Blue paint is a popular interior paint color because it brings about calm peaceful vibes from colors inspired by the sky and sea, but choosing a blue paint color can be tough because there’s so many options. This guide will help you pick the best blue paint color for your home!
Top Blue Paint Colors For Interiors & Exteriors
Blue paint has a really broad range of colors, so I’ve categorized the list into three groups:
Each category has five of my favorite paint colors (in no specific order) with photos of the paint color in real houses. This will give you a good idea of how each color looks in different spaces.
Best Navy Blue Paint Colors
Navy blue is my category for the darkest, and truest blue paint colors. If you’re sold on blue and you want to stick with the classics, this is the category to get started with.
Newburyport Blue (HC-155) by Benjamin Moore
Newburyport Blue – LRV: 10.31 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Newburyport Blue is an interesting and unique dark navy blue paint color. Its pleasant dark blend of cobalt blue and pewter blue make the shade strong and beautiful.
“Pronounced tones yet an overall understated quality makes this a perfect dark blue for the home.”
Benjamin Moore
If you’re looking for a boldly blue paint color, this might just be the color for you! The bedroom wall in the image below is painted with Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore.
Gentleman’s Gray (2062-20) by Benjamin Moore
Gentleman’s Gray – LRV: 7.26 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Gentleman’s Gray is a dark navy blue that is slightly cool. This paint color looks mostly blue with a hint of pewter and some turquoise undertones.
It’s a charming color, and would look good in a variety of rooms. Here’s how Benjamin Moore describes the color:
“A blackened teal blue beloved for its balance of richness and restraint.”
Benjamin Moore
The kitchen cabinets in the image below are painted with Gentleman’s Gray by Benjamin Moore.
Hale Navy (HC-154) by Benjamin Moore
Hale Navy – LRV: 8.36 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy is a really popular color. Popularity doesn’t always mean the color will work well in your home, but it’s certainly a good sign!
This color is a pleasant blend of dark navy blue with charcoal black. If you’re stuck trying to choose between black or blue, this is a great in-between color.
Hale Navy is slightly cool, and has a chroma of only 1.51, which makes it exceptionally neutral (for a blue paint color).
Here is how Benjamin Moore describes the color:
“A use-anywhere shade of navy with a classic maritime feel.”
Benjamin Moore
I like the look of the Hale Navy colored walls in the bedroom below.
Old Navy (2063-10) by Benjamin Moore
Old Navy – LRV: 5.13 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
This dark blue paint color sticks very closely to classical dark navy blue, or peacoat blue. With a LRV of only 5.13, this is the darkest color included in this blue paint color guide.
Old Navy by Benjamin Moore is somewhat of an under-rated color. Although it isn’t quite as popular as some of the other blues, I still believe it could be a top paint color choice in the right room!
“Stately and assured, this dark blue is a reliable go-to any time a little drama is needed in a space.”
Benjamin Moore
In the image below, Fun Cycled takes and old dresser and gives it new life with Old Navy by Benjamin Moore.
How To Choose A Perfect Blue Paint Color
Blue paint colors can look one way on a screen or in a store, but then look completely different in your home!
This is why it is SO important to test out paint colors. I recommend using Samplize Peel-and-Stick paint color samples! Since learning about Samplize, I’ve used them every time I need to pick a paint color.
They save you the mess and hassle of painting test splotches on your walls, which is a game-changer. Check out the image below to see how they work.
Use my discount code JOYFULLY5OFF to receive $5 off your first order!
OK, let’s get into the nitty gritty details about the best blue paint colors.
Naval (SW 6244) by Sherwin-Williams
Naval – LRV: 4 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Sherwin-Williams’ Naval is another beautiful dark navy blue. The paint color is highly saturated, and it’s one of the darkest blues included in this list.
“This deep blue, with its cool gray-green undertone, brings a meditative serenity to your space. Perfect for your study or office.”
Sherwin-Williams
In 2020, Naval received the high honor of being named the Sherwin-Williams paint color of the year. The Naval blue wall in the little boy’s room below is stunning!
Best Blue-Green Paint Colors
Blue-Green is the category for blue paint colors that have a greenish hue. This broad category includes paint colors that have teal, turquoise, cyan, azure, munsell, or cerulean undertones.
I always recommend sampling paint colors in your home before making a final decision. Testing paint samples is important, but it’s extra important with sneaky colors like blue-greens.
This color category is very susceptible to color shift in different lighting conditions. It may look one way on a screen, or in a store, but sometimes it can end up looking quite a bit different on the walls in your home.
This is why it is SO important to test out paint color in your home!
OK, lets dive into all the best blue-green paint colors. Here are my top picks!
Quiet Moments (1563) by Benjamin Moore
Quiet Moments – LRV: 60.73 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore – Smokey Green (CC-700)
Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments is a good choice if you’re looking for a blueish green color in your home, and you want to keep things light and airy.
Quiet Moments is quite complex paint color with sage, cyan, turquoise, and hints of gray. This paint color comes across as the most green of all the colors in this category.
Here’s how Benjamin Moore describes the paint color:
“A gentle mix of blue, green and gray results in a color that exudes tranquility and inspires quiet meditation.”
Benjamin Moore
The bathroom walls in the image below are painted with Quiet Moments by Benjamin Moore.
Smoke (2122-40) by Benjamin Moore
Smoke – LRV: 56.39 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Smoke by Benjamin Moore is a cool soft baby blue that walks the line somewhere between blue-green and blue-gray. It’s a stylish color that can add complexity and interest to a color palette.
With Smoke, it’s extra important to use a paint sample in your home because its appearance can vary depending on the lighting conditions – it could end up looking more gray, or green.
Here’s how Smoke is described on Benjamin Moore’s website:
“A versatile medium gray softened with attractive blue-green undertones.”
Benjamin Moore
Smoke colored walls look right at home in the nursery below.
The impressive laundry room pictured below features cabinets painted with Smoke by Benjamin Moore.
Smoky Blue (SW 7604) by Sherwin-Williams
Smoke (SW 7604) – LRV: 15 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
This wonderful Sherwin-Williams blue-green paint color is closest to cerulean in color theory (it’s a color produced by mixing equal parts of blue and teal).
Smokey Blue is one of the darkest in the blue-green category with a LRV of only 15. It’s a bold paint color that is moody and loud.
This paint color is fun & stylish, and looks like it was meant to be on the wainscoting in the bathroom below.
Waterloo (SW 9141) by Sherwin-Williams
Waterloo – LRV: 13 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Waterloo by Sherwin-Williams is extremely similar to the previous color (Smokey Blue). The main difference is that Waterloo is slightly darker with an LRV of 13.
This bold bluish teal paint color could be a perfect statement color in a color palette for an eclectic interior design.
The walls in the bedroom below are painted with Waterloo by Sherwin-Williams.
Best Blue-Gray Paint Colors
Inside of the blue paint color family, blue-gray is my personal favorite category. Adding gray into the mix makes the colors more neutral, and generally more appealing to a broader audience.
In other words, when it comes to paint colors & design, if you’re more into subtle, and less into extravagant, then blue-gray is probably the category for you.
Tradewind (SW 6218) by Sherwin-Williams
Tradewind – LRV: 61 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Tradewind is a light, bright and beautiful hybrid color that walks the line somewhere between blue, gray, and green.
If you’re not quite sure that you want an aggressively blue paint color, then Tradewind should make the final cut for paint samples to try in your home.
“A breezy light blue, warmed by undercurrents of green and calmed by gray. Explore a mellow marine mood in your space.”
Sherwin-Williams
Cloudy Sky (2122-30) by Benjamin Moore
Cloudy Sky – LRV: 33.31 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Cloudy Sky by Benjamin Moore is a dark blue-gray paint color that’s well suited for any room in the house. If you can make this color work with the rest of your design color palette, it’s an excellent choice!
“Infused with steely blue-green undertones, this dark gray captures the moody, romantic ambiance of a rainy day.”
