Let’s Talk About Color: Turquoise
May 21, 2007 § 8 Comments
It’s back. Call it turquoise or a bluer version of seafoam but it’s back. Resurrected from the ’70s, turquoise is popping up everywhere from bathrooms to master bedrooms, to kitchens. It is a fresh, youthful hue that is both soothing and inspiring and it ranges from the bluer version, for example, tropical teal (Benjamin Moore’s #732) and the ice cold jack frost (Ben Moore #729), to the greener version, for example, the darker floradale isle (#581) and the pale tropical paradise (#575).
Paired with crisp white only, turquoise looks terrific, but a little bit dated. Same with the traditional turquoise/peach pairing. Typical Florida –yawn — it’s been done. But combine turquoise with a variety of its neighboring hues on the color wheel, from clearer blues to the yellow greens, like tasty apple (Ben Moore #416), and suddenly you have a more contemporary look. Add white to make the colors pop and you have a spectacular fresh new room.
So if you have old turquoise tiles from the early ’70s in your bathroom and you don’t want to gut the room, try painting the walls an icy version of the turquoise. Use plush white towels and some apple green soaps and other accents and you have an updated look.
Special Note: Unless you live in the tropics or the Southwest where turquoise occurs naturally in the environment, I suggest confining the color to the inside. If you really want to use turquoise outside, make it an accent color — like the front door on a light mint-green house. Or chairs on the deck. There’s no other color that screams vacation like turqouise.
Your Home & Color Coach 
Living room/dining room is turquiose need to paint a combines familyroom and kitchen any ideas.
Hi Cathy (#9),
With a turquoise dining/living area, I suggest a color that’s next to turquoise on the color wheel, probably in your case a fresh yellow green (something like Ben Moore’s Folk Art 528). Sticking with an “analogous color scheme” (colors next to each other on the color wheel like all the blues and greens) will allow you to use opposite colors like orange and pink as accent colors.
Remember to use tons of white to give the eye a place to rest.
Sounds pretty!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I love your site – I learned a lot about color that I never knew before. I am trying to make a decision about colors for my new condo and would really appreciate your comments about this combination of Ben Moore colors: Manchester tan for living room and hallways, saybrook sage for the formal dinning room, feather gray for the master bedroom (with white furniture) and shaker beige for the office. Still not sure what to do with the guest room – maybe turquoise?
Thanks in advance for any ideas …
Aida
Hi Aida (#11),
You have a wonderfully serene color scheme. For the guest room, have a look at Quiet Moments (Ben Moore 1563), which is a soft green. With lots of white and either blue/lavendar pillows for a calming effect or orange/pink for some pizzazz, you have a welcoming guest room.
Hope that helps.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
I’m in the process of trying to plan a nursery for my daughter (due in July). My husband and I are not crazy about everything pink. We were considering turquoise walls with pink bedding/accents. What do you think?
Hi Beth,
Congratulations, first of all! And yes, I love the idea of turquoise walls and pink accents. The blue is a color that will stay with your daughter well into her teen years (if you don’t plan to repaint at every stage). That way you can switch out bedding and accessories as she gets older and keep the turquoise.
Love it!
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi Barbara,
I stumbled across your blog while looking for examples of BM Tasty Apple and read your post about turquoise with great interest. I’m bookmarking your blog!
I wonder if I can ask you a question. I desperately need to repaint my bedroom, and I thought I wanted it green, but green makes our bedroom furniture, which is dark with a reddish tint to it, I guess, look orangey. Ugh! What colors can I use to complement the furniture to make it look rich and warm, not ugly?!
Thank you!
Hi Rebecca,
Try a rich camel or medium tan for your bedroom. Either of those earthy tones (look in the historical section of BM for lots of examples) will complement your dark wood furniture. Coupled with white trim, you’ve got a great look. You can add other earth tones like green in the bedding and accessories.
See what you think.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach