14 duck egg blue decorating ideas
Duck egg blue is a fabulous colour for interiors – it's versatile, easy on the eye, and known to bring calm and tranquillity to a living space.
Sitting between blue and green on the colour wheel, duck egg blue can vary tonally, from a light bright blue to a muted blue-grey. It pairs well with a multitude of shades (from easygoing neutrals to complementary pastels) and because it is light and airy, it works brilliantly in small spaces, particularly in narrow hallways. It's a colour that will bring understated luxury to your living space, which can be achieved in period properties and contemporary homes in equal measure.
What colours go with duck egg blue?
Generally speaking, pick a pale shade and it almost works like a neutral, or contrast with a darker colour for more impact. Pair duck egg blue with warm neutrals, grey, or off-white for a serene look, or combine with pastels like pink for a fresh, uplifting space. A bold red paired with duck egg blue is ideal for creating a warm, punchy room scheme, or team duck egg blue with fresh green or a deep cerulean blue for a nature-inspired aesthetic.
‘The duck egg blue hue exudes a sense of serenity and is versatile enough to work in any interior design scheme from modern to classic, bringing a refreshing and timeless elegance with it,' says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director at Kelling Designs.
Choosing the perfect duck egg blue paint
While it's delicate, duck egg blue is also surprisingly complex and can look very different as the light changes throughout the day. For example, lots of natural light will bring out the fresh and airy qualities of any blue tones, while the same colour might appear significantly more green in warmer artificial light. With this in mind, it's worth testing several of your favourite paint shades so that you can see exactly how they react to light.
Duck egg blue ideas
Below are 14 duck egg blue ideas to use in your home – from bathrooms to kitchens, we’ve got you covered.
Team with wood
Love the Scandi look? If yes, this duck egg blue bedroom is perfect for you. The pairing of light woods, from the bed frame to the wooden wall panels, helps to create a calming space.
‘Duck egg blues are wonderfully soothing and feel tranquil whilst also adding a hint of colour to build a scheme around,' says Helen Shaw, director of marketing at Benjamin Moore. 'This pared-back, dusky pastel shade is particularly great for conjuring a connection to the outdoors, which will encourage a feeling of calm. Use with wooden materials and dried flowers to create the ultimate feng shui aesthetic.'
Pictured: Cascade Mountains on left wall, Beach Glass on window wall, and Vapor Trails on ceiling, all Benjamin Moore
Match to your floor tiles
Create cohesion by using a pretty shade of duck egg blue on both walls and flooring.
Plain walls work best when you have patterned floor tiles and can be a really striking feature in hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms. Choose a shade that's on the lighter end of the duck egg blue scale if your space is on the smaller side.
Pictured: Nordic Light on the walls, for similar tiles try Patisserie Hevin tiles, both Fired Earth
Colour drench and trim
We all love a bit of colour drenching and duck egg blue is a great colour to use for it. Neither light nor dark it’s a shade that works well for this kind of look. Keep your ceiling white for balance and consider adding a touch of decoration (and colour) in the form of a trim.
Pictured: Ernie wallpaper border, Reggie wallpaper border, both Studio Atkinson
Embrace warm materials
Pair duck egg blue with complementary colours such as creams, whites, and other soft shades of blue or green for a sophisticated and balanced look.
To keep a duck egg blue and white/cream combination warm visually, consider adding brass accessories as an accent and a floor that's not 'cold'. Layer natural textures in the form of accessories to help soften your scheme and create a fresh, serene interior.
Add depth with a darker tone
Create drama with contrast, and using a duck egg blue shade will do just that. Charlotte Cosby, creative director at Farrow & Ball describes this particular colour and why it works:
‘Evoking the colour of summer skies, Borrowed Light is a wonderfully pale blue named after the delicate light that cascades through small windows and fanlights. It works as well in a room deprived of light as it does in an airy sunroom.’
Team it with inky blue for a bold look.
Pictured: Borrowed Light in the alcove, Hague Blue on the fireplace wall, both Farrow & Ball
Combine pretty pastels
One of our favourite duck egg blue ideas is to team it with other pastels like sky blue and candy pink.
