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30 Jan 20

Colour crush: Decorating with navy

Interior designer and colour lover Sophie Robinson looks at why so many of us are opting for navy within our interiors. The inky watercolour design on this armchair helps to add interest and pattern to a room scheme. #navydecor #colourcrush #sophierobinson

This week I’m crushing on Navy. As a decorating colour, I think it’s well and truly cemented in our interior design psyche and I can see it overtaking grey as the ‘safe choice’ for those nervous of colour. Blue is after all the world’s universal favourite colour and has a real timeless and enduring quality, which means it’s totally non-challenging. It’s a stable and dependable colour and one that I don’t see being out of fashion any time soon. Think of a classic pinstripe and navy spells out pure class in its elegant simplicity.

But I thought it was time to crush on it all over again as Classic Blue has been hailed the Colour of 2020 by global trend forecaster Pantone. Indeed all the blues are going to be hot colours moving forward, perhaps superseding our current love affair with all things green, who is it’s biggest challenger in the battle of the colour trends. Deep blue suggests the night sky to me, and I love the similar sultry and star-gazing effects you can create with it in a room setting. In terms of colour psychology, navy has all the calm and reassuring qualities of blue but unlike its more playful cousins,( cobalt, sky or powder) this thought-provoking colour perhaps highlights our desire for a more dependable and stable foundation.

Blue is a great choice for coloured kitchens. Kitchens are a big investment and so classic blue is a stable choice. Units painted in Woad intelligent matt emulsion, Little Greene.

Going back to the pinstripe, this colour is reflective of our love affair with nostalgia that’s sweeping through interiors. It offers us comfort, a port of calm and an all-important connection to nature. Everything pivots around well-being right now and this deep and cosseting shade might be just the thing to help you create a restful sanctuary inside your home. It’s also a partner to so many other colour combinations. It looks classic paired with white but I like to mix blue with warmer shades, to prevent it being too chilly. Natural tones like wood, sisal and stonework really well. And don’t get me started on how cute it looks with pale pink and brass! watch this space as my assistant Luisa has this colour combo earmarked for her forthcoming kitchen redesign!

Oxford navy chalk paint for walls, Annie Sloan.

A deep navy blue on all walls creates a tranquil and cosseting background to relax. Paint out all the woodwork and mouldings for a sophisticated and uncomplicated look.

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, says: ‘Imprinted in our psyches as a restful colour, Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquillity to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, Classic Blue is a reflective blue tone that fosters resilience.

‘As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colours that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the Pantone Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favourite is comfortably embraced.

‘We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.’

Walls painted in Indigo blue by Sanderson.

Add some drama to an entrance hall!  I love how this inky dark shade allows the artwork to really stand out. I particularly love that guilt gold frame against it. It’s that vase of Pink peonies that are everything though!

Picket Bevelled tiles, Walls and Floors. 

Take a deep dive with navy in the bathroom. Creating just the vibe to relax unwind in and blue has all the connotations with the ocean, so is ideal for this room, although we are nearing the midnight zone, rather than paddling in the med with this shade. Go wall to wall colour for the full immersive effect. I love how the white grout picks out the trendy hexagon shape too.

Bow tie desk lamp, Beehive pendant, both Pooky.

Blue is known to be good for concentration and helping with focus (in colour psychology terms) so is the ideal addition to the home office. This half painted wall is a clever idea for adding a strong colour without going all the way up to the ceiling, and help keeps the room feeling light.

Woodwork painted in Hague Blue,  Farrow & Ball.

If you’re lucky enough to have great looking architrave and doors, make the most of them and let them stand out by painting them in a contrasting colour. And I just adore blush pink and navy. A marriage in heaven the macho navy smartens up the softness of the pink. Perfection!

Rosalie 150cm Double Bed On Legs In Prussian Blue Pure Cotton Matt Velvet, £1360, Sofa.com.

Navy also makes a statement in rich velvet and I love this play of light on this upholstered button back bedhead. As we have established blue is the colour for creating a restful and calm space, but if it’s all getting too serious you can lighten the look with sunshine yellow accessories.

