Some people think I’m crazy. But the color of your ceiling can affect the way you feel. Find out why I painted my front porch ceiling with the least cheerful color imaginable. Black!
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Blue Porch Ceilings | Myth Or Fact?
Is it a myth or fact? Some will argue the point to be true but I did a little research on this subject and here’s what I found.
- Gullah folklore believed that ghosts also known as “haints” (also pronounced “haunts”) couldn’t cross water and because the blue resembles water, ceilings were painted this color to keep evil spirits from entering. This beautiful shade of blue is known as haint blue today.
- This same blue color is also believed to keep away insects such as wasps or bugs. Back in the day, the paint was mixed with lye, a natural insecticide. So, I guess there is some truth to that.
- Blue paint when used to paint the porch ceilings also was believed to keep birds or other pests from building nests. The theory was that birds would mistake the blue for the sky and take their nest-building skills somewhere else. No momma bird in her right mind would put her little tweets in danger of falling from the sky.
My in-laws painted their porch ceilings (front and back) this color and it was beautiful, however, it did not solve her bird nesting issues. She might as well have painted the ceiling brown. Maybe the mud nests from the swallows would have just blended in. They are in Central Texas and nothing seems to distract them.
Plan Out A Color Scheme | Front Porch Ceiling Painted Black
While painting your front porch ceiling blue can most certainly create a calming airy feel, before you jump into this southern tradition, consider a few things.
Do you love a blue accent color?
Does it complement the exterior of your home?
But if you do decide on the haint blue color and later decide it’s not for you, you can always repaint it.
Why I Chose A Darker Color – BLACK
While white is always a safe option for a ceiling and one that I almost went with, in the end, we decided that a dark gray (almost black) would be the perfect color for our covered porch.
Our home is a 1980s contemporary ranch style. Painting the ceiling blue just felt all wrong. However, I did LOVE the idea of a contrasting ceiling color. So, with a little help from my friend Tammy Graves with Rustic Orchard Home, I chose to go with a darker color. BLACK! I wanted some visual interest with a contrasting wall color for a modern updated feel.
I know what you must be thinking. Doesn’t a black ceiling close in the space? One would think so but it actually gives a space coziness. But be mindful of the sheen that you choose. A matte black finish is great for a ceiling that needs to hide some flaws but if you dare, go with a slight sheen (eggshell or satin) to add a bit of glare for even more drama.
Front Porch Makeover – Painted Black Ceiling
I’ve been waiting all Summer to tackle this porch and finally the cooler Fall weather is here.
While I would love to tackle the porch floor as well, for now, it will have to wait.
But the entryway walls and the ceiling are getting a new look!
Consider Adding A Ceiling Fan
Here in the southern states, we LOVE our ceiling fans. This porch had three! But they had all seen better days so we chose to update them with a more modern ceiling-hugging version to complement the dark ceiling.
If you have an outdoor space that you spend a lot of time in, consider adding one. Ceiling fans have really evolved over the last few years. I’ve always hated the ugly globes not to mention how they seem to attract dirt overnight. The ones we chose to replace these with are modern, stylish, and really complement our outdoor space.
Clean And Make Repairs Before Painting
The exterior of our porch is all wood so before painting it with a fresh coat of paint, we power washed it to remove all the dirt, grime, and more than a few dirt dauber nests and allowed it to dry overnight.
There were some missing wood trim pieces that were replaced and we added an additional trim around the top where the ceiling and the wall meet.
There were some missing wood trim pieces that were replaced and we added an additional trim around the top where the ceiling and the wall meet.
We also decided to change the placement of the support posts. There were four across the front and side for a total of eight. That was way too many in my honest opinion.
To open up the porch space we removed two of them and spread the post farther apart. The structure of the porch was stable so this was a fairly simple task.
Eventually, I would like to wrap the post to beef them up but that will be phase 2 or 3. Maybe 4!
Challenges When Painting Exterior Wood
Painting the wood ceiling and walls was a bit of a challenge. The wood on the porch as well as the wood tongue and groove siding had been stained with an oil-based stain previously but it had been over 20 years since then. My painter and I agreed it would be best to use an oil-based primer before painting over the stain on the wood under the porch.
Normally this isn’t the case if you’re simply painting over an already-painted wall and or ceiling as long as it’s a water-based paint. But you should always do the research to be sure. Follow these three steps and you’ll be amazed at what a little elbow grease can do.
1: clean and repair
2: primer stain blocker
3: paint
We cleaned the exterior wood siding with a bleach mixture to remove the mold before restaining to preserve the beautiful wood for years to come. Renting a lift was necessary to reach the high areas.
Those boys earned every penny and I was more than happy to write them a check.
Paint And Supplies List: Front Porch Ceiling Painted Black
Below is a list of the paint colors and links to the fixtures we used to complete this porch makeover.
- Cover stain Oil Based Primer
- Sherwin Williams SW 7008 Alabaster White (satin sheen)
- Sherwin Williams SW 77069 Iron Ore (satin sheen)
- floating house numbers
- Black Ceiling Fans
- Light Fixture (over the sink)
- Front Porch (square black)
Why I Painted My Porch Ceiling Black Instead Of Blue
It’s the little things and the tiniest details that are making me fall head over heels for this ranch house fixer-upper. While it wasn’t my idea to move back to the country, I’m so glad I did.
I never dreamed I would ever paint my ceiling porch black but here I am sharing this with you. WOW! Someone needs to pinch me.
