A bold move
It's not every day you see an electric-blue kitchen. Then again, it's not every day you see a kitchen as fabulous as this one!
The kitchen's sleek, colour-saturated cabinets are finished with a brilliant blue high-gloss lacquer. The contrast provided by soft cream walls helps to electrify the already bold shade. The effect is not for everyone, and should not be decided on a whim.
If you're not sure that you will absolutely love such a strong statement, skip the bright blue cabinets and try painting the walls of the kitchen in a royal or cobalt blue — if you get tired of it, it's an easy fix.
No beach here!
While blue rooms often have a beach-house feeling, this bedroom in a inner city loft is 100 percent citified.
"That's because the blues are very rich and deep," says the designer. "And velvet always says 'urban.' No one would ever do a blue velvet bedspread on the beach!"
In addition to the velvet, the room is swathed in layers of other blue fabrics — the same deep, gorgeous shade in subtly different textures. White lamps and night tables make the blue look even more intense. They light up the space, physically and figuratively.
And while blue is technically a cool colour, this room doesn't look icy in the slightest. The khaki walls and oak floor really warm up the space.
Blue, blue and more blue
When this homeowner decided to downsize, he changed his address, but not his favorite colour. The challenge was to develop a design that used this colour in grand, meaningful gestures without sacrificing a warm, comfortable feeling."
To maintain the balance, fresh and warm cream tones and lighter shades of blue were integrated into each of the main living spaces to soften the intensity of the cobalt. The living room, for example, is cream with bright blue upholstered furniture. But in the entertainment room, the deepest shade is found on the wall finish: celestial bursts of shimmering glass dust applied over a blue-black enamel. A sofa covered in blue leather, sofa cushions in blue velour and deep blue drapery layer the colour for an intense, enveloping and warm feeling.
"If you want to go for a similar, warm ambiance," the designer says, "remember that blue hues vary wildly, not just in terms of shade and depth, but in terms of what undertones are present. In this case, there's a hint of green undertone, which has yellow - a warm colour - in it."
Beautiful with blue
The ways to make blue work in a home are almost limitless.
"Blue is a perennial favourite and shifts its cast, value and/or chroma according to prevailing fashion and its timing on the colour cycle," says Catherine B. Stein, colour and trend forecaster. "Right now, blue is coming off a turquoise high and preparing itself for a full indigo immersion," she says.
Whatever shade of blue you choose, the mood it evokes will depend largely on what colours you select for accents. Blues with green, she says, are healthy, life affirming and ecological; blues with yellow are harmonious, making them perfect for a relaxing country bedroom.
And don't overlook earth tones and neutrals with blue, either. These subtle shades can add sophistication and freshness to many blues. Lately, we've been doing a fair bit of sky blue with chocolate brown and white. This combination feels modern and fresh, with the blue giving a lightness to the chocolate so that it stays rich and interesting without being too dense.
It's also trendy to mix of different blues with oranges. The orange really wakes up the blue and brings out a complementary intensity.
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