Color Trend: Blue Mood That Makes Me Happy

There is a subtle change in the way the design industry is using blue, but I'm taking notice, and me likey. It's dark, indigo, and mixed with black. It's being used in traditional and in contemporary settings alike, and it is not the typical "nautical" look we've all come to gag on. Just keep your eyes open....I think we just found the new "black".

This is the living room from the San Francisco's Elle Decor Showhouse. These wing chairs from Restoration Hardware are such a deep blue, they appear black.

The custom wallcovering in the dining room of the San Francisco Elle Decor Showhouse is a rich blue. In the shadows it appears like midnight.

This interior, designed by Steven Volpe, uses a military blue for the drapes in addition to the velvet sofa and rug.

Designer Iain Halliday grounds this space with a deep navy carpet from Beauvais Carpets. It's unexpected with a color palette of grays and leaf green and coral accents but it looks amazing.

The design team Kirsten-Kelli,  mixed black ebony wood stair-railing with the gorgeous dark blue pinstriped carpet runner. 

This is another example of the work of Kirsten Kelli. The ceiling has been treated with  a textural print inset into a coffered ceiling, finished in ebony.

Painting a dark navy has always been popular, but usually used as a backdrop for a Ralph Lauren Hunting lodge, or perhaps as an accent in a seaside home. Now it's being mixed in contemporary and modern interiors as well, and the combination of vintage pieces and sleek modern with the rich intoxicating color is anything but depressing.

This kitchen, designed by Windsor Smith, has slate blue cabinets, almost black. I love the mix of traditional elements and modern finishes....this interior will really transcend time. The white of the floors and ceiling combined with natural light coming through the windows make this kitchen bright and airy despite the darkness of the cabinet color.

I also see this trend in textiles accessories and other decor. From wovens and linens and the explosion in the past year of ethnic printed fabrics like the popular ikats have not excluded this blue black color.

Restoration new color palette for their outdoor collection features this midnight blue from Perennials, a high end outdoor fabric company.

This pillow, with a suzani style print is available at Williams Sonoma Home.

This fabric is from Michael Devine, who is known for his beautiful textured hand-screened prints. This particular pattern is petite fleur on white, color indigo. 

Kravet has a linen, Plugged In, in color Shale that lots of texture and can be used in a lot of different applications.

John Robshaw Textiles has a vast array of indigo inspired  woven textiles and bedding like these above and below.

Upholstered furniture have also been influenced by this trend. Take the following chairs that have a mix of deep indigo blue and black.

This Grafton Chair featured above in front of a wall of green, is from Anthropologie, and features an unfinished oak with a woven denim herringbone pattern....such a cool design mixed with the ultimate traditional frame.

This sofa is now featured at Room and Board in this dark deep blue....the new black, eh?

Neiman Marcus shows this very traditional chair again, with an ebony stain and dark indigo and white stripes.

This midnight blue is also popping up in lighting and accessories too.

The Zenith Chandelier from Baccarat, at a hefty $37000 is made with indigo colored glass and dark deniim shades. Totally different.

Jonathon Adler, the designer who boasts about "happy chic" loves midnight blue. His Nelson table lamp, his take off of the original Nelson bubble lamp offers a midnight blue finish.

Here is another example of Jonathan Adler's infusion of this deep blue, in his line of outdoor dinnerware. Instead of using the usual black and white zebra print, he blended the indigo and it looks fabulous.

So, keep your eyes open for indigo.....I'm IN and I DIG it.

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