It's Always Summer With These 11 Beach-Inspired Paint Colors

Turn your home into a beach house with the power of paint

Painting your walls or home exterior with coastal colors can make your house feel more like a vacation home, whether you live close to the beach or in a landlocked state. While a coastal palette is generally inspired by the sea, sky, and sand (think blues, greens, and light earthy tones), there is a wide variety of shades that draw inspiration from the beach. From sunsets to coral to the deep blues of the sea, check out these beach-inspired paint colors hues that will help you to evoke a breezy beachy feel, no matter where you live.

Overview

• Color Family: Neutrals, muted mid-tones, bolder dark tones

• Complementary Colors: Differs with every color

• Pairs Well With: All shades pair with various whites, many pair with soft greens and blues

• Mood: Coastal, nautical, beachy

• Where to Use: Walls, furniture, cabinetry, exterior doors

Here are our picks for the 11 best beach-inspired paint colors.

Benjamin Moore Athens Blue

Benjamin Moore's Athens Blue (797) is a heavily saturated medium blue. It reminds us of the rich blues from the Mediterranean city it's named after, and is a lovely color to use on furniture, too, such as DIY coffee table or chairs, or even kitchen cabinets. It's a cyan with more of a blue tone that pairs well with cool, bright whites for a contrast that feels deeply nautical.

Benjamin Moore Par Four

Can't pick between shades of beachy hues? Benjamin Moore's Par Four (470) is technically a green, but depending on the light in the room it can appear almost gray or blue. We can imagine this ethereal and changeable color paired with a crisp, linen white and a large jute rug.

Sherwin-Williams Silver Strand

Sherwin-Williams Silver Strand (SW 7057) is a light gray with hints of green to give it an airy feel that's light but not stark. It's perfect for a tranquil bedroom because it feels wonderfully restful and soothing. Pair it with bold blues and greens to add a little more color to your space.

Farrow & Ball Stiffkey Blue

Few paint colors feel as nautical as a true deep navy, like Farrow & Ball's Stiffkey Blue ( No, 281). The inky and bold navy shade feels utterly rich, moody, and almost yet not quite black. It saturates a smaller space, but pairs wonderfully with crisp whites or linen shades for an eye-catching contrast.

Tip

It may sound counterintuitive, but painting walls in an inky shade makes a room feel larger because the eye doesn't sense corners or shadows.

Benjamin Moore Skipping Stone

Using a tan-gray in a beachy room can be stylish and natural—if you choose the tone carefully. Benjamin Moore’s subtle Skipping Stone (CSP-155) brings the casual feel of driftwood to your color palette, and its warmth would work well with pale blue furniture, creamy white trim, and black accents. It's a perfect way to add a beachy feel to a neutral home.

Benjamin Moore Coral Reef

Add a coat of Benjamin Moore's Coral Reef (012) to a kitchen island or an accent wall for a bright pop of color reminiscent of tropical fish and coral reefs. It's a bold color that isn't shy but won't overwhelm a space either. Pair with a creamy white or even a lighter shade of pink.

Tip

Coral is an easy color to decorate around when you know that its complementary color is teal.

Benjamin Moore Iceberg

Benjamin Moore's Iceberg (2122-50) is the color of the soft shorelines of the beach and the breezy beach air. It's a light, muted blue that's soft enough for a bedroom or an office, but with enough blue to add color and depth.

Magnolia Home Magnolia Green

A great beach-inspired palette should include a gorgeous green paint shade. Magnolia Green is one of the most beautiful shades of green available. It's both rich and natural—a lively paint color that pairs well with calming, muted blues and aqua. Try a vibrant green like this as an accent behind a stone fireplace or in a foyer to anchor your beachy color scheme. It's also an eye-catching color for a coastal-inspired front door.

Behr Kombucha

Like the soft sand at the beach, Behr's Kombucha (T18-06) shade is lush, inviting, and comforting. It's a soft beige with a warm yellow undertone that hugs you when you enter the room, and is a lovely neutral choice for any beachy home. Use it in the living room or a bedroom for a soft shade that pairs with nearly any warm color.

Benjamin Moore Peach Parfait

Benjamin Moore's Peach Parfait (2175-70) reminds us of the pinks in a warm beach sunset. This soft, barely-there peach is subtle but pretty and elegant. It pairs well with soft greens or blues and lends a summery glow to any room.

Magnolia Home Weekend

Weekend from Magnolia Home is a deep blue with a gray-green undertone. This is a more saturated alternative to using a charcoal gray or dark brown in your color scheme. Like the night sky at the beach, Weekend has a dark and mysterious vibe, and makes a great pair with gray or green accents in your beach-inspired design.

Determine how much paint you need with The Spruce's Paint Calculator.

What colors should a beach house have?

A beach house color palette includes coastal shades of white, beige, sandy tones, and blue and green hues that are reminiscent of the sand and the sea. Keep your beach house color story soft and light—and don’t be afraid to mix in shades of yellow, pink, peach, and other soft colors found in nature for a more nuanced effect. Pair a coastal color palette with natural tones of light or weathered wood and woven accents.

What is the best exterior paint color for a beach house?

When choosing an exterior paint color for your beach house, you can’t go wrong with a calming nature-inspired color like pale blue or green that will echo the sea and the sky. Purists should feel free to stick with shades of white, cream, or pale gray. Or you can take a more spirited approach and go with a bright shade like coral or yellow, especially if your beach house is located in an area where colorful beach houses are the norm.

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