Should My Porch Be Haint Blue? A Paint Color With a Haunted Past
Updated: Apr 11, 2021
Haint blue is a collection of pale shades of blue-green that are traditionally used to paint porch ceilings in the southern United States, and it's no different here in Plains, Georgia.
As you can see, the porch ceiling needs painted -- badly! So upon my research into historical Victorian and cottages of the era here in the South, the paint color haint blue is the thing to do.
But why?
According to Wikipedia, the tradition originated with the Gullah in Georgia and South Carolina.
The ceiling of the slave quarters at the Owens–Thomas House in Savannah, Georgia, built in the early nineteenth century, was painted haint blue.
The southern use of this color blue as a protection against evil spirits, calling it “haint blue”. Since I have three porches on the cottage, I'm thinking I'll stick to the Victorian / Southern tradition of haint blue.
But which shade should I choose?
I've also heard here in the South, picking the right haint blue ceiling color will ward off any pests too.
Soooo, no hauntings or pests if I paint my porch ceilings haint blue? I'm in!
My newest park bench find is kind of like a haint blue... wonder if it wards off anything? LOL
Well I'm off to the paint store to see if I can decide on the perfect shade of haint blue for my 1907 Plains Cottage. Wish me luck!! #PlainsCottage #PlainsGeorgia #HaintBlue #VictorianPorches
