When I was 13, and following a devastating house fire, I was asked how I wanted my new bedroom to be decorated once it was all rebuilt. Having grown up in a house with heavily patterned wallpaper and furniture, I was desperate for something more calming on the eye and so, controversially for the Towers household, I opted for paint. All these years later I can still remember the name… it was called Display, and it was a Dulux mixed colour of deep, rich navy. Because it was such a dark shade, I placed a huge mirror on the wall opposite the window to reflect more light into the room, and to add warmth I went for a natural wooden floor with a big navy kilim rug and vintage wooden furniture. Sadly I don’t have any photos of it since those were the days of point and click cameras (who knows where the hard copies are now, several moves later), but I still remember how calming and cocooning it was… my bedroom became a true sanctuary for me (much needed since I’m one of four and it was a very busy household). And so this is where my love for using blue in interiors first began.
Blue is a hugely popular colour in interior design and deeper shades have really been gaining traction in the past few years. Pantone’s colour of the year 2020 is called “Classic Blue” and so no doubt there will be much more to come. According to colour psychologists, blue is the most universally favoured colour which offers a sense of calm and serenity. It’s a very versatile colour which can be teamed with countless other shades, and can create a cool and vibrant pop or be used as a calming hue. I have compiled some blue rooms that I find very beautiful and inspiring, and I hope you will too!
I really love the commitment to blue in this room by Lucy Gough for Living Etc, as well as the intensity and elegance of the space. According to colour psychologists, blue is actually an appetite suppressing colour, so if you’re looking to trim down then potentially it’s worth giving your dining room a blue makeover!
The coolness of the blue in this living room by Jewel Marloe has been offset by earthy green, brown and black tones, still keeping it light but offering the room some warmth. I also love that Jewel has gone all in with painting the ceiling blue.
This deep, dark blue is the perfect shade to help create the boutique hotel style of this bedroom. It’s rich, calming and super luxurious. A beautiful room by Espo_Inspo.
I love the vibrancy of the blue in this bathroom, offset by the gold hardware. It would make for a sunny shower of a morning. **Picture from unknown source.
Various research shows that different shades of blue can improve concentration and stimulate thinking. Offices are therefore often blue as it makes for a more productive workspace. **Picture from unknown source.
I know I’ve talked about an aversion to wallpaper when I was little due to an overload of pattern all over the house, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve definitely come around to it. I love the traditional William Morris wallpaper in this room by Sandra Baker at The Idle Hands.
As white and cream has dominated kitchen cabinet colours for the past few decades, it’s so great to see in the last few years a movement into colour in the kitchen. This beautiful design by Fiona Duke Interiors shows that deep blue is a very elegant colour for the kitchen.
Bolds and brights are now giving the traditional soft pastels used in kids' bedrooms a run for their money. This room by Nicki Bamford-Bowes from And They Went Wild is a great showcase of fun and playful mixed with grown up vibes. It also shows that using deep, dark shades in a space doesn’t necessarily make for a dark room. I really like the two toned walls and pops of yellow in this design.
This blue in this hallway by Suszi Saunders helps to create a traditional yet cosy entrance. I especially like that the colour has been used up the stairway as well as on the ceiling, for a very cocooning, welcoming feeling.
This Moroccan inspired room by Living Etc UK is stunningly airy and serene. I'd only recommend this shade in a south facing room, since it's a very cool colour it could make a north facing room feel cold.
Not forgetting the outside of the house, adding a bright blue to external doors is a great way to show a pop of personality before you’ve even walked over the threshold. I love the shade of these doors in the South of France, photographed by Annette Riis-Carstensen. It would certainly bring a smile to my face seeing this view every day.
I hope you enjoyed ogling over these gorgeous pictures as much as I did! It's certainly a way to beat the January blues!
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