Aqua Color – Learn About the Different Shades of Aqua

Aqua, a namesake derived from the Latin phrase meaning “water”, is a perfect definition for the color itself. If you think of water, your first thoughts ought to conjure up thoughts of the endless blue of the ocean. Also known as cyan, the aqua color is popularly used in art to represent the sea. If you want to learn more about this eye-catching shade of blue, follow us as we explore it in depth.

Aqua Color

If you are looking to add a bit of blue to the interior of your household, you might enjoy working with the aqua color on account of how effectively it embodies not only the vintage aesthetic but elements of modernity as well. Aqua is simply a timeless shade of blue.

It is very effective in adding a bit of brilliance to an otherwise dull palette.

Should your walls begin to fade over time, the aqua shade will persist in its delivery of vibrancy to any living space. Both the colors aquamarine and turquoise are two very popular examples of shades that fall under the blanket of what defines the aqua color.

History of Aquamarine

As aforementioned, aquamarine occurs naturally and its gathering process involves mining for the mineral in igneous rock formations. The most common mining continents for aquamarine are Africa and South America, though you can find them in some regions within Asia. Brazil is the primary exporter of aquamarine with other places such as Mozambique, Pakistan Madagascar, Nigeria, and Zambia also being ready suppliers of the mineral.

The name of the family to which aquamarine belongs is called Beryl, making it a close cousin of other rare minerals such as morganite and emeralds. It is clearly distinguished from the rest, however, by its bright and untainted blue color. The name “aquamarine” itself is derived from the two Latin words, “aqua” and “marina”, which mean “water” and “sea” respectively.

Considering its physical appearance, it does not take a genius to understand how its namesake was earned.

If we travel all the way back to the era of antiquity, we find the Romans holding aquamarine gems in high regard considering a stern belief in its ability to assist one in seeing into the future. The Romans also held the popular belief that aquamarine was capable of spurning foes and turning them into allies. If you could ask the Ancient Greeks what they loved so much about aquamarine, they would perhaps tell that Poseidon, the great God of the ocean, was in fact made from this rare mineral.

Once we reach the Middle Ages, we see that the common belief surrounding aquamarine rumored it as a ward to safeguard oneself from poisonings, which was a notorious means to a nobleman’s end during this period of history.

Even as humans evolved through the centuries towards the era of immense naval seafaring and swashbuckling pirates, we see that aquamarine retained its close symbolic associations with the ocean. The jewel was often worn by sailors and other seafaring travelers to ward off any dangers they may have encountered while sailing through the yawning blue of the ocean. All in all, we can date the popularization and commoditization of aquamarine as far back as 500 BC.

Symbolism of Aqua Blue

Aqua blue can mean many things, the most apparent of which would be the sea and all things associated. More abstractly, aqua also symbolizes youth, fun, peace, vitality, and stability. Vibrant as it is, the color conjures emotions of happiness and its presence in a space can be very rejuvenating.

It is for this reason that aqua is incredibly popularly used to paint the walls of wellness centers and seaside retreats.

If the color of aqua appeals to your senses, this could be reflective of you having a wholesome, caring, and empathetic personality. If aqua happens to be your favorite color, you probably love having fun and perhaps spending time at the beach.

Shades of Aqua

Aqua is defined technically as a spectral color that rests between green and, as mentioned, is named after the color of water. If we inspect the aqua color according to the RGB model, we find that the most typical representation of the color is as the most vivid representation of green and blue without any hint of red. This corresponds with the real-world properties of light and water.

On account of the strong presence of green, aqua pairs exceptionally well with colors like teal, yellow-orange, and pink.

we have said, there are many shades that fall under the categorization of the aqua color code. If you are interested in learning a few of the more popular examples of aqua shades, be sure to stick around for a bit longer as we break them down for you.

Aqua Blue

Often described as being the very opposite of aqua-green as far as the aqua color palette is concerned, as the name suggests it has a dominantly blue undertone. In the realm of design, you would refer to the color as cyan. In digital design, this color is very popularly paired with coral pink and canary yellow.

Aqua Lake

This color shares an aesthetic kinship with the shade teal. It does, however, contain a much deeper undertone of blue. Aqua lake is a tad lighter than teal but does not compare with the brightness of sky blue.

As a cool and gentle color, it is often applied to the walls of foundation-phase classrooms and children’s bedrooms.

Deep Aqua

Now here is perhaps one of the most coveted and beloved shades of aqua. It is a dark and deep shade with a pronounced undertone of green. This is a popular option in interior design, especially when the goal is to fill a space with an atmosphere of sophistication and prestige. Alternatively, and somewhat on the contrary, the color is also used frequently to paint the walls of spaces designed to house children (e.g. schools and kids’ bedrooms).

Aqua Foam

In the field of interior design, aqua foam is another popular option for rooms intended for the embodiment of sophistication. Atypical of most forms of aqua that lean heavily toward green, this cool shade of aqua-blue has strong undertones of light gray and cyan. As this would suggest, it pairs exceptionally well with grays.

Beyond ideas of sophistication, this shade can also be used to add a degree of coziness and comfortability to a space.

Other Uses of the Aqua Color

Whether you have home design plans ahead of you or are looking to dress up in this confident color but have no clue how to pair it effectively, we have put this section in just for you. Here we have listed several answers to what color is aqua best paired with and how to work with the color itself in general.  

Producing Aqua Color Shades

Should you wish to learn how to mix shades from the aqua color yourself, you will Ideally want to combine a shade of blue that is quite light with a green. Alternatively, you could instead slowly mix yellow into blue in small portions until you have the color you are looking for.

We recommend the latter method as it is less likely to fail.

