In Your Eyes Paint Color? The 92 Correct Answer

LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a measure commonly used by design professionals such as architects and interior designers that expresses the percentage of light reflected from a surface. LRVs range from 0-100, where 100 means pure white and 0 means absolute black.

The key to a relaxing, getaway bedroom might be more than a big, comfortable bed. According to a study, the secret to a calming room is navy blue — and there’s scientific evidence to back it.

The University of Sussex and the British paper manufacturer G.F. Smith has researched that navy blue is a calming color – in fact, the most relaxing color in the world. The results were part of a larger study called The World’s Favorite Color Project, which asked several thousand people around the world to choose their favorite color. (The winning color was a rich teal that was later dubbed Marrs Green.) They were also asked to list how colors make them feel and what emotions they associate with different hues.

“The more saturated the color, the more it’s associated with excitement and stimulation,” Anna Franklin said in a post on the study’s blog. “A very large number of studies have found that red is also associated with excitement and stimulation (a smaller number find no association).”

Is Blue a Calming Color? It seems so. After analyzing the associations, the researchers confirmed that “relax” was the most commonly used to describe navy blue.

“Naturally based colors, particularly those representative of water, have long been sought after as colors associated with calm and relaxation,” said Stephanie Pierce, director of design and trends at MasterBrand Cabinets. “The history of navy indoors has evolved from lapis to ultramarine and Prussian blue in bathroom or bedroom settings to create a soothing spa-like feel.”

We can’t say we’re surprised. Better Homes & Gardens has conducted its own trend study. Out of 32 home trends including metallic wallpaper, acrylic tables and artificial plants, cobalt blue was voted the ultimate winner by our readers. Cobalt blue is slightly lighter than navy but still evokes the calm you desire in personal spaces like your bedroom, office, or family room.

“A bedroom serves as the bookend of our day, so use a deep shade of blue like In The Navy SW 9178 on the walls and layer it in nature-inspired blues and greens to create a restful sanctuary,” says Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams color expert.

Navy blue also works well for gathering places like the kitchen or your movie night. If painting your walls isn’t an option, consider small touches of navy blue like fluffy throw pillows or luxe velvet drapes.

Of course, according to science, you don’t have to redecorate. For example, if blue energizes you and orange calms you, incorporate them into your color scheme accordingly. Ultimately, you should decorate with colors that best suit your personality.

I’m so excited to chat about one of my all time favorite paint colors, Wythe Blue by Benjamin Moore! Spoiler alert – I like this shade so much that it got a very prominent place in one of my recent room makeovers. 😉 You can see that immediately when you enter my home. After reading about the shade and looking at some of the photos I am sure you will love it too.

Wythe Blue was introduced by Benjamin Moore in 1976 as part of the Historic Color collection. This beautiful shade mimics a timeless appeal found in both traditional and contemporary homes, as well as historic homes. In 2012 it was even voted “Color of the Year” by BM:

Far more versatile than you might think, blue really is a classic colour. It has universal appeal, never goes out of style, and is overwhelmingly chosen as a color favorite across North America. Reminiscent of the sea and sky, it soothes us physically and symbolizes trust and commitment. Because of the influence blue has in our world today, we chose Wythe Blue (HC-143) as Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year 2012. It’s a beautiful, soothing shade that has a traditional element and offers a grounding rootedness that offers comfort and stability. Benjamin Moore

Wythe Blue is a calm teal that can fill a room or be used as an accent color to draw attention. Here’s everything you need to know about this pretty color, plus plenty of examples using the shade in real homes.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. See my full disclosure policy here.

NOTE: If you’re painting the room yourself, these tools will help tremendously. And this post gives you my top tips on how to paint a room in 5 easy steps.

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Wythe Blue undertones

If you look at a pattern, Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue has strong gray and green influences. However, once the paint is applied to your walls, you’ll see that the blue clearly stands out, with green or gray undertones being secondary depending on the lighting and other accents.

