Sunday, February 23, 2014

The Special Beauty of Blue and White

blue and white toile
 I adore blue and white in decorating schemes.  It's fresh, classic, and usually very easy for the non-decorator to pull off!  Blue and white is especially soothing for bedrooms, and probably one of the most classic uses of blue and white is with toile.  The bedroom above is a wonderful oasis of calm in a busy world.
I am a die-hard fan of peach and coral.  Blue and a creamy white with peach or coral is beautiful!  And if you are using blue and white porcelain, it really pops against a peach or coral background.

blue and white bedroom

blue and white bedroom

Another great thing about decorating with blue and white is that apartment dwellers who cannot change the color of those white or cream walls can still have what looks like a planned and cohesive design. All you have to do is paint some furniture a dark grey-blue or white (or mix both!) and buy ready-made curtains and bedspreads.  For the living room, solid white or blue slipcovers will work although printed blue and white ones look really special.
All shades and tones of blue look good with white, cream, off-white or ivory.  Look how crisp the room below is!
blue and white bedroom
I love the curtain treatment below with the inner lining blue and pretty white fringe trim.

blue and white bedroom

blue and white bedroom
Below is another example of what could be done if you are living in an apartment and cannot paint the cream walls.  Use blue and white material to cover chairs, sofa, and window, and no one will know that you didn't plan to have cream walls all along!
decorating with blue and whitedecorating with blue and white

decorating with blue and white
I adore blue and white porcelain grouped together. Even the lamps are blue and white.  And blue and white porcelain works so seamlessly with your decor that you can still add a gallery wall.
decorating with blue and white
What a peaceful sitting room!
blue and white decor
Decorating with blue and white can be cost effective, too.  Blue and white porcelain jars and plates can be found in Chinatown and sometimes even at dollar stores. Simple muslin curtains in a creamy white or blue can be found for a few dollars a yard.
decorating with blue and white
Above, blue and white porcelain looks wonderful against almost any color.  Here it's lovely against a warm grey.
blue and white decor
Blue and white is marvelous for a kitchen!
blue and white kitchen

decorating with blue and white
Above, yellow is amazing as a background for blue and white. Below, note that there is no solid blue in the room; even the curtains are striped. but the overall effect sends a blue message.
blue and white decor

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