Interior Design Aqua Color Combinations

There are many shades of aqua that burst with energy and vibrancy, making them the perfect choice of color to work with as an accent to neutral main shades such as camel. Especially when working with aqua blue, the whimsy of this color palette takes the mind to better places – something you might find yourself fond of should you love the ocean.

If you prefer sophistication over whimsy, however, you could instead pair aqua blue with a dark shade of blue such as midnight blue. We would suggest that you avoid using aqua as the primary color for your walls, though, since many shades in the palette may prove too overpowering for a main feature. When it comes to aqua color combination, the color is best used as an accent to give a space a bit of pop.

There is a wide array of aqua colors to work with, primarily containing either a green or a blue hue. The great news is that these shades tend to complement one another quite decently if you know what you are doing.

That being said, we suggest that you stick to either aqua blue or aqua green color when using this palette in interior design so as to avoid producing an overstimulating menagerie of color.

The coolness of the aqua color code palette tends to work well with whites. The brighter the white, the better it combines with most shades of aqua, especially when it comes to decorating the walls of kitchens and bathrooms. If you want to enhance the aesthetic values of your bare white walls, look no further than aqua colors as an accent.

If you want to know what our favorite color to pair with aqua is, the answer is heather gray. Often described as a bit of a dramatic pairing, the two work well together with aqua being the accenting color. Picture, for example, a sheer grey wall complemented by a long, decorative aqua vase or an aqua green-colored piece of furniture.

The easy contrast produced by pitting these shades together on the same palette will give any space adorned with them an atmosphere of calm and relaxation.

Aqua Color Combinations in Jewelry

When talking about combining shades of aqua color in jewelry, we often pay special heed to aquamarine, the namesake of an incredibly light shade of aqua within the palette but also the name ascribed to a particular gemstone mineral most often formed in granite.

They do, however, form in metamorphic rocks from time to time.

Aquamarine most typically forms within large influxes of granitic magma as they breach the surface and begin to cool down. During the cooling process of granitic magma, pockets of aquamarine may develop within the pegmatite veins when these areas are exposed to healthy supplies of hot water infused with minerals and metals.

The gemstones themselves produce the most alluring shine and a blue akin to the colorful spectacle of a clear, sun-kissed ocean. It makes perfect sense that aquamarine has been and may always be such a popular choice of adornment among jewelry enthusiasts. The long-lapping history of this mineral is steeped in myth, culture, and legend, with everlasting thematic associations toward the powers of healing and love. It is the march birthstone, making it the ideal gift for your Pisces and Aquarius friends, partners, or relatives. If you are a collector of jewelry and precious gems, your menagerie of minerals is incomplete without a bit of aquamarine.

The Relationship Between Shades of Aqua and Your Personality

We must preface this section with a disclaimer highlighting that none of the following information concerning the relationship between aqua colors and personalities bears any grounds in psychiatric fact. However, subjective perception can be a strong contributing factor to how much power or truth anything may truly bear.

If you find yourself to be fond of the color or its many aqua color combinations, it is said that you might be a right-brained creative thinker or practitioner of the arts with a multifarious bag of inspired skills.

The color itself is said to be soothing and capable of revivifying the mind, body, and soul. If you have a penchant for aqua-blue or aqua-green, this may be indicative of a strong flair for artistic design. Individuals who identify with this color are also said to boast magnetic personalities that many people find themselves drawn to. “Aquamarinians”, as we love to call them, are warm-souled icons whose prowess in communication and confidence make them naturally fit for leadership roles.

An interest in the aqua color palette can also be indicative of other jubilant personality types, such as individuals who live a very carefree and easy-going lifestyle. Visually, aquamarine also boasts a degree of clarity and purity that makes it reminiscent of cleanliness. So, for all you clean beans out there, this might be a color you could closely associate yourself with. If you are a beach-faring youth who loves the ocean and walks with a pep in their step then this might also be your color. If you are perhaps not so carefree as to have lost interest in earthly possessions, you might enjoy an aquamarine stone hanging from a necklace over your shoulders.

Brownie points go to you if you made it this far. We thank you for your attention and hope that you have found the information interesting and perhaps even informative should you plan on working with or purchasing anything of the aqua color code. If you love arts and crafts and want to find more articles like this on related topics, feel free to have a  further look at our website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Is Aqua?

The answer to the question of what color is aqua lies in the name, which is derived from Latin and simply means water. The color itself shares very similar aesthetic qualities with cyan and you can find them side by side on the color wheel. In fact, the two colors are often used interchangeably in web design on account of their close relation to each other.

Is the Aqua Color Similar to Turquoise?

Turquoise and aqua are another pair of colors that bear a ton of similarities. What you can say for sure is that turquoise bears a much more prominent tint of green, especially if drawing a contrast between it and blue aqua shades. The two colors are often conflated with each other on account of their visual similarities.

What Is the History of the Aqua Color?

We can date aqua jewels as far back as 500 BC – and then some by many accounts. When rendered digitally using the RGB system, the color produced is the same as for cyan.

Megan van Schoor( Content Writer and Social Scientist )

Megan is a writer and researcher who holds a degree in Social Sciences, with a specialization in Psychology and Environmental Science, from the University of Cape Town. Her dedication to acquiring knowledge and making a positive impact has driven her current work in promoting conscious and sustainable growth in Southern Africa. Megan’s interests encompass exploring the physical and psychological impacts of color in our environment on our mood and well-being. She is also passionate about the role of art and creativity, which has been an integral part of society since the beginning of human history. Since 2022, Megan has been contributing blog posts on painting and color theory at artfilemagazine.

Learn more about Megan van Schoor and about us.