Home decor: How a touch of blue can turn your living room from boring to stylish
According to Pantone, the colour for 2020 is Classic Blue. From wall accents to furnishings, here’s how to use it like a pro.
(Photo: Styledbypt)
What’s the colour you should be looking at in 2020? According to influential design company Pantone, it’s Classic Blue.
Unlike the vibrant Living Coral of 2019, this cool-toned hue is an unexpectedly sober choice. Not all of us will like this dark colour in our makeup, accessories or wardrobe, but it is definitely easier to apply it in our homes.
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Classic Blue, according to Pantone, is a “timeless and enduring blue hue”. It may look like cobalt blue but actually carries a tinge of grey in it, resulting in a more muted look that’s “suggestive of the sky at dusk”. It’s a less dramatic and thus more versatile shade than straight-up primary blue, for sure, but is still a colour that can be quite daunting to introduce into the home.
Blue, in the right hue, can be a really chic and statement feature to your walls as compared to wallpaper.
Some people think that dark colours won’t work for small homes, due to their tendency to make a space feel “enclosed”. But, because of this exact quality, they can bring cosiness, not to mention a good dose of personality into a room – the key is to use them artfully and in appropriate quantities.
Want to give your neutral-coloured home daring dashes of blue that will take it from vanilla to interesting and utterly chic? Take a few cues from these tips, as well as a few professional tricks from interior stylist Priscilla Tan, who runs her own interior design studio, Styledbypt.
PUT IT ON THE WALLS
Most people think of deep, dark colours as depressing or moody, but they’re not necessarily so. These hues can create a warm, cocooning ambience in a room – strangely, even cool colours like blue and green can have this same effect on a space.
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Tan agreed that Classic Blue may just be a great choice for your next paint job: “Blue, in the right hue, can be a really chic statement feature on your walls as compared to wallpaper. They bring focus and a point of view to a space. Dark colours can make a room feel intimate and cosy, and they can also bring more focus to your lighter furniture and art pieces.”
Dark colours can make a room feel intimate and cosy, and they can also bring more focus to your lighter furniture and art pieces.
She’s used the calming colour in many of her clients’ homes, in spaces ranging from living rooms to kitchens and even nurseries. It’s tough to pull off having all four walls covered in a dark colour, but you can always choose to have a single accent wall.
Tan also suggested having just the lower half of your walls painted in the colour if you want a brighter-looking space.
“I recommend choosing a blue that has a grey, cool tone instead of a warm tone. That way, under white or warm lighting, it still looks really classy. If you are worried about how blue will look, get paint chips in a selection of blues and paste them on your walls so you can compare them and better visualise how they’d actually look in the space,” she added.
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CHANGE YOUR RUGS AND DRAPES
Think, also, about the soft furnishings in a room that can fill the walls or cover the floor with a large expanse of colour. Your curtains are, in a way, like a huge hanging canvas, while a large-sized rug can change the feel of your decor in a dramatic way.
I love using blue in rugs – it’s one of the most inexpensive and instant ways to add colour to your home.
Make use of these to introduce the colour into your space and create a cosy, homey atmosphere. It’s a perfect way to use Classic Blue for those who prefer to keep their walls neutral and really don’t want to commit to the colour via wall paint.
“I love using blue in rugs – it’s one of the most inexpensive and instant ways to add colour to your home,” shared Tan. It’s also where you can get creative – for example, you can opt for patterns that feature the colour instead of a rug that’s solid blue.
PAINT YOUR FIXTURES
If blue on the walls is a little too much for you, why not consider painting your doors or cabinets in the shade instead? The latter works particularly well in a white kitchen, adding a stylish pop of contrast while retaining a bright ambience.
Consider painting your doors or cabinets in the shade.
There are also other quick and easy ways to add blue accents to your kitchen – paint your cabinet handles or knobs, or give your backsplash an instant makeover with self-adhesive tile stickers that come in myriad designs from which you can take your pick.
ADD ON FURNISHINGS
A gorgeous blue velvet couch, armchair or ottoman could be just the piece to bring sophisticated blue into your living room. Or try adding a couple of blue cushions to your seats. You don’t even have to buy new cushions – simply change your cushion covers, and swop them out again when you want another new look for the space. It’s ideal for those who love to switch around their home decor very often.
A gorgeous blue velvet couch, armchair or ottoman could be just the piece to bring sophisticated blue into your living room.
There are plenty of similarly low-commitment, change-friendly options available to you elsewhere in the home – your lampshades, bedlinen, towels, or even your shower curtain can all be easily changed for a fresh, cool look.
DECORATE WITH ART AND ACCESSORIES
Don’t ignore the finishing touches in a room – incorporate Classic Blue with decorative ornaments such as vases, photo frames and candle holders. To add interest, throw a selection of other blues into the mix, or contrast blue with items in black or metallic finishes like gold, silver and copper.
Beautifully painted blue porcelain plates can also be hung up and displayed as a fabulously unconventional alternative.
The art on your walls are frequently the focal points in your room – why not make a splashy statement with a suitably blue print or painting? Tan says that art also doesn’t necessarily have to come in canvas form – beautifully painted blue porcelain plates can also be hung up and displayed as a fabulously unconventional alternative.
