The best magazine
The enduring power of blue doesn't let it stay too long out of the spotlight. It continues to be strong even when there are other popular colors giving it strong competition.
Blue happens to be the complementary color for orange, sitting right across from it on the color wheel. Blue is also a primary color, and a cool one. It suggests stability and commonsense, while also inspiring trust. But most of all, it is calming and peaceful.
We generally don't think of blue as a dramatic color. But what happens when you use an intense blue in an unexpected context? Drama!
Featured here is the traditional silhouette of a French chest that has been painted in a deeply intense lapis finish, which is then adorned with silver accents in the form of bat-wing pulls and an ogee edge. The chest comes from French Heritage, and is certainly not the only dramatic looking piece from the company.
The Meaning of Blue
Blue to Accessorize
You don't need the whole area to be awash in blue for it to be effective. Since accessories are like details that complete a picture, even small touches of blue can stand on their own in a space.
The Indigo Altadena Buffet Lamp from Couture was inspired by Danish Modern influences, and has a beautiful blue base made from indigo resin. Combined with acacia wood, the blue is even more effective.
Unexpectedly Blue
Most people don't think of blue as an exciting color. But it depends on the blue and it depends on how you use it. Adding blue in unexpected places makes it unexpectedly exciting. A fresh blue doubles that effect.
The blue back panel makes this bookshelf special because it is unexpected. The blue background also helps bring greater focus to the displayed objects.
This bookshelf is from Habersham.
Blues That Flow into Other Colors
When you merge analogous colors, you get deeply satisfying results. Blue is not the only color that merges well with analogous colors that are positioned close to it on the color wheel. But blue being blue, just adds a greater sense of calm. Choose reds alongside oranges if you want to wake up your room, but if you are looking for a sense of calm, then blue next to greens and purples will deliver that.
These pillows from Kevin O'Brien can be used for blue accents or to create harmonies.
Some color schemes endure over time, and even across cultures. Blue and white is a classic combination, and as such has continued to be popular in Western interiors through the centuries. Different types of white and different shades of blue are brought in from time to time to give a fresh look to this very basic, classic color scheme.
There is no limit to how blue and white have been used together, whether it is in pottery, upholstery or case goods or in walls and trims.
Here you see some pieces from the Bob Timberlake Home collection for Century Furniture.
Deep rich blues are not used only in case goods, they are very present in upholstered furniture as well. The texture of the fabric helps give the blue its own special character, and leather gives it another dimension.
Upholstered furniture is all about comfort and blue fits very nicely into that concept.
The Tuxedo Park chair looks very comfortably sophisticated in its blue leather with the silver nail head accent.
The chair is part of the Mike Talbot Dana Gibson collection.
Source: ...