'Duck egg is, just like its namesake shell, very delicate, and this is why I think it works best when combined with similar gentle pastels,' says block print designer Molly Mahon. 'In my own bathroom, our wood panelled bath is painted duck egg, and I’ve given new life to a vintage laundry basket that I’ve had for years with a lick of duck egg paint.
'I feel the sky blue of the soft coral wallpaper sits harmoniously alongside the greener duck egg and the addition of pink is the perfect accent. I couldn’t resist adding the pink rug for a little pop of contrasting colour, plus the feeling of a fluffy rug underfoot is always comforting in a more practical space like the bathroom.'
Pictured: Coral blue wallpaper, Molly Mahon
Colour block
Colour blocking is a great way to use up leftover paint, as you can section off parts of a wall to add colour, or paint over an existing shade if it's a pale neutral like white or cream. Tip: Use Frogtape to section off the area you want.
Pictured: Hebden trestle table with painted legs, Shaftesbury glass lamp medium, Aqua blue paint, French Grey paint, Moss paint, all Neptune
Create a harmonious pattern-filled bedroom
Different shades of duck egg blue can work harmoniously together if you vary the tones and add subtle patterns, as seen in this relaxing bedroom.
‘Introducing duck egg blue to a bedroom through a patterned wallpaper is a beautiful way to infuse tranquillity and charm into the space,' says Emma Deterding at Kelling Designs. 'This soft, serene hue creates a calming atmosphere that is perfect for a bedroom retreat. Opting for a delicate, understated pattern adds depth without overwhelming the room, allowing the colour to shine through in a subtle and sophisticated way.'
Pictured: Thomas Artisan super king headboard, from the Artisan Collection, Hearts and Minds wallpaper in sky, both Kelling Designs.
Make your bathroom light and airy
If your bathroom is on the small side or is lacking in natural light, choose a shade that is on the greener side of duck egg blue for a fresh yet alluring scheme.
‘Duck egg blue is one of the most versatile colours to incorporate around the home,' says Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown. 'More traditionally, duck egg is known as a subtle, soothing choice for the bedroom and bathroom helping to create an oasis of calm.'
Pictured: Soft Duck Egg mid sheen emulsion from the Easyclean Bathroom collection, Crown
Highlight period features
If you live in a period property, make the most of beautiful architectural detailing in your home, like a large shuttered bay window or a statement fireplace. Apply a coat of duck egg blue and either match to the walls or keep them white for contrast.
'For rooms where you might want to create a quieter backdrop, darker pastel shades like Long Acre™ No. 102 are perfect for creating a soothing backdrop with a hint of colour,' says Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands.
Pictured: Walpole No.42 on walls, Long Acre No.102 on the woodwork, both Mylands
Stick to a blue palette
Cool off a warmer duck egg blue by using it next to an electric blue like the edging on this wall hanging and picture frame. Stone is another colour that works well if you want to add in a neutral.
Choose accessories like patterned cushions and throws that tie the shades together.
Pictured: Alma table light, Original BTC
Choose patterned wallpaper
The benefit of wallpaper is that you can embrace both colour and pattern on your walls. This rich duck egg blue shade, with a graphic monochrome pattern, will instantly lift your space, while wooden accents help to ground the scheme, creating the perfect balance.
'Natural timber and duck egg blue are a perfect match; the natural tones of wood can add that necessary warmth to the interior,' says Yvonne Drury, co-founder of MissPrint. 'Metal and stone also work well; a metallic accent can boost the energy of the space and add a sense of luxe.'
Pictured: Muscat Lovat wallpaper, MissPrint
Team with mahogany
The beauty of duck egg blue is that it goes with pretty much any other colour and that includes both paler and darker shades.
In this bedroom it acts as a perfect backdrop for the antique mahogany furniture and gilt framed artwork. The bright pink and orange throw adds a burst of colour that enriches the furniture.
Pictured: Green Blue on the walls, Farrow & Ball
Pare it back
If you don't want to invest in paint or wallpaper in duck egg blue, consider furniture instead. A sideboard, as pictured here, introduces this colour subtly. In this instance, pairing duck egg blue with neutrals like off-white will add warmth to its cooler undertones.
Pictured: Bestå storage combination with doors, white Selsviken/Stubbarp/high gloss in grey-blue, Ikea
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