Benjamin Moore
I love Cloudy Sky as a cabinet color – the cabinets in the laundry room below are painted with Benjamin Moore Cloudy Sky.
Winter Lake (2129-50) by Benjamin Moore
Winter Lake – LRV: 40.96 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
This blue-gray is a beautifully soft & elegant baby blue. With a LRV of 40.96, Winter Lake falls near the middle of the pack in terms of brightness, but it is a slightly brighter than average.
Benjamin Moore’s paint color descriptions are usually perfect, and this one for Winter Lake is fitting with no fluff.
“A soothing medium gray with soft blue undertones.”
Benjamin Moore
In the images below, the walls are painted with Winter Lake by Benjamin Moore.
Van Courtland Blue by Benjamin Moore
Van Courtland Blue (HC-145) – LRV: 31.47 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore: Water’s Edge (1635) & James River Gray (AC-23)
Benjamin Moore went a little overboard on the naming scheme for this color – it actually has three different names, but all three are 100% identical:
- Van Courtland Blue (HC-135)
- Water’s Edge (1635)
- James River Gray (AC-23)
Despite the naming confusion, I like the color! It seems like a perfect blend of blue and gray, but it actually has a tendency to look a little more blue (especially in a room with lots of Northern light).
This is one of the darker blue-gray colors with a LRV of 31.47. Van Courtland Blue is a strong contender in this category (unless you want a color that is more gray than blue).
Here’s how Benjamin Moore describes the color:
“An elegant Old World blue that also works well in more contemporary spaces.”
Benjamin Moore
Van Courtland Blue looks bright and beautiful in the office space below that is lit up with plenty of natural light.
Santorini Blue (1634) by Benjamin Moore
Santorini Blue – LRV: 44.67 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Also known as Benjamin Moore: Nantucket Fog (AC-22) & Cameo Blue (TH-240)
Santorini Blue by Benjamin Moore (also known as Nantucket Fog, and Cameo Blue) is another cool blue-gray paint color that’s a little more blue than gray. I love the bold and bright look.
This paint color has a casual yet sophisticated vibe that makes it a really great blue-gray color. With a LRV of 44.67, this is the brightest color in the category.
“As refreshing as it is cool, this sophisticated blue features a touch of gray.”
Benjamin Moore
The bathroom below looks superb with Santorini Blue walls.
Aleutian (SW 6241) by Sherwin-Williams
Aleutian – LRV: 39 (LRV, or Light Reflectance Value is a scale commonly used by design professionals where 0 = absolute black and 100 is pure white.)
Sherwin-Williams’ Aleutian is a blue-gray paint color that attempts to capture the beauty of the Bearing Sea and the Aleutian Islands (Alaska’s chain of islands).
It must have been cloudy when Sherwin-Williams was soaking in inspiration from the Aleutian Islands, because this color reminds me of overcast skies. While overcast is far from my favorite weather in real life, its actually pretty charming as a paint color!
“Like a darkening sky at dusk, this cool denim blue settles on your space like calm personified. Bring a chill vibe to your bedroom or bathroom.”
Sherwin-Williams
The bedroom below is painted with Aleutian by Sherwin-Williams.
Want my A-to-Z blueprint on how to design a room that’s beautiful and stylish?
My Paint & Design Resources
Helping people create cohesive interior design without breaking the bank is one of my biggest passions. I’ve written several articles to help streamline and take all of the stress out of choosing paint colors for your home.
Check them out here:
- How To Choose A Paint Color | Lighting, Undertones, Sheen (and more!)
- White Paint Colors | Ultimate Guide
- Gray Paint Colors | The Top Colors
- Green Paint Colors | Most Popular Colors
- Black Paint Color Guide | Top 10 Best Colors
- Paint Color Trends 2021 | Trending Colors From Top Brands
- Best Paint Colors For North Facing Rooms
- Best Paint Colors For South Facing Rooms
- Samplize Review | Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples
- White Dove Paint Color Review | After Painting My Whole House!
Thanks for reading! If you have questions or comments, please leave them below!