The prettiest coastal blue paint colors
With spring finally here, it’s time to paint something that reminds us of the beach! In today’s post, I’ve rounded up 11 beautiful coastal blue paint colors, including two that I’ve used in my own home.
As always, before we jump in, here are some important things to take into consideration:
- Take into account the LRV of each paint color. LRV stands for light reflectance value and has to do with how light or dark a paint color is. 100 represents pure white and 0 represents pure black.
- You should pay attention to how dark or light the color is and test it out in your space, observing how the light in your space affects your color. My favorite way to test the paint colors is the peel and stick samples you can find here.
- Pay attention to the undertone I mention. If you don’t like the undertone, you won’t like the color on the walls!
Sherwin Williams Tradewind
A pale, subtle blue without any undertone, Sherwin Williams Tradewind is a great coastal blue color. Tradewind is a light paint color based on an LRV of 61 (anything 60 and above, I consider a light paint color).
Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue
One of the most popular coastal blue paint colors of all time, Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore is definitely one you need to sample. With an LRV of 60, this is a light paint color.
Now, Palladian Blue has a good bit of a green undertone, and I tend to think the green comes out ahead here, especially on walls in north-facing rooms. This pretty color truly looks like a day at the beach.
Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments
I’m a huge fan of Quiet Moments as we’ve used it in our home in our hall bathroom and I find it absolutely stunning. Quiet Moments has an LRV of 60 and is technically a blue with a green and gray undertone.
The gray undertone works to make this color appear a bit like a neutral and I tend to think the blue in this pretty blue-green wins out when it’s up on walls.
Sherwin Williams Rainwashed
With an LRV of 59, this color is just on the cusp of what I would consider a light paint color, but it’s by no means dark, either. Rainwashed is almost like equal parts blue and green and does change throughout the day as the sun moves around the room.
Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue
This medium-toned paint color has an LRV of 48 and is basically a darker shade of Rainwashed. With a good blend of blue and green, Wythe Blue is like stepping into the ocean!
Now that we’re getting into the darker colors on this list, if you want the blue and green of Wythe Blue to stand out, make sure you have a good bit of natural light in the room.
Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray
One of my all-time favorite colors and truly an underrated one at that, Benjamin Moore Boothbay Gray needs to be on your list of colors to try, especially if you want a moodier coastal blue.
Softened up with a subtle gray undertone, Boothbay Gray is what I would consider a medium-dark paint color, with an LRV of 43. I prefer this color in more natural light, as it does tend to fall flat in rooms that don’t get too much light.
Sherwin Williams Stardew
We chose this beautiful coastal blue for our mudroom cabinetry and I absolutely love the decision. This color does have a very subtle gray undertone, which again, makes it appear a bit more neutral on the walls.
This is a medium-dark paint color and has an LRV of 43. We used it in a room that receives a ton of natural light and it’s absolutely stunning in those lighting conditions.
Sherwin Williams Breezy
Who remembers Monica from Friends say “I’m breezy!”
Sherwin Williams Breezy is just like the name implies. With an LRV of 41, this pretty blue-green is another great choice if you’re in the market for a coastal blue.
Benjamin Moore Mount Saint Anne
Mount Saint Anne is very similar to Breezy in that they are both LRVs of 41 and both have that green undertone.
Mount Saint Anne’s green undertone is more subtle than Breezy, so if you want something darker but want the walls to read more blue than green, this is an easy choice.
Sherwin Williams Debonair
Hands-down one of my favorite paint colors of all time, Debonair is a gorgeous blue with a gray undertone. This pretty hue has an LRV of 34, so you do need a good bit of natural light to really let this color shine.
Benjamin Moore Sea Star
The last color I’ll recommend to you today is one that I’m newly acquainted with, but it’s a stunner! Sea Star is an equal blend of green and blue and has an LRV of 32. This pretty color would be perfect when you want to make more of a dramatic blue-green color statement in your home.
Don’t forget to test out your paint colors!
I always include inspiration photos, as everyone absolutely demands them, but I caution you to view these photos with caution!
Online photos have typically be edited and color corrected. You also have no idea the lighting conditions in the home they were taken in, and as you know now, lighting really makes a huge difference and can be the reason why the paint color on your walls looks totally different than what you saw in the inspiration photo.
The way I tend to recommend my clients test out paint colors is with a peel and stick sample you can find here.
Place the sample on pure white poster board (at least a 1″ surround) and place on the walls to get an accurate read on the color.
Need even more help? Browse other color reviews here or hire me to help you find the perfect color for your home.
