ceilings that are painted in our new house(mainly the bathrooms). I've always loved the idea of a painted ceiling and a pale blue is gorgeous. Love the ones you featured. Hmmm, a grue colour, i haven't personally tried Metropolitan by Benjamin Moore, but you i think it's in the grey blue family. You can check it out on a Ben Moore paint(fan deck) or probably a sample. If any others come to mind, i'll let you know:-)

Jaime @ La vie...J'aime said...

ceiling #1 is so so beautiful and unique! i am Pining that image asap! :)

Aubrey {All Things Bright and Beautiful} said...

Can't ignore the 5th wall!!! Love that Sarah Richardson...girl can do no wrong in my eyes! (c:

Fifi Flowers said...

Like having the SKY on your ceiling... My dining room ceiling used to be blue...

Kathysue said...

I love blue ceilings. I have one in my guest room that has white moldings and French vanilla walls, it is so calming in that room. Love all of the above images.
Thank you for stopping by my blog so faithfully, You're the BEST!!! hugs Kathysue

classic • casual • home said...

I love a gray blue ceiling...have done it on porches and in our small guest room. Make the moldings pop.

Pink Martini said...

I've always wanted to boldly go where I have never gone before with a blue ceiling. So glad to be inspired. :)

Sharon (Roses and Rust) said...

I like the idea if done subtly. I find the idea of a darker colour on the ceiling a bit oppressive. I'm sure that you will get it just right! x Sharon

Porchlight Interiors said...

The blue ceilings look gorgeous. Mine are all white too, how boring! I think it's great to do something new and the blue still give the illusion of space.

Hayley x

Mimi said...

Just love the porches......wanna have one too, first a house that's bigger ;

mimilovesmimi.blogspot.com

Kendall Boggs said...

oh the peacefulness of a blue ceiling! And to think I used to steer my clients away from them. What WAS I thinking? I particularly like the soft aqua one. But then again I think I put a touch of aqua in most of my paintings!!! Great post as usual girls!!! You come up with THE most amazing stuff!!!
xo
kb

Len♥reNeverM♥re said...

Gorgeous, we sometimes neglect putting more attention to the ceilings~
ps: love the patio swing too!

FabiolaTeles said...

Beautiful ideias!!
Fabiola.
http://blogencontrandoideias.blogspot.com/

Fay said...

heavenly xx

Rene said...

Love these images! Good luck finding your grue :)

The Buzz said...

Our boys' bedroom ceiling is blue and when they were younger, we had applied tiny glow in the dark stars so that when the lights were out, the room glowed like a night sky. Even now that they are older, they love the effect. Love the blue porch ceilings and will have to borrow that idea when we redo the porch!
xxoo

eclecticrevisited said...

painted blue porch ceilings kept the birds and bugs from nesting...it works (mostly)...
..in my last house, I painted my daughter's room ceiling a lighter purple and kept the walls white...it was the perfect amount of color for the room without it becoming too dark...
fabulous post...
maureen

Karen@StrictlySimpleStyle said...

I knew that yellow draws insects in, I didn't know that blue kept them away. That's really interesting. Painted ceilings are really beautiful, wish someone would come and paint mine, that is not a fun job!

Luciane at HomeBunch.com said...

I never thought about painting my ceilings blue, but I think they look fabulous here. It would great in a cottage by the sea.

By the way, thank you so much for dropping by! We're much better today! :-)

Have a fun day!

xo

Luciane at HomeBunch.com

Melissa K @ Lulliloo said...

These blue ceilings are so pretty! I think the 2nd and 3rd are my favourites and the style that goes along with them is great too - Melissa x

I Dream Of said...

Oh, I have the blues! In a good way. I want to go sit on one of those lovely covered porches with a glass of sweet tea!

Thanks for the gorgeousness.

Jeanne

Ashley said...

I love the blue ceilings! They add a nice pop to all the above rooms!

Danielle {freshquince} said...

I adore blue ceilings as well and I am in love with that first image from Coastal Living...gorgeous and so wish I could hop into that tub right now!

La Dolfina said...

I swear I love the things you love!!!!
I think painting a blue ceiling in you son's nursery is a fabulous idea and a great way to get your feet wet regarding color on your ceilings.
I truly adore the first image... you always grab me with that first image :)
Good Luck on finding that perfect blue!!!
xo

quintessence said...

I ADORE blue ceilings!! I always paint the ceilings of my porches blue but I also love it inside. I've done it in kitchens and mudrooms but I think it would also be charming in your son's room, especially since he'll be seeing it so much lying on his back!!

travelkate said...

I love the idea of a "grue" ceiling :) And learned something new with painting a porch blue to keep the bugs away, I will have to use that technique-mosquitoes just love me in the summer!

Mona Thompson Providence Ltd. said...

Hadn't really thought about it, but I'm loving blue ceilings now too. fabulous images. Mona

Teresa at Splendid Sass said...

Wow, these are absolutely stunning. I also love the blue/gray and the aqua.
Hope all is well with you!
Teresa
xoxo

Acquired Objects said...

Funny you should put up this post because lately I've been noticing all kinds of different things on ceilings. I love the blue and it actually does help on the porch with bugs, it's a standard here in New England.

I hope you're feeling well!
XX Debra,

AK-Magnolia House said...

My family and I call Charleston, SC home. The historic city is known for painted porch ceilings and I have studied them for a long time now. For a little boys room I recommend the color of a crisp blue sky; a turquoise blue that is not too light so it will read a blue. I recommend Benjamin Moore's Tear Drop Blue 2053-60. Get a couple of small samples and try them out on the ceiling for a week. Look at them at different times of the day before you make your final choice.
Good luck! You will love the end result.
AKxo
www.akmagnoliahouse.com

LuluD said...

Gorgeous photos! Did you find the perfect color?

Julie said...

Very inspiring and refreshing images. Love them.