paint your porch ceiling blue

Everyday, as they say, you learn something new. Today for me, it was this: people paint their porch ceilings blue to keep bugs away. Maybe I never noticed or never thought about it, but as my dear friend Anne was talking about this, we happened upon a porch with a blue ceiling.


Blue porch ceiling in Sea Cliff, NY

I did a little search to find out more about this tradition and it turns out there are other reasons people choose pale blue for their porch ceilings. Some do it to keep wasps from nesting and some to create the illusion of blue sky above. Still others do it to ward off evil spirits.

In the South, there's a name for this special hue, it's called haint blue. A haint is a spirit or ghost and some people even paint the trim on their house haint blue to keep the scaries away.

No matter the reason, it can be a soothing color to choose for your porch. Just be sure to opt for a zero- or low-VOC (volatile organic compound) exterior paint like those from Mythic Paint or Best Paint Company.



[Sources: My friend Anne and NPR]