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INTERIORS

RHAPSODYIN BLUE

From ice to azure and stormy to slate, blue has many moods and, as interior designer

Charlotte Starling reveals, there will surely be a shade to suit your tastes

Famously restful and serene, cool blues are often recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms. Beware though - a scheme of solely

pastels can look washed-out, even unpleasantly chilly. When opting for light blue as the primary colour in a room, balance it with warm, earthy hues like caramel or chocolate for the furnishing and fabrics.

Inky, midnight blues create a cocooning effect, but too much dark blue can be gloomy. Add extra oomph with richly-coloured wood like cherry and metallic accents such as a brass chandelier or gilt-framed mirror. The result is intimate and super-glamorous.

Don’t restrict yourself to just the walls. Blue is extremely versatile as an accent colour. Indigo with quince yellow looks fresh, aqua with lichen green lends a calm, contemplative feel while navy with coral adds a dash of exuberance. Blue works equally well for men and women, so it’s ideal for couples’ bedrooms. A headboard the same shade as Tiffany’s iconic robin’s egg packaging makes an otherwise neutral room truly sing.

Blue and white is a classic combination you can’t go wrong with. A collection of Chinese ginger jars on a mahogany table against a sage-green wall makes a stunning focal point. For a laidback yet contemporary kitchen set dusty blue cabinets on a creamy white wall, add stainless steel countertops and tan leather bar stools.

To introduce a subtle country or coastal theme, use vintage French linen or ticking stripes in crisp blues and clean whites, and you have alternatively rustic charm or a jaunty nautical air.

Looking at trends in interiors - this year sees a wash of marine-hued shades coming to the fore. With ceramics, glass and fabrics in every tone from cornflower to teal, the options for accessorising in blue are endless.

About CharlotteCharlotte Starling is Creative Director of Velvet & Dash Interiors based near Dorchester. A keen supporter of local businesses, she works with Dorset-based designers and artists to offer styling and sourcing services for the home. Find out more at velvet-dash.com or call 01300 320 657

Above: Blue works beautifully in this kitchen - walls Medici Blue £29.50 for 2.5 Litre by Rose of Jericho (rose-of-jericho.demon.co.uk) lampshade TMO Lighting (tmolighting.com) also at Strummer Pink, Beaminster and Modo Interiors, Blandford Forum

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dorsetmagazine.co.uk DORSET June 2013 89

Colourwise Blue works best in sunshine. Avoid using in north-facing rooms with little natural light

Introduce blue to your room scheme using paintings and art

Blue works well in outside-inspired rooms like conservatories

Introducing blue into your home can actually help banish ‘the blues’ as it’s a colour which stimulates clear thought and reflection

Mixing blues can be tricky. To be safe, stay with a single blue and team with other colours

Tint Hints from Farrow & Ball

Blue can have an array of different effects on a room as there are so many different tones. Warmer blues come towards you, making the room feel cosier, whilst cooler tones create a more sophisticated feel; try pairing rich Pitch Blue with Cornforth White and James White for a truly elegant grown-up scheme. Warmer hues are perfect for social rooms such as the dining room, kitchen or living room. Try using Stone Blue, one of our key colours for 2013. A sentimental and homely colour, combine it with Radicchio and Cooking Apple Green to create a cheerful look. Stone Blue is also a fantastic accent colour to a neutral backdrop like Wimborne White.

Alternatively, cool pale blues such as Pavilion Blue and Borrowed Light create a wonderful watery feel to a room or pair Lulworth Blue with Borrowed Light and Blackened for a seaside-inspired scheme.

Blues can look cold when used in a north-facing room so it is important to get the right shade to ensure the room isn’t dingy. Try Hague Blue, this rich colour will give a space an intimate feel.

Sarah Cole, Director farrow-ball.com

Above: Dining room, Wood paneling - Vert de Terre Estate Eggshell; Woodwork- Lichen Estate Eggshell; Floor - Borrowed Light and Stone Blue Floor Paint. All Farrow & Ball

Left: Blue bathroom by Velvet & Dash Interiors. Walls in Waterleaf by Designers Guild, floor paint Pointing by Farrow & Ball, lace curtain by Pearl Lowe.

Above: Slate blue & terracotta hares wallpaper by Noel Holmes Grove Studio, Bournemouth, £60 per 2.5 metre drop £220 per roll, (grovestudio.co.uk)

Below: Angelica Blue Linen Union fabric, £55 per metre, by Holly Lasseter, Weymouth (hollylasseterdesigns.co.uk )

Above: Handblown blue glass bowl with band of silver leaf by Emsie Sharp, various sizes from £30, (velvet-dash.com)

Above: Ceramic artichoke candleholders, £25 each, Velvet & Dash Interiors (velvet-dash.com)

Left: Bird & Hoop velvet cushion, various sizes from £90 Corita Rose, Shaftesbury, (coritarose.com)

INTERIORS