Wythe Blue picks up gray accents and furniture in the room, reflecting more gray undertones. Gray undertones will also be present when there is nothing in the room or when there is not enough lighting to bring out the green.

Wythe Blue’s green undertones will be present in west-facing rooms, where the more yellow natural light floods the walls. If you want those green undertones, you need a fixture like white fixtures and flooring in a bathroom with lots of greenery outside that will help bring out the green undertones. My dining room faces west, so it looks very green!

Another way to see more green undertones is to pair another light blue color with Wythe Blue. The lighter blue generally accentuates the greens in Wythe Blue. In addition, green is perceived more strongly at night as the colors become more saturated.

Colors to match Wythe Blue

Wythe Blue is a color that is neither too dark nor too light. It lands right in the middle of the Light Reflective Value Index, a scale that measures from absolute black to pure white on a scale of 1 to 100. Thanks to a middle placement in the LRV, Wythe Blue can be combined well with most colors. Some Benjamin Moore suggestions to try are:

Olivine 519

Shaking Gray 1594

Van Buren Braun HC-70

Distant Gray 2124-70

Palladian Blue HC-144

Edgecomb Gray HC-173

In addition, Wythe Blue blends well with most whites. You would be hard pressed to find a regularly used decor color that Wythe Blue doesn’t work well with in some form or way. I used it with Simply White OC-117 in my bathroom and it looks amazing together!

This shade of blue can also work wonderfully as an accent color. Brilliant shades of red come to the fore in rooms decorated with Wythe Blue. Yellow and green complement each other even more than usual with Wythe Blue in the room. Believe it or not, tangerine can also make a surprisingly vibrant combination with the hue.

Room with Wythe Blue

Richer than other shades of blue, Wythe Blue can be used in many rooms throughout the home. It’s cheerful enough for children’s rooms, formal enough for dining rooms and neutral enough for outdoors. Here are some of my favorite examples from around the web.

Wythe Blue in the bedrooms

This Wythe Blue first bedroom is fresh and clean. This photo of House of Turquoise shows how green undertones can be present without being overpowering or muddy.

In contrast, this Wythe Blue bedroom features a mix of blue and gray. Likewise, it is crisp and clean. However, the lack of yellow light helps minimize the green undertones you see above.

bathroom

I have a special affinity for a Wythe Blue bathroom! In fact, it’s the color I chose recently when remodeling my girls’ bathroom. How pretty is that board and batten? Every time I enter this room, it gives me joy. Sappy, I know.

This bathroom features Wythe Blue with gray undertones in a dark setting. This room was designed by Bella Casa Interiors and you can see the hue moving from green to gray undertones depending on where the light hits.

The green undertones definitely stand out in this dreamy, spa-like Wythe Blue bathroom from the design team at Avenue B Development. Wythe Blue as an accent in a room with darker lighting brings out the green as you can see.

Kitchens with Wythe Blue

There’s a lot going on in this kitchen. The bright red accents contrast with the white and gray fixtures and cabinets. What holds this House of Turquoise kitchen together is Wythe Blue. Used sparingly, it helps focus your gaze on specific areas of the kitchen. It’s interesting to note that the hue goes well with every other color in this room!

When you compare this Wythe Blue kitchen to the one directly above, you will see the versatility of this color and how well it suits any style. It suits this country house perfectly. The dark gray island really makes the blue pop.

living room

This living room features Wythe Blue in play, a great mix of blue, green and grey. Studio Ten 25 did a great job using the soft light to make Wythe Blue feel neutral and even a little warm.

This Wythe Blue living room shows both green undertones on the left and a more bluish tone in the middle. This shows how light really plays on Wythe Blue.

