Blue in Interior Design: A Feat in Elegant and Timeless Comfort

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Pantone’s Color of the Year is a keystone in design, branding, and marketing trends. So, it’s telling that a third of them have been shades of blue. In fact, the very first color chosen was Cerulean!

It’s not just Pantone that sees the beauty of blue. A YouGov study determined it to be the world’s favorite color. It was well loved throughout history, too, though the pigments were often hard to find. This rarity made it a favorite of European royals and the upper class. 

While it isn’t difficult to get your hands today, blue is still associated with regality and timeless elegance. 

WELLNESS

While blue pigments were not historically accessible, the color itself has always been around, just out of reach, in the sky and the sea. 

Nature has a profound impact on our mental state. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health CA, “Access to nature has also been found to improve sleep and reduce stress, increase happiness and reduce negative emotions, promote positive social interactions and even help generate a sense of meaning to life.” 

There are a plethora of wellness benefits associated with blue. Color psychology found it encourages comfort, tranquility, creativity, trust and dependability. Further, different shades impact us differently. Darker blues are linked to problem solving and decision making while lighter tones help with focus.

DESIGN

Blue is a favorite of interior designers and homeowners alike. This is, in part, because of its calming effect, but there is another hard-science reason; the way our eyes interact with blue’s color wavelength makes it one of the easiest colors to see. It also draws light, making it a brilliant choice for dark rooms that lack natural light. 

As it is one of the three primary colors, blue is a base for many color combinations. Thus, there is an abundance of versatility in what can be done with blue. Despite how long it has been popular, it’s still a modernizing color. Different shades and patterns blend well together without clashing. It also pairs well with both neutral colors like white and more daring greens and oranges.

Blue can be calming or punchy, a highlight or a support for other design elements. 

Source: Home & Gardens – Simon Bevan | Source: Beautifulhomes | Source: Home & Gardens – Manuel Canovas

RUGS

We can’t talk about design and ignore rugs. They serve a variety of purposes in a space, one of which is that they change the size of a room without the hassle of construction or paint. In this case, light blue rugs can open up your room and make them seem larger. 

Dark blue rugs serve a different purpose. Rugs, by nature, are underfoot. Things spill, dirt gets tracked in, accidents happen. With a dark blue rug, spots and stains are a lesser concern. That doesn’t mean the rug cannot be beautiful. The best rugs blend form and function. 

Modern rugs, contemporary rugs, antique rugs, traditional rugs, and transitional rugs all come in shades of blue. In fact, it is one of the most represented rug colors in the James Royce collection!

There are five core reasons we love blue rugs:

1. There are so many shades.

Whether you’re looking to change the size of your room or the way it feels, there’s a shade for you.

2. It is a great supporting color.

It doesn’t always have to be the focal point of your design. Since it matches so well with other colors, you can let it fall to the background and highlight other colors.

3. It can steal the show,

But, if you want your room to pop, there’s a rug for that too—modern rugs meet this need especially well!

4. Or emphasize a pattern.

If you’re hoping to focus on the intricacies of your rug, getting one with blue accents is the way to go! With so many shades and uses, it helps elevate any pattern.

5. it imitates waves, feathers, and other natural formations.

Nature is always in style, but this is especially true right now. If you want to glean some of the benefits from clear skies and open seas without going outside, look no further.

Blue is a storied and beloved color with seemingly endless advantages, be it in wellness or interior design. For an added layer of timeless comfort, lay down a new rug and see what blue can do for you.