Raise your hand if your porch ceiling is painted light blue. Welcome to West Virginia, where a light blue front porch ceiling is a common feature of many homes around the state, especially older ones. Actually, though, such a home decor tradition is much more widespread than just here in West Virginia.
It originated in the Gullah culture of South Carolina, where porch ceilings were painted “Haint Blue” to ward off evil spirits from the home.
denisbin / Flickr
Because rumor had it that spirits wouldn’t cross water, porch ceilings were painted light blue or greenish-blue to mimic a water surface.
ilovebutter / Flickr
The Gullah tradition spread throughout the southern states, and warding off ghosts is one big reason people give for the haint-blue ceilings found on porches of homes across West Virginia.
ilovebutter / Flickr
But there’s another, perhaps even more common reason cited for such a practice, particularly in the Mountain State.
Lake Lou / Flickr
Light blue ceilings are said to discourage wasps from building their nests on the ceiling of your porch, because the light blue color tricks the unwelcome insects into thinking the ceiling is part of the sky. Apparently, spiders (and perhaps even other bug pests) are discouraged from hanging out on the porch for the same reason.
ilovebutter / Flickr
There’s some question whether it’s the color that actually repels these insects or the fact that lye, a natural insect repellent, was mixed in with the paint when this tradition started. Still, with all of the insect pests we’ve got in West Virginia, it’s worth a try!
Lake Lou / Flickr
Plus, light blue is a cool, refreshing, calming color that reflects plenty of light into the shade of a front porch, making it the perfect canopy for a pleasant interlude spent swaying gently in a rocker or a porch swing while you watch the world go by.
davitydave / Flickr
So no matter the reason for your choice, you really can’t go wrong with a haint blue porch ceiling! Do you have one on your current home? How about some of the places you’ve lived in the past? If you love learning about West Virginia traditions, here’s a list of New Year traditions that you might find interesting as well. It’s never too early to start planning for January 1!
denisbin / Flickr
ilovebutter / Flickr
Lake Lou / Flickr
davitydave / Flickr
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