In contrast, this living room is a breezy green-blue with Wythe Blue by The Decorologist. The natural light fills the space and helps the dark wood to bring out the green. Note that it’s not as clear as some other rooms.

my dining room

My own dining room is painted this rich and soothing color because I fell in love with it the moment we moved into our house 7 years ago. Since my room faces west and has a lot of yellow/brown tones, it definitely prefers green. And i love it!

Exterior with BM Wythe Blue

If you just want a touch of Wythe Blue on your exterior, add a touch of personality by painting your door in shade like Suburban Bees did. It’s an inviting, timeless color that adds a little excitement to every day. A door of this color originally made me fall in love with it!

are you convinced yet In which room will you add Wythe Blue? I like the bathroom, but the front doors in this shade will forever hold my heart as well. 💗

Don’t forget to check out these other awesome paint colors!

Tools to help paint a room yourself

I’ve put together some of the best tools for painting a room yourself. First of all, you should check out this post I wrote: Painting a Room in 5 Easy Steps. These tools are the best tools I use when painting my own rooms and this is how they get painted 95% of the time!

Brushes – These brushes are a bit more expensive than your basic brush, but they are worth it! I’ve been using these brushes for well over a decade and if you give them a good wash after each use they will last for years.

– These brushes are a bit more expensive than your basic brush, but they are worth it! I’ve been using these brushes for well over a decade and if you give them a good wash after each use they will last for years. Painter’s tape – a MUST for masking edges. You’ll need to tape off all edges if you don’t have a steady hand.

– a MUST for masking edges. You’ll need to tape off all edges if you don’t have a steady hand. Drop Cloths – a must have if you don’t already have one lying around the house.

– a must if you don’t already have one lying around the house. Paint Mug – Sure you could use any old mug, but I swear by this one. The magnetic piece keeps your brush neatly in place when you need to take a break. And it fits my hand perfectly and prevents it from cramping.

– Sure you could use any old mug, but I swear by this one. The magnetic piece keeps your brush neatly in place when you need to take a break. And it fits my hand perfectly and prevents it from cramping. Ink Tray – I have found the only ink tray I will ever use again. The magnetic piece is great for holding the reel in place. And the liners are a luxury but I won’t paint without them because it makes clean up a breeze!

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COLOR SPOTLIGHT – Benjamin Moore Tranquilty

When choosing a paint color, I generally advise against choosing one based on its name. For example, Benjamin Moore Calming Green is a very pretty shade of green-turquoise, but definitely not relaxing. Who even names these colors?!

If there’s one color that lives up to its name, it’s Benjamin Moore Tranquility. With touches of blue/green, this shade of gray is perfect for softening any space. I love it in the bedroom where you want to create a calm atmosphere. It goes wonderfully with cream and other soft beige or gray tones, as well as with all shades of wood. Make sure your space doesn’t feel too flat by adding a pop of color with fresh flowers or accent pillows.

At the end of a long day, I often relax on the couch. Light colors are great for energetic spaces (and people), but in the living room I prefer a calm hue that’s easy on the eyes. As in the bedroom, tranquility is paired with tones of white and taupe. Add color with a bold rug! Scroll down to see more of this House Of Turquoise interior.

If you want to give your bathroom a rustic farmhouse vibe, use Tranquility on walls, woodwork, or furniture. It’s just dark enough to look rich without being overwhelming, but not so bright that it looks washed out in a larger room with more light.

Here’s a similar bathroom from Decor Pad that uses the exact same colors, but because the design uses sharp corners and clean lines, the space feels more contemporary.

Do you love quiet as much as I do? Remember that light can have a huge impact on how colors appear in a room, so it’s a good idea to try a pint-sized sample in your home before committing.

If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to check back next week to see what’s new on the blog, but if you can’t wait, our Facebook page is updated daily with amazing spaces, design tips, and DIY projects updated. Or get a little behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in the paint shop (and other stunning spaces) on our Instagram page here.

If you’re nearby and don’t want to miss a paint sale, join our mailing list by following this link!

Happy painting!

