Understanding the different shades of blue
It would be quite the understatement to say that there are more than a few shades of blue. You’ve got your navy blues, your baby blues and your somewhere-in-the-middle blues. Finding ‘the one’ is sometimes a case of kismet. But more often than not, you’re likely to be drawn to a few and who could blame you? Cue our Lick Studio team, who will help you with this quick-fire guide to uncovering your beloved blue.
Picking your perfect shade of blue paint
Paint decision-making comes down to two key questions: to which colour are you most drawn, and which will suit your room, its furniture and the type of natural light it receives most? So, even if you’re faced with a palette of umpteen blues, you’ll pretty much be able to whittle the options down to a handful simply by asking yourself those questions. Our colourists write all about how to choose the right paint colour for your room, should you fancy a deeper read.
But what about if you’re like a moth to a flame across the whole spectrum of blues? What about if pale Blue 01 makes you as weak at the knees as deep and inky Blue 07? Panic not, there are three possible paths you can take. First up, are our stick-on paint samples. This way, you can give each hue a whirl on your walls – no paintbrush required. Or, with a bit more reading to dig deeper into the intricacies of the different types of blues. And as if by magic…
The pale and interesting blues
This first set of blues are the lightest of the bunch, making them a fine choice when you don’t want buckets of colour but you do want a paint that’s more than a classic neutral. They all share a similar depth of colour, but their undertones are what mix things up. Our palest blue paint, Blue 01, has got a grey-green undertone, making it warm but not in a traditional way. Similarly, Blue 03 has green undertones too, making it a great choice if you want something modern country in character. Then you’ve got Blue 02 – the fresh prince if you will.
“Blue 01 and Blue 03 have subtle hues of soft green, which are indicative of wellbeing and relaxation. Soft blues aid the mind in drifting to lighter thoughts but can also boost concentration levels making them good in a home office too.”
VANESSA AGYEMANG
Try putting Blue 01 and light blue paint Blue 03 in a south-facing room – their green-y undertones go down a treat in here. And when it comes to partnering, our pale blue paint Blue 01 looks more than lovely with its relative, Blue 07 paint – another blue with a green base. Our mint Blue 02 partners well with dusky Pink 02 (on the topic of pinks, check our guide to understanding the many shades of pink here), while Blue 03 paint tells a fresh but comforting story alongside White 03.
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The middle-ground blues
They might be classed as ‘mid-blues’, but ironically, this blue couplet is the most colourful of all. Deep blues become all about their intensity and drama rather than their blue-ness, which is what makes blue grey Blue 04, mid warm Blue 05, Blue 08 and punchy Blue 10 so fun to paint with. They’re chilled and soothing, like all blues are, but they’re the most fun to be around too in the whole palette.
“If you’re afraid to dip into the territory of rich blues like these, I’d recommend starting off with a feature wall to slowly ease yourself into the colour palette. It's a great way to colour block and break up space too.”
Tash Bradley, Director of Interior Design
Blue 04 and Blue 05, as similar as they are in depth, are poles apart in terms of warmth. Blue 04’s a cool blue, so try it in a south-facing room where it’ll balance out the warmer light. Blue 05 is the opposite, so take that to a colder, north-facing room and it’ll do the job of the thermostat. East-facing rooms will appreciate Blue 05’s warmth too.
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The deep sea blues:
Bottom-of-the-lake blues started causing a stir a little while after the world’s love affair with dark grey paint – your charcoals, your slates, your almost-blacks (like our charcoal grey paint Grey 08). Navy blue (and variations of) offered something similar, but with a bit more softness and more of a classic pedigree. The rest is history. And so step on up our two darkest blues – deep slate Blue 06 and dark Blue 07 paint – two of the trendiest blues in town.
“What I love about Blue 06 and Blue 07 is that they often surprise you. Some of my favourite decorated spaces I’ve seen them in are hallways and bathrooms – especially when they are framed or used to create a two-tone wall. ”
VANESSA AGYEMANG
Both Blue 06 and Blue 07 can head straight to a south-facing room if you’re wondering where these two hues look their best. Go for Blue 06 if you want to freshen up the feels and opt for Blue 07 to keep things cosy. And their perfect matches are White 01 for Blue 06 for that crisp, Breton stripe combination. And for something more lively, put warm Blue 07 in a room with just-as-warm Yellow 02 and watch them hit it off.
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That’s your tip-to-toe lowdown on understanding the different types of blue done and dusted. And if you now have a case of the blues, then head on and find your favourite Lick blue and get decorating! Or get inspired to paint your bedroom blue