New House Numbers
These are my all-time favorite floating modern house numbers. I replaced the small gold house numbers with these larger ones. These are the same style I used to make a plaque to display our address at our previous home. CLICK HERE to learn how to make a house number sign with curb appeal.
Bringing The Indoors Out
Our side porch leads to that dining room and we chose to use the same color scheme to bring the indoors out. We love the continuous flow and now our guests have a choice to dine in or dine out.
The Colors We Chose
Sherwin Williams Alabaster (white paint) was used on the tongue and groove walls with the ceiling painted in Sherwin Williams Iron Ore. We also painted the front door to match the ceiling using a satin sheen.
This past Spring we did a major upgrade with paint inside this ranch home fixer-upper. Yes, I painted wood but not all of it. Come see!
CLICK HERE to take the tour to see everything we did.
The stainless steel sink came with the house so I cleaned and scrubbed it up and painted the legs black to add a more modern feel. It’s a great place to wash up after gardening and even better to use while cooking out on the grill or smoker.
It’s so nice not to have to go inside to wash up or grab a quick drink of water on those hot Summer days.
Would you consider painting your front porch ceiling black? The white walls contrast with the ceiling, and the wood tones are just the right amount of warmth. I think it was a great option.
I hope you enjoyed my front porch makeover. We love how our home is evolving, but you know me, I have so many more things I want to do and share with you.
Thanks for stopping by, and as always, I’d love to know your thoughts and opinions. To the comment section! 🙂
Until the next project… xo, Do
Do! Such great info in this post, you touched on so many things. Your outdoor area is so lovely and it was a pleasure to sit there with you last weekend. (Except for the asp searches 😂) Your home is beautiful and comfy. Cheers to all your hard work on your forever home. 🥰
Thanks, Wendy! We had such a great visit with y’all. The good news is the asps are gone. I’ve never been so happy to be cold. You guys will have to come in the Spring to enjoy an aspless porch experience. Love y’all as big as Texas. xo, Do
The black certainly looks better with your color scheme than light blue would. Since I am a pastel color person I would probably never even think to use black but I do like it on your porch.
Sheila
Thanks, Sheila! Painting the ceiling will also make it easier to clean that the rough wood. I hope! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. 🙂 xo
Do- thanks for sharing ideas and dark color scheme for your front porch! It was really helpful as I redesign our wrap-around front porch. Seeing what you’ve done has helped me imagine how to use a black and dark grey color scheme. I also love your house numbers!
Thanks, Diane! I love those wrap-around porches. The cold blew in this morning; now all I can think of is Spring. 🙁 I’ll have to grab some blankets, I guess. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend. 🙂 xo
Absolutely Love all of it! It’s been so fun watching your new place transform. OXOX
Hello Kimberle! Thanks for stopping by. It’s been a labor of love, that’s for sure. We’re excited to be back out in the country. Have a great week. 🙂 xo
The black really does look awesome on your porch!
Thank you, Anne! I’m honored to have you read my blog. I’m inspired and love all the projects y’all share. Keep up the fantastic work you do. 🙂 xo
Hi Do,
Beautiful Texas home! The black ceiling looks perfect with your side porch. That was a very good choice. Love your homes interior also. My sister lives in Arlington, Texas and also has a beautiful home. I love Texas❤️ I live in Illinois so the weather is definitely colder😁 I would love to have a surf prep sander, I get overwhelmed with all of the parts and extras. I would love to know which parts to use and which wet vac machine would work to keep sanding dust low when using. Sanding dust, yuk😝 If you have any suggestions, I would so appreciate the advice. Thank you Do and God bless.
Hi Lisa! Thank you! As for the sander, I ain’t gonna lie. It does take a bit of practice and using it is the best way to learn. SurfPrep has an excellent team and is very helpful to its customers. I know Hannah (daughter of the owners) personally. She would be more than happy to walk you through what you would need and the best vac to use with it. I purchased a rigid wet vac for home depot with an adapter. The sanding system is perfect if you do a lot of furniture and woodworking. If it’s just occasional, buy an inexpensive sander at the local home improvement store. I am an affiliate for the company but want you to have what works best for you. Here’s my affiliate link if you should decide to purchase. https://surfprepsanding.com/product/sanding-system-kits/?aff=10
I hope this helps. 🙂 xo
Huge win there on your porch. It’s beautiful. I bet life is good on the porch.
It was so good, that is, until we got out of the first cold spell. I will miss it, but Spring will be here before we know it. Thanks for joining me here. Have a great week. 🙂 xo
I love the black ceiling! It’s identical to the one on my sunporch and I am getting ready to freshen it up and want to paint ceiling black and walls white. I have a lot of houseplants on mine. Now trying to decide what to do with concrete floors that are currently painted but in dire need of a makeover.
Hi Debbie,
Your space sounds lovely. I have those ugly concrete floors too. My solution is outdoor rugs, but I would love to paint them. Just afraid my four-legged kiddos would have their way with it. Who am I fooling? The rug is a hot mess, but I hose it off. It’s life. 🙂 xo
What color is your front door?
The front door is painted Iron Ore by Sherwin Williams. The same as the black ceiling.
Wow. Every single decision you made came out beautiful! It just made my heart beat a little faster. What a beautiful outdoor space. You’ve done such a great job updating this home!
Thank you so much and thanks for reading. We have really enjoyed this space. 🙂