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LRV, or Light Reflectance Value, is a measure commonly used by design professionals such as architects and interior designers that expresses the percentage of light reflected from a surface. LRVs range from 0-100, where 100 means pure white and 0 means absolute black.

Share the best teal paint colors along with real examples of these colors in homes!

After sharing my post on the best blue-grey paint colors, I received requests for a similar post on the best blue-green paint colors! So, I’m back today with so many more beautiful mud blue color options that are more green than gray! I’ve also included links to tons of other top paint colors at the very bottom of this post if you’re interested!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

The best teal paint colors and real life examples in houses

It’s no secret that different shades of blue are having a moment right now! And my coast-loving heart is here for it! The problem is that there are so many variations of color. Blue mixed with grey, blue becoming greener, and so on. Below I’m narrowing down the best teal paint colors that work for a variety of decorating styles! If you find these colors too saturated or too bold to use on the walls in your home, they also make stunning accent colors on cabinets, front doors, shutters and more!

If you want to try large, pre-painted patterns, I’d definitely look to Sampliz to help you choose the perfect teal color for your home! Their large peel and stick patterns are made with real color (not dyed to mimic color) so this can definitely help narrow down your top choices.

Benjamin Moore Healing Aloe

If you’ve been following me for a long time (7+ years?) you might remember my obsession with Benjamin Moore Healing Aloe. It is the prettiest pale teal color that looks amazing with bright white trim. The image below from Caitlin Creer Interiors has served as an inspiration for me for many years!

Sherwin Williams sea salt

We used to use Sherwin Williams used sea salt in our master bedroom. It was the perfect calm color, especially when I got to painting all of our trim white (as opposed to the previous almond color). You can see more about the process in my post on our sea salt bedroom reveal. It’s definitely a chameleon color, looking more blue in some lights and greener in others. I also know a few people who felt like it was super saturated in their house and they just asked the color counter to turn the saturation down to 50% or 75% and it was perfect! There’s a reason this one is so popular!

Benjamin Moore Beach Glass

Benjamin Moore Beach Glass is a gorgeous ‘muddy’ teal paint color. It has hints of gray which makes it look like a neutral in some lights. It’s a lovely way to add some color to your space without being too bold.

Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue

Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue is another one of those colors that can actually seem like a neutral color in some rooms. It is a color that combines beautifully with so many other shades. Especially in coastal style homes!

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue

Palladian Blue is a calming blue-green color that, despite its name, reads green rather than blue. It looks gorgeous paired with bright white and other shades of blue, or with bold shades of pink and coral!

Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue

Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue is possibly one of the most popular front door colors in the world. It’s another chameleon that takes on more blue or green undertones depending on the environment. It looks great with so many outdoor spaces and looks just as great on shutters!

I first fell in love with this stunning teal paint color in 2011 at the Hiya Papaya Home Tour on House of Turquoise. It was basically my dream conformation back then!

Sherwin Williams drizzle

Although Sherwin Williams Drizzle is a popular front door paint, I love using it below on a ceiling! Such a beautiful and calm color. Paired with bright white it gives those Caribbean and Florida Keys vibes too! If you’re looking for a similar Benjamin Moore color, their St. Lucia Teal is very similar!

Benjamin Moore Williamsburg Wythe Blue

Benjamin Moore Williamsburg Wythe Blue sounds a lot like the Wythe Blue I mentioned earlier. But it’s very different! Benjamin Moore says: “We have taken paint colors from the past and given them a future. Our Williamsburg® Paint Collection is a palette of timeless colors that are both historic and modern.” I love this more saturated and teal version of the classic color. And the picture below shows a unique and beautiful color pairing with this teal paint color!

Farrow & Ball Stone Blue

This warm and timeless blue is named after the pigment indigo, which was often imported in clumps in the 18th century. Farrow & Ball Stone Blue is a vibrant color that suits both warm and cool tones.

