Gorgeous Blue Paint Colors in Real Spaces

Yesterday, Peighton and I confirmed that the best color of all the colors is blue. You would never know by looking at my house how much I love blue. Kidding. I love blue and you already know this because I use it all the time in my decorating. As much as I love decorating with blue, finding the right blue paint colors can be tricky, and sometimes they don’t look the same on the paint card as they do on the wall. I think the best way to find a paint color is by seeing it in real spaces, not on a paint chip. If you’re looking for the perfect shade of blue read on.

Gorgeous Blue Paint Colors in Real Spaces

Why are blue paint colors so hard to nail?

Blue is a hard color to pin down because the undertones can vary from green to purple and there’s nothing worse than getting paint on the wall to discover that it looks green when need it to be blue. I find it helpful to see lots of photos of paint colors in real spaces before I begin the selection process. Additionally, the amount of light and the direction of light will change the look of a blue paint color as well. If you have light from a north-facing window, the color will look even cooler (blue is already a cool paint color). Blue paint colors that have purple undertones don’t work as well in these spaces because they’ll read more purple with those undertones really showing off. Purple undertone blues work better in spaces that have south-facing windows that provide a warmer light. Similarly, those blue paint colors that have green undertones may pull a little too green in space with a south-facing window because of that warmer light.

Now, let’s see some blue paint colors in real spaces.

You can click the paint color name to see more pictures and details about the space.

Here you see Sherwin Williams – Sea Salt in my bathroom. It looks like a soft blue with a touch of green. In some spaces, it pulls greener than it does blue. This space has zero natural light so in order to get a more true color we have LED bulbs in the overhead lighting. I love this paint color and I think it looks lovely when it’s pulling blue or green.

Interesting Aqua is a beautiful shade of blue with green undertones. In some spaces, it pulls a little deeper blue and I like that for a moody look. It’s great for dining rooms and bedrooms.

Here’s Sherwin Williams Stardew in my laundry room. This color does really well in no light – seen above. It’s got some silvery gray undertones but lightens up nicely in well-lit areas as well.

Benjamin Moore Cloud Sky is one of my favorite blue paint colors. We used this color in my bedroom after testing out a half dozen other colors. We have three north-facing windows just to the left of the bed in this image. If you look at other images of Cloudy Sky it looks a lot darker. Since we had so much natural light filtering in it neutralized the color a little and definitely allowed it to look much lighter. In a smaller space with less light, you could expect a darker, more moody color with green undertones.

Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue is like Sherwin Williams Sea Salt little brother. It’s very similar in that the color can pull more blue or more green depending on the lighting situation. In the image above – it’s perfectly aqua blue with a touch of green.

Farrow and Ball Parma Gray is true blue. It pulls a little cool (all blues are cool) with it’s slight purple undertones but I think if you’re looking for a perfect mid blue – this would be a great contender.

Providence Blue by Benjamin Moore is such a pretty blue. While it might be considered a “gray blue” you can see above how variable paint colors can be. This color has green undertones so you can expect it to look a bit darker and richer in a space with south-facing windows.

Of all the blue paint colors, I think navy can be the toughest to get right. A lot of them pull too purple and you end up with more cobalt than navy. Whenever I see Sherwin Williams Naval it looks like a true navy. I’d still keep this color away from a north-facing window but I think it’s a great pick for a solid navy blue paint color. I love a bold color in a living room and navy blue in a living space is a really great opportunity to be bold in a neutral lane.

Sherwin Williams Peppercorn is technically a gray paint color but as you can see here it has the ability to look blue in certain spaces. If you’re looking for a rich gray that has a touch of blue undertones you’ve found it.

Remember above where I mentioned how hard it can be to nail a navy blue paint color? Here’s another good option – Kilz Prussian Blue. Be careful to keep this one away from the north-facing window to avoid that pull of purple that lays just under the surface. If you have a south-facing space this option is a good contender.

I love this variety of beautiful blue colors and I’m already thinking about the paint colors we’ll be using in our next home. I think each of these would lend themselves nicely in a coastal-inspired home. When you’re looking for a paint color isn’t it so much easier to see it in a real life space? Do you have a gorgeous blue paint color in your home that you love and would recommend to a friend? Let me know in the comments!

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You may also be interested in our whole home color palette to see all my favorite colors and how we use them throughout our home.