Seafoam blue is a pale greenish-blue color that resembles the foam of the sea. It is a light, delicate, and soothing shade that evokes images of soft sea waves and clear coastal skies. Seafoam blue has long been popular in fashion, interior design, and visual arts.
Definition
Seafoam blue is a light blue-green color halfway between aqua and mint. It is one of the many shades of cyan—colors resulting from a combination of blue and green pigments. Unlike deeper ocean blues such as navy, seafoam blue is highly desaturated and tinted strongly with white or gray. This gives it a pale, whitewashed appearance.
The pastel blue-green hue resembles the sunlit color of ocean foam washing up on sandy beaches. As foam churns in the waves, tiny air bubbles scatter the light, giving the water a light, frothy quality. Seafoam’s soft, dreamy shade evokes a sense of serenity, renewal, and tranquility. It brings to mind carefree summer days at the beach.
Hex code
In hex color codes, seafoam blue is represented by light greenish-blue hues ranging from #7FFFD4 to #9FE2BF. The exact code can vary depending on how saturated and how green or blue the shade leans. Some common hex codes for seafoam blue include:
| Hex code | Color |
|---|---|
| #7FFFD4 | Aquamarine |
| #9FE2BF | Soft seafoam |
| #B7E9D7 | Light aqua |
| #B5EAD7 | Cyan (Crayola) |
The original web color seafoam blue is represented by the hex code #7FFFD4. This bright aqua shade was formulated for early web design.
Use in fashion
Seafoam blue emerged as a popular pastel color in 1950s and 60s fashion. During this period, Parisian designer Christian Dior introduced an influential line of clothing in shades of seafoam green. The collection, known as “Ligne Huit,” featured elegant daytime dresses in soothing blue-green hues meant to echo the sea and beach. Dior called these oceanic colors “symphonies of blue, green, gray, and white.”
In the 1960s, seafoam blue became widely used in retro and vintage clothing. It was frequently seen in mod styles, go-go boots, mini dresses, and swing coats. The color took off again in Y2K and 90s aesthetic fashions in the late 2010s. Today, seafoam blue remains a mainstay color for women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and accessories.
Use in home decor
Seafoam blue is a popular painted color for home interiors. Its soft tranquility makes it a perfect choice for bedrooms, living rooms, and beach house decors. Seafoam blue evokes a relaxing mood while still feeling fresh rather than dreary. It works beautifully with white trim, off-white furniture, and neutral decor.
In kitchens, seafoam blue makes a charming retro-inspired accent wall color. It complements stainless steel appliances, white cabinetry, and polished chrome fixtures. For bathrooms, seafoam blue is a spa-like hue that conjures the indulgence of ocean views. It can be paired with white subway tiles, marble surfaces, and metallic hardware.
In children’s and baby rooms, seafoam blue has a sweet, nursery-like feel. And as an exterior house color, light seafoam greens and blues blend beautifully into oceanfront or lakeside settings.
| Room | Seafoam Pairings |
|---|---|
| Bedroom | White wood, linen, neutral textures |
| Bathroom | Marble, chrome, white tiles |
| Kitchen | Stainless appliances, white cabinets |
| Living room | Pale wood, white upholstery |
| Baby room | White crib, wood accents |
Use in visual arts
Many prominent artists have used seafoam blue as a background color or accent shade. Early modern painters like Henri Matisse applied seafoam blues to evoke calm atmospheres. Paul Klee and Georgia O’Keeffe also used the tranquil blue-green in their joyful, nature-inspired works.
Contemporary artists like British painter David Hockney employ broad washes of seafoam blue to suggest water. Richard Diebenkorn’s abstract Ocean Park series features seafoam blue amidst other oceanic colors. Photography and movies also take advantage of seafoam hues to convey dreamy beach scenes.
In graphic design and visual media, seafoam has widespread use as a clean, refreshing color. It evokes tropical resorts, spa experiences, or the carefree feeling of summer. Seafoam blue helps lend an uplifting, positive tone.
Psychology
Color psychology associates the soothing qualities of seafoam blue with openness, imagination, and sensitivity. As a mixture of calming blue and energizing green, seafoam is thought to promote balance between mind and body.
Blue is linked to peace, tranquility, and reflection, while green connects to growth, renewal, and vitality. Seafoam’s blend of the two imparts both stability and refreshment. Some psychological meanings associated with seafoam blue include:
- Peaceful, tranquil, calming
- Soothing, cool, refreshing
- Open, balanced, harmonious
- Ethereal, dreamy, contemplative
- Nourishing, organic, soothing
Seafoam’s stability and verdancy evoke the replenishing powers of nature. Its soothing palette creates spaces conducive to relaxation, creativity, and rejuvenation. Seafoam is optimistic without being overstimulating, making it widely appealing.
Gender associations
Seafoam blue is largely seen as a feminine color connected to women’s fashion. However, it is increasingly used in décor palettes and men’s products as a gender-neutral shade.
Pale seafoam greens and blues are common in women’s clothing like dresses, blouses, and skirts. The color flatters a variety of skin tones with its softness and luminosity. In cosmetics, seafoam blue conveys freshness in products like eyeshadows, nail polishes, and lip tints.
While once rare for men, seafoam is gaining ground in masculine spaces like grooming products and boutique hotels. Its calming mood feels sophisticated without severity. Seafoam offers the versatility to skew feminine, masculine, or wholly gender-neutral.
Cultural associations
Seafoam blue has strong associations with beach culture. Just the color alone conjures images of sunkissed days by the ocean. Seafoam blue communicates a relaxed, carefree attitude and the exhilaration of the coast.
In consumer design, seafoam is ubiquitous with applications like beach resort branding, summer beverages, and nautical fashions. Products and companies leverage its refreshing and escapist mood.
Seafoam also ties to bygone eras like 1950s Florida resorts and coastal road trips of the 1960s. It captures midcentury visions of seaside vacations and retro beach culture. Today, seafoam blue retains its nostalgic links to vacationing.
Seafoam vs. Mint
Seafoam blue is often confused with mint green, as both sit in the same blue-green family. But while related, the two pastel shades create distinct moods:
- Seafoam is a blue-tinted aqua that feels tranquil and watery.
- Mint is a yellow-based green that feels crisp and herbal.
Seafoam conveys oceanic coolness, while mint expresses vibrancy. Seafoam leans grey-blue for a weathered appearance, whereas mint goes yellow-green for brightness. When directly compared, seafoam looks more subdued and misty against mint’s sharper clarity.
Seafoam vs. Aqua
Seafoam blue is closely associated with aqua, another greenish-blue color stemming from cyan. But classic aqua has much more vibrancy and saturation than the pale, whitewashed seafoam.
True aqua is a bold mid-tone hue halfway between green and blue. Seafoam is essentially a pastel, desaturated aqua tinted heavily with white and grey. The hues differ significantly in depth and intensity.
Aqua has an electrifying, tropical feel, while seafoam skews delicate and beachy. Aqua makes a striking statement color, whereas seafoam has a soft, etheral quality.
Conclusion
With its soothing tranquility and aqueous beauty, seafoam blue creates feelings of harmony, imagination, and renewal. Its gentle green-blue shade evokes the serenity of the sea and continued allure of the coast. Seafoam blue has cemented itself as a mainstay color that crosses both eras and aesthetics.
From fashion, to interior design, to artistic expression, seafoam’s friendliness and familiarity give it broad appeal. A balance of cool and warm, dark and light, seafoam blue encourages the free flow between mind, body, and spirit.