Benjamin Moore Starfish

A beautiful mid-tone teal color, Benjamin Moore Sea Star is a great way to bring a coastal vibe into your home!

Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal

This next beauty, Benjamin Moore Aegean Teal is indeed the Benjamin Moore Color of the Year for 2021! If you want a mid-tone mix of blues and greens and love saturation, this color is a winner! If it’s too daring for you to consider on walls, I think it would make a stunning bathroom cabinet, front door, or kitchen island color. It looks so pretty with white and wood tones!

Sherwin Williams Oceanside

Sherwin Williams Oceanside was the Sherwin Williams Color of the Year 2018! Personally, I love this rich blue with jewel green the most when paired with other bold colors like in the example below. From Sherwin Williams: “Oceanside’s multidimensional, sea-inspired look can make an inviting statement as a vibrant color for a front door. Its green-meets-blue hue can also encourage creative thinking and clarity of thought in a home office, or invite meditation and introspection into a bedroom or reading nook.”

Sherwin Williams Rainstorm

I love Sherwin Williams Rainstorm for a kitchen island or an accent wall. It would also be nice on built-in closets in the home office!

Benjamin Moore Newburg Green

In that case, don’t let the name fool you. Though it has green undertones, the color still reads indoors as a rich, jewel-toned blue. It’s the perfect option if you can’t commit to a true dark navy as it tends more towards teal.

Farrow & Ball Hague Blue

This paint color has been very popular in recent years. It’s such a gorgeous peacock blue color that looks great in so many spaces! I love it on walls in atmospheric living rooms, libraries and dining rooms!

Benjamin Moore Dark Harbor

This bold and dramatic teal color looks just as beautiful on matte surfaces as it does on gloss painted walls! The moody color is perfect for any room where you want to add a little drama, be it a study, dining room or powder room!

Any other teal colors you’ve used and loved in the past? I welcome more ideas in the comments!

Additional color inspiration

If you’re looking for even more color inspiration, be sure to check out these other posts by clicking on their titles below:

Free Color Organization Printables

If you paint your home frequently like me, it can sometimes be difficult to keep all your paint (and paint cans) organized! I recently created a free printable color organizer kit that I think you’ll all love!

Just fill out the form below and I’ll email you the PDF files to get you started today! It will also put you on my email list, but you can always easily unsubscribe if that’s not your thing.

You’re probably imagining a shade of blue that looks like either the sky or the sea – or maybe something very bold and deep – something like navy blue?

But the truth is – this color is definitely not like any of them.

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue is actually a soft green-blue color that closely matches its physical properties to those of a calming green color.

It’s calm and relaxing – well, definitely reminds me of fern green!

Even if we call it blue – it kind of has a big green cast to it. Deceiving a lot, isn’t it?

And you’d be surprised to know that color psychology is even more interesting!

But before we get into that – I want to help you understand the true specs behind the color of paint, its appearance, aesthetics and most importantly – whether or not you should be using this color in your home!

A symbol of purity and comfort, this mother of pearl will definitely prove to be a must-try color in your space.

So, sit back and relax!

I’m going to share some very interesting insights into this color that you’re dying to know!

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue HC-144 details and specifications

Before choosing this color for your home, you must remember to go through the color specifications and details.

So every color has a story to tell – and that’s what makes every color so unique!

So, next time – remember that no two colors are the same!

Even though they tend to look the same, they can be very different due to the undertones and reflectivity.

So, let’s cook up some details here!

First and foremost, look to the end of your color swatches to determine the light reflectance values, or LRVs, of the paint color.

This value helps determine how light or dark the color is – and you need to know this to make informed decisions.

Remember, the higher the value, the lighter the color and vice versa! On a scale of 1-100, with 100 being the easiest!

So the LRV of Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue is 61.17.

And that means it’s a comparatively light-toned blue-green paint color.

Would you like to try this color without having to paint your wall? Use some nifty peel-and-stick samples: get one from Samplize now!