Navy has to be one of the easiest colours to introduce to your home and it blends well with an existing grey scheme, with all the warm neutral tones or could help bring a level of sophistication to a colour lover’s home. There is loads of it all over the high street but here is my pick of a few best bits.

1. Flamboyant Animal Lampshade in deep navy, £40, Mint & May | 2. Hammershoi ridged vase in indigo, from £20, Heal’s | 3. Dalston Extinct Navy Chair, £699, Margot Maison | 4.Royal Doulton Pacific Porcelain Side Plates, set of 6, £48, John Lewis | 5. Babe Ruth three seat sofa, £899, Calvers & Suvdal | 6.Abuo Blue short ceramic plant pot & stand, £40, Oliver Bonas | 7. Navy storage trunks, set of 3, £54.99, Beautify | 8. Electric lagoon wallpaper, £120, The Curious Department | 9. Natural indigo throw, £60, Lola & Mawu.

Written by Sophie Robinson. Images and Shopping by Luisa Ferdenzi-Rouse.

FEATURED IMAGE AT TOP: Blue Skies fabric, Bluebell Gray.

 

Interior Designer Sophie Robinson looks at ways of introducing navy to an interior scheme. #navy #sophierobinson #colourcrush

  • colour crush
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House tour with Oliver Heath – podcast show notes S6 Ep3 House update and the red thread theory – Podcast notes S6 Ep2

comments

Charlie Kingham on 11.02.20

I love this post! Navy is such a versatile colour and works in almost any room – we particularly love it in a boot room or a kitchen (you can see our ideas at http://www.charliekingham.co.uk). You are so right, it is multi faceted: traditional and contemporary, dramatic and calming. Thanks for your lovely tips and ideas!

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I absolutely adored visiting @annalysejacobs in he I absolutely adored visiting @annalysejacobs in her beautiful rental apartment. Her love of colour and creativity just over flows and is positively infectious ! I spent a morning in her gorgeous company filming another fabulous house tour for my new inline course and Anna generously shared all the insights, tricks and hacks she’s used to turn her rental  flat from its previous mushroom incarnation into the splendid expression of colour joy that it is now. As an artist Anna is a master of colour and conjures up some mouthwatering palettes that feel fresh, new and playful. And because she rents she’s used paint to make the biggest transformation. From walls, ceilings, kitchen units, furniture to her fabulous murals she has quickly and affordably made this apartment her own. Because the thing is beige makes Anna feel low and depressed but because she knows what her happy colours are, she’s rolled them out in all her walls, and she is thriving. 😁 Anna is a complete creative whirlwind and I found it a real tonic being in her home. It’s lovely, she’s definitely one worth a follow! 

My new course, Confident Colour scheming launches on the 17th May, but you can enrol now with a juicy £100 discount with the pre-launch offer. Just follow the link in my profile. Trust me, colour makes you happy and I’ll show you how!

Lots of questions about my dress on stories yesterday, it’s new from @phaseeight and is the most amazing colour for spring! 

#colourpalette #colourlover #banthebiege #springdecor #colourconfident #confidentcolourscheme #bbbinteriors #ihavethisthingwithcolour #colourcolorlovers #springiscoming #interiordesign #colourmehappy #housebeautiful
Happy Friday! The end to a marvellous week visitin Happy Friday! The end to a marvellous week visiting some of my favourite colour filled homes. This is a peek into the wonderful world of @interiorcurve which is a maximalist masterclass. I interviewed Siobhan for my new online course, which is called Confident colour scheming. I love Siobhan’s passion for Art Deco and fifties Hollywood glam and she fuses it using her own fearless  approach to decorating. She pulls together pattern and colour and designs from the heart. She feels it abs when it feels good she goes for it. And as a result you feel it too. Being inside her home infuses you with a real feeling of joy and fabulousness. What a tonic! Siobhan’s house will be one of many inspiring house tours that are inside the new course. Enrolment opens today with a juicy £100 discount if you sign up before the course launches on the 17th May. ( link in bio) I think we could all do with being a litltle more Siobhan. #bemoresiobhan 

#colourlover #banthebeige #maximalistinteriors #eclecticdecor #interiