Traditional Porch Ceiling Colors in Victorian Houses

White

• White is the most frequently found color for a porch ceiling. White has always been popular as a ceiling color because it makes a space feel bigger and reflects daylight effectively. Particularly in the days before widespread electric light, residents would do what they could to extend the effect of daylight in their homes. Having a bright white porch ceiling allowed Victorian homeowners to relax a bit longer into the evening while still being able to see each other.

Cream

• A cream ceiling is similar in appearance to white but has a slightly more muted effect. Bright white has a minimalist and absolute feel to it while cream is more easily blended into surrounding colors and harmonized with walls and floors.

Blue

• Blue porch ceilings have been a tradition in some areas since Victorian times, particularly in the American South. There are various stories about the reasons for this, ranging from a belief that the color blue deters spiders to the popularity of "Haint Blue," a color that was supposed to keep evil spirits away from a house when it was applied to porch ceilings, doors and window frames. Many Victorian houses in the south can still be found with blue ceilings.

Natural Wood

• Although less common than white, cream or blue, the natural wood porch ceiling had a place in some Victorian homes. Natural wood lends a calming and grounded feel to a room or a porch, and the wood was often preserved and beautified through repeated applications of linseed oil.