Second, other important related terminologies are the RGB and HEX values, which further tell us what the color is made of.

Red = 193

Green = 209

Blue = 201

HEX value = #c1d1c9

Now that we’ve covered the technical and scientific information, let’s start with the practical aspects of this calm color by Benjamin Moore.

How does this color feel in a room?

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue feels absolutely calm and relaxing, calming and contented when used in your home and is extremely comfortable and soothing.

This color has deep cooler blue and green undertones that help relieve stress while calming the room.

So you’ll probably feel cooler and more at peace when you come home after a long day at work and breaking a sweat.

And that’s why I strongly recommend the warmer and tropical states to use this color either in the common areas or even in the private rooms.

In addition, the color games have a certain magic!

Do you know what that is?

Well, it will help push your walls away – making your space look and feel bigger than it is.

How does light affect color?

Light tends to play a big role here – as it does with any other lighter colour!

So the first step in color selection is to simply look around and observe whether or not your space is getting enough natural light.

Well, if so – that color will very likely look lighter than it already is.

Otherwise, the color can appear darker and duller for rooms with minimal natural light.

On the other hand, you have to be careful to use this color in the south or west facing rooms – because of the calming of the incoming heat with this cool toned base.

To really see what your home’s surroundings and lighting do here, try an actual color sample. It takes the guess work!

What are the best coordinating colors?

As we have discussed, it is so important to analyze the color to choose the best complementary colors.

With colors as confusing as BM Palladian Blue, it is comparatively difficult to choose a complementary shade.

Since they tend to look both blue and green under certain lighting conditions, this becomes quite a difficult task.

So, here I will suggest some interesting shades that go well with this teal color.

First and foremost, you can choose from either a contrasting or monochromatic color palette – depending on your interior style and theme.

For contrasts, you can choose between gray tones, creamy white, black, anthracite blue and deep brown.

So check out these few colors I would recommend for a monochrome palette!

703 Catalina Blue 634 Forest Valley Green 635 Parsley Shears

On the other hand, here are some of the colors I would recommend for a contrasting color palette!

2159-70 White Cloud 2129-40 Normandy OC-65 Chantilly Lace – check out my full review here

Remember to combine these with BM Simply White on the crown molding, moldings and other decorative architectural features.

BM Palladian Blue Vs similar colors

Benjamin Moore offers a wide range of similar looking options for this color!

But remember – they can differ either in looks, undertones or reflectance values.

So the two most similar looking color options are, to name a few, 702 Bali and 695 Turquoise Mist.

Palladian Blue vs. Bali

BM Bali is another beautiful teal color from the Classic collection!

It’s timeless and definitely reminds me of the blue-green waters of Bali! do you think so too

With an LRV of 57.94, it goes without saying that the color is comparatively darker than the Palladian Blue!

Order a Bali wall sticker sample here so you can better compare the colors in your own space.

Palladian Blue Vs Turquoise Mist

BM Turquoise Mist has an LRV of 60.96 – pretty close to the reflectivity of BM Palladian Blue.

This color can absolutely be an effective alternative due to their similar undertones and appearances.

Remember to combine it with the same contrasting colors as mentioned before!

Do yourself a favor and grab some sample squares to stick on these two colors and see what looks best in your home.

Finally, you can also compare to BM Woodlawn Blue HC-147, which differs due to its more blue undertones but has essentially the same LRV.

Where is palladian blue used?

BM Palladian Blue is so serene and inviting that you can use it practically anywhere in your home – whether it’s the living room, bedroom, kitchen, meditation room or bathroom.

Speaking of interior styles, Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue is a great pick for coastal, modern, contemporary, Caribbean and Cape Cod styles.

Try to avoid it in design styles like country, farmhouse, and bohemian styles as they crave a warmer appeal!

Let’s see where and how you can incorporate this beautiful teal color into your home.

Palladian blue in living and dining rooms

If you want your common areas to have a cool and fresh background, it is recommended to choose this relaxing color.

It will soothe your living rooms and I promise you – you would love to spend some time in it.

You can pair it with off-white and neutral linen upholstery and bold off-white curtains to add depth.

In addition, you can also use glossy black marble around the fireplace – just in case!

Your space will likely feel airy, bright, and upgraded with this color!

Remember to incorporate warmer wood textures here to create a sense of contradiction in the palette! However, avoid pine and similar shades.

Use in bedrooms and bathrooms

Why not?

Well, Palladian bedrooms are one of the most tranquil!

They will add a nice crisp texture to your rooms and help you feel relaxed when you return to your rooms tired and sleepy.

Also, I recommend incorporating tons of white in the form of bed frames, nightstands, and even dressers.

Wood textures and gray suede and velvet fabrics are not a bad option either!

Additionally, using matte black chandeliers would help refine the look of your bedroom.

Palladian blue in the kitchen

If you like a nice cool hue in your kitchen, especially in open concept plans, you can definitely incorporate this into the cabinets or background wall.

Try pairing it with a white or black marble countertop, white hexagonal glossy backsplash, and nickel-colored fixtures and pull handles. (avoid brass)

You can also go the other way by painting the backdrop wall this color and leaving the cabinets crisp white.

If you’ve laid lush hardwood floors, that’s a plus!

Outdoor use

Outdoor Palladian Blue makes the color appear lighter than it is.

I recommend using this color on Cape Cod, Craftsman, and Caribbean style homes.

Pair it with white, gray or cream colored trim and moldings.

Yes – this is how you set a great contrast in your outdoor area!

You can also do it the other way around, using white on the trims.

An easy way to try this color!

Rather than picking up a small can, or worse, an entire gallon can, to “test” Palladian Blue, you can order a peelable sample of it from Samplize.

The company is genius — they offer a 12″ x 12″ sticky square that you can stick anywhere in your house to try out a paint color.

For a few bucks, it’s definitely worth the small investment so you can see what the color will do in YOUR unique space with your own highlights and shadows.

How would you like to use this color in your home? Interior or exterior?

Now that you know all the secrets – are you excited to paint your home Palladian Blue?

Should there be any questions or thoughts, let me know in the comments below!

Sharing is caring!

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The best mixed color of green, gray and blue: SW Sea Salt

Aside from gray and greige, sea salt and other beach-themed paint colors seem to be the most popular with today’s homeowners.

Why? Well, like a good gray or greige, they suit MANY spaces and styles – from beach themed bathrooms to cozy cottages!

Before we start…

As well as working with this color on a daily basis with my e-design clients, I painted a BIG OLE pattern and strapped it to my body for the day (the non-tangled form of body paint). Color sample on one hip, bottle of wine on the other – I was locked and loaded! I looked at it in north and south facing rooms – morning, noon and night so I can get a better idea of ​​how it works and then share that information with you.

And let me tell you, I needed this bottle of wine – in a sippy cup. By the time I finished, my brain was swimming with the many ways sea salt changed throughout the day. I mean, every color changes from room to room/wall to wall, but it has to be the mix of undertones in this bad boy that makes him the ULTIMATE color ninja.

So the photos of these rooms are just examples of what you can expect from a color like Sea Salt in a variety of situations — it’s not gospel, but it might come as close as you can get…just call me Saint Kylie.

Ready Betty?

What is the LRV of sea salt?

Sea salt has an LRV of 64, meaning it can help make a room feel brighter and brighter as it reflects artificial and natural light back into the room, but it’s not so bright that it saves a dark room or in an overly wash would be fairly well lit.

Read more: What is LRV and how to use it to choose a paint color

What Are the Undertones of Sherwin Williams Sea Salt?

