All of the blue paints in this blog post are the same color, so it just goes to show that this color really does have dimension and looks a bit different depending on your lighting.  The photos are edited to help make the photos look like they do in real life (photos are always naturally darker than real life), though they’re not filtered.  It’s a cool blue that plays nicely with all colors and does NOT lean towards purple or periwinkle.  It perhaps leans more towards gray, but is not gray at all, if that makes sense.  It’s so pretty!

Blue has been a long time favorite color of mine for clothing as well as home decor.  French blue has been my go-to shade of blue for a number of years now because it makes a statement but isn’t too strong.  When we moved into our new home two of the first projects we tackled were the custom blue built-ins flanking our fireplace and our blue entryway lockers.  Up until now I have been unable to share the color because the material is a pre-fab coating on the wood that our closet company happened to carry, rather than the more traditional painted wood.  But I recently took the cabinet swatch that I used while planning the built-ins and had it matched at Benjamin Moore, so I finally have a formula to share with y’all!  If you show this formula at Benjamin Moore you will be able to have them create the formula for you.  Please note that the formula is different depending on the finish you need.  (If you’re looking for a similar color that is not custom, Sherwin-Williams Stardew is pretty close, though it’s a bit more vibrant.)

The Formula for Our Custom Blue Paint Color

I’m calling this color “Vail Blue” (for lack of a better name) and it’s officially my signature color now 😉  All joking aside, I recently used this paint formula on our entry level interior doors and doorframes (which are in the same space as our entryway lockers), our front door, and our primary bedroom walls and trim, and the transformation a little paint provided is pretty unbelievable.

The color is a perfect match too, which was a big relief.  The type of painted I used for the interior doors and doorframes is Benjamin Moore’s Regal Interior Paint in Semi-Gloss because I think doors look best with a little sheen, and it’s easier to clean with kids in the house too.  I’ve also painted our front door the same color, though with Benjamin Moore’s Regal Exterior Paint in Soft Gloss.  The walls in my bedroom are Benjamin Moore Regal Interior Paint in Eggshell, with Semi-Gloss on the trim and doors.

The Custom Formula for “Vail Blue” at Benjamin Moore (this is for a gallon of Semi-Gloss)

• N551 – 2X (Gallon)
• S1  1x  5.2500
• W1  1x  2.2500
• M1  0x  7.2500
• B1  0x  17.2500

The Custom Formula for “Vail Blue” at Benjamin Moore (this is for a quart of Semi-Gloss)

• 548 – 2X (Quart)
• S1  0x 9.3125
• W1  0x  8.5625
• M1  0x  1.8125
• B1  0x  4.3125

The Custom Formula for “Vail Blue” at Benjamin Moore (this is for a gallon of Eggshell)

• N549 – 2X (Gallon)
• S1  1x  11.2500
• W1  0x  27.7500
• M1  0x  5.7500
• B1  0x  19.2500

This photo below shows the custom paint on the door and doorframe (left) next to our pre-fab finish built-ins that the paint was color matched to.  It’s hard to photograph this room due to lack of natural light, so it’s actually a bit bluer than it appears.

The blue paint perfectly compliments our Serena and Lily Priano wallpaper and this area fills me with so much joy every time I walk in the door.  It looks different depending on the lighting, and sometimes looks like a cheerful blue but sometimes it can read a little moodier.  I’m now mostly finished with painting our bedroom the same color (walls in eggshell, trim/doors/window frames in semi-gloss) because I can’t get enough of this color.  It perfectly matches Serena and Lily’s Oceana wallpaper too, if you’re looking for a nice match.

If you end up trying out this formula please let me know!  (The framed Audubon print I hung in between our guest bedroom and bathroom was a recent $9.99 thrift store find and the color of matting couldn’t have been more perfect!)

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Katie Vail

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