Teal Paint
Teal sits between blue and green, ranging from deep colour to softer, smoky blue-greens. Deeper shades bring drama to living rooms, hallways and kitchen islands, while quieter versions suit bedrooms with natural wood and warm accents. Every shade is available as a 60ml sample to check the blue-green balance in your own light.
Teal sits between blue and green, from deep and dramatic to soft and smoky. Paint & Paper Library's Andy Greenall gives the most useful rule we've found: choose a greener teal for north-facing rooms, because cool light exaggerates blue, and a bluer teal for south-facing rooms. Our palette has one true deep teal and several softer blue-greens, so this page is honestly teal and blue-green.
At a glance
- Character
- Blue and green together. Our palette includes one true deep teal and softer blue-greens. Depth and balance vary by shade.
- Best rooms
- Hallways, living rooms and bedrooms. Deep teal brings drama to hallways and living rooms. Softer blue-greens suit calmer bedrooms.
- North light
- Look for a greener lean. North light exaggerates blue. Choose a greener teal and sample carefully to avoid a cold result.
- South light
- Bluer teal balances warmth. A bluer teal balances warm southern light. Check it beside your wood and warm accents.
- East light
- Warm mornings, bluer afternoons. Warm, bright morning sun softens teal’s cool edge. Cooler, bluer afternoons emphasise blue, so check rooms used later.
- West light
- Cool mornings, softer evenings. Cool, flat mornings emphasise teal’s cooler side. Warm, golden evening sun softens that edge and changes the blue-green balance.
- Pairs with
- Mustard, pink, rust and timber. Natural wood and plants sit comfortably with teal. Mustard, paprika, rust and soft pink add warmth.
- Sample tip
- Check the blue-green balance. Test beside timber and worktops. An island or painted piece of furniture is a smaller starting point.
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Deep teal and smoky blue-green
Deep blue-green drama for hallways and kitchen islands.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Bellyetter™ is our clearest true teal: recognisably blue-green with real depth. Mercia™ is its smoky, muted cousin. Designers use deep teal for drama in living rooms and hallways, and as a lively alternative to navy on kitchen islands.
Best in south-facing rooms for Bellyetter™, where blue-green balances warm daylight, or east- and west-facing rooms for Mercia™, where low sun softens its smoky character. Check both on the shaded side of the room.
Soft blue-greens
Quieter blue-greens for calm bedrooms and tonal schemes.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms
Lighter, quieter interpretations of teal. Lovely in a bedroom, or as a tonal companion to a deep teal elsewhere in the house.
Best in south-, east- and west-facing rooms for Jimbob™, Byron’s Ink™ and Wrighteous™, where warmer daylight balances their cooler blue-green character. In east- and west-facing rooms, check samples in both the sunny and the shaded half of the day.
What colours go with teal?
Mustard, rust, soft pink, warm neutrals and timber.
Benjamin Moore's Helen Shaw recommends natural wood, plants, mustard and paprika with teal; designer Emma Deterding champions pink with it. Our versions: Bellyetter™ with an earthy mustard (Cobblers™) and a warm off-white (Lace™); Mercia™ with soft pink Lottie™; or Jimbob™ with a rust accent (Foundry™).
Sample it the way we would
Step 1
Paint your peel-and-sticks
Each £5.99 sample comes with three paintable peel-and-sticks. Give them two coats and let them dry fully.
Step 2
Stick them around the room
Put them on two or three walls, including the wall opposite the window, at eye level and lower down.
Step 3
Live with them for a day or two
Look in the morning, the afternoon and under your evening lamps. Move them around until you are sure.
Your questions, answered
Is teal blue or green?
Both: it is a blue-green family, and the balance varies by shade. Bellyetter™ is our clearest teal.
Can teal work in a north-facing living room?
Yes. Choose a greener teal, because north light emphasises blue and can make a blue teal feel cold.
Colours for north-facing roomsIs teal a good bedroom colour?
It can be. For a calmer result, use a softer blue-green on the walls, or deep teal on one element such as a headboard wall or furniture.
What goes with teal kitchen cupboards?
Warm neutrals, natural timber, soft pink and mustard are all designer-backed. Choose how bold you want the kitchen to feel and balance accordingly.
Kitchen Cabinet Paint