Sea salt is a mixture of water and salt. hehe. Sea salt is a mix of green and gray. Well, this is very similar to MANY of the paint colors popular today, but it all comes down to proportion when it comes to which color will POP and which will recede. And that’s not all sea salt has shown up its watery sleeves…

Sea salt is notorious for looking blue—and not just a little, but A LOT. That’s right, the world’s most popular green-grey paint color is actually a turn signal—and it flashes blue, leaving green in the dust.

Sometimes sea salt is a nice mix of green and gray, but it’s a cool green (green-blue) rather than a warm green (green-yellow).

Occasionally she leans SIGNIFICANTLY into her green side, more commonly in a south-facing room or a room with warm lightbulbs.

It is also known to turn green-blue or blue with just a hint of green, more commonly in north-facing rooms with diffused light. Part of the ‘recipe’ of this paint color is a bluish black – which means it can subtly affect the base of that color in the right lighting situation.

Sea salt in a balanced, well-lit room

In a well-lit room with a few different exposures (common with open concepts), Sea Salt will likely vary from wall to wall throughout the day. Sometimes flashing a little greener, sometimes a little bluer, while the gray base calms it down.

The photo above shows sea salt as blue as it gets!

Let’s take a short break to talk color patterns…

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Depending on location, they are less expensive than the sample pots/rollers/foam sheets required for traditional color samples

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Sea salt in a room with direct daylight

In a room with lots of direct natural light, you can expect Sea Salt to wash out a bit (due to its slightly higher LRV) without completely losing itself. As soon as the direct sunlight disappears, the color comes back immediately!

Sea salt in a room with very little or no natural light or in the evening

When there is very little natural light and lots of shadows, you can expect this color to look a little more muted. It could also be a little more inclined, leaning a little more into its green roots.

The 8 best blue and green paint colors: Benjamin and Sherwin

Sea salt in a south facing room

The sun’s rays in a south-facing room are yellow, and that yellow can deviate from the undertones in Sea Salt, making it look a bit green or blue.

Sea salt in a north facing room

I just couldn’t get Sea Salt to completely lose the green, no matter how much those shadows wanted to bother. No matter what exposure/room I was in, if it leaned a little to the gray side with a cool blue cast, the green always winked at me from behind the scenes (don’t tell his wife) – but it DEFINITELY will passive.

And even when this color takes on a bluish tint, it doesn’t look as icy as a traditional “light blue” paint color as the green adds a certain softness.

If you want a little more color and a touch more BLUE, check out Sherwin Williams Rainwashed. Want a wink of more depth? You might love Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray!

Click HERE or on the image above to view available packages!

Sea Salt with Marble

Sea Salt looks beautiful with most types of marble, with the exception of marbles with excessively purple veins (sometimes the gray veins can appear a little purple).

It’s also a fresh, clean look with white…

Sea Salt: To sum it up

Obviously there is a LOT to consider when choosing a paint color – LRV, exposure, personal taste and the needs of your home. Trust me, EVERY DAY I’m learning more and more about how these factors can affect how a color looks. Here’s what I learned from this salty coloring adventure…

I don’t have to carry a bottle of wine with me all day – I don’t have any left for the evening.

Sea salt prefers to turn green rather than blue, but not always.

If you have a bright, north-facing room and don’t use a lot of artificial lights, Sea Salt can appear a little bluer.

Once you add the interior lighting (as long as it’s not those glaring white bulbs), the green can come back and balance things out again.

If you have a south-facing room, the greenery can stand out more as the warm rays of the sun react to the cool tones of the sea salt.

Phew, we did it! You can probably tell I’m in one of my OCD phases as I haven’t left a stone unturned with this one!

CONTINUE READING:

The 8 best blue and green paint colors: Benjamin and Sherwin

The 7 best green paint colors

The best calm and stress-free paint colors

Not sure if sea salt is right for YOU and YOUR home?

Check out my online color consultation services – I’m happy to help!

chat soon,

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN 2018, UPDATED 2021