03 July 2009

Color Notes: Room Full of Blues

Welcome to the third Color Notes posting. The purpose of this series is to share inspiring products and helpful ideas for the many hues you might want to incorporate into your home's design scheme.

Given America's 233rd birthday this weekend, I thought I'd kick off this new feature with Red, White and Blue. You've seen Red and White already. This Blue posting concludes our All-American series. Let me know which Color Notes hue you'd like to see next time in the Comments section below.


Why blue?

Blue is associated with water and sky, military and royalty. It's considered a cool color, and is great for relaxation spaces, as it evokes a coastal vacation for so many fans. I love blue paint in kitchens and baths - azure with white cabinets or pale sky shades with cherry spice or espresso finishes. Blue works with most wood floors, from whitewashed to blondes to deep ebonies, and with many tan or golden-tinged tiles. It's also perfect with white trim and shutters, and white window sheers. The blue shown above right is Benjamin Moore's version of Blueberry Buckle by Olympic.


Where not to go blue?

If your goal is to make a room feel warm and cozy, the cool blue palette won't meet your needs. Most parents won't buck tradition and use it for a girl's nursery either.


I love blue with...

Creamy tans, especially azure, seen here, or navy
This is Smith + Noble's Soft Roman Fabric Shade in Voila Stripe/Mist


Yellow, especially in French or Mediterranean-influenced prints


White, especially in comfy, retro prints
Shown here is Sunspot Bedding from the Sundance Catalog


Brown, as long as the blue is pale
As shown here in Ballard Design's Mantova Stripe Wallpaper Chocolate Fog


And, of, course,
Red and white, in crisp Americana-inspired prints
Seen here on Pottery Barn's Chesapeake Double Chaise



Cool blue collection

It was fun collecting images of cool blue design gear. My own home has tons of blue elements, and in many of the pairings shown above. Here are some blue pieces you might enjoy having in your home.


Built-in blues

I love blue accent cabinets!
Beautifully showcased here in a showroom vignette at
Glen Alspaugh Kitchens & Baths in St. Louis

Recycled Cobalt Skyy Blue Glass Countertops from Vetrazzo
(That's not a typo; these are made from Skyy Vodka bottles!)

Contemporary color for your kitchen...
Preference Series Appliances in Blue Water by Dacor

And an Old World opposite
Chateau Range by La Cornue

Blue has light-hearted fun in Artistic Tile's Effervescence series
(Spotted this on my recent New York City design visit to the A&D Building)

Mother Nature's Beauty: Blue Pearl Granite
Pair it with creamy white or toffee maple cabinets for a knock-out look


Furniture Blues

Arne Jacobsen's Egg Chair in Aqua
at Design Within Reach

More retro seating!
Urban Outfitter's Lulu Chair in Aqua Tweed

"She wore blue velvet..."
The Dauphine Headboard, that is, also at Urban Outfitters.com

You love garden stools, I love garden stools!
Here's Wisteria's Chinese Garden Stool in Light Blue

Banish your bedtime blues with PB's Charlotte Bedside Table


Decorative blues

Flor it! with Modern Mix Carpet Tiles

Light it up with Anthropologie's Crystal Drop Chandelier

Or with Bellacor's Blue Ceramic Gourd Lamp

Catch one of these Blue Fish Ceramic Planters at Pier1

Or grab one of these Blue Glass Cabinet Pulls at VanDykes.com

At the end of a long day, cuddle up with this yummy Monogrammed Solid Cashmere Throw
Compliments of Williams-Sonoma Home


Enjoy the entire Color Notes series...

5 comments:

  1. Delicious blues! I am partial to the grey blues, so I really love the color you chose! THe blue and whites - always classic, and that stove... DREAMY! I truly loved the post. I'm glad that I found you through Julia's party.
    !
    xo Isa

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  2. All the pics are gorgeous! I love blue as well. Thanks for all the eye candy, Diane

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  3. So many beautiful blues!! Blue is one of my favourite colours, but I don't actually have any blue rooms or even accessories in our house. Hmmmm... that's just wrong!! But we do have a blue smart car and a blue pick-up truck :-)

    LOVE the Vetrazzo glass countertops. My dream kitchen has an island wrapped in either Chivalry Blue or Cobalt Skyy :-) And I think it'll need to have that blue stove too!! Love the upholstered headboard and the blue drawer pull too. I love blue!!

    Kelly

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  4. Jamie, What a fun post showing the many shades and design uses for blue! Very inspiring!

    Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog! I am doing better. Doctor appt. tomorrow. we will discuss the game plan for doing surgery on both ears.

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  5. I so love the contrast of the cashmere throw against the pure white sofa! and it matches the blue accent on the stairs! very nice!

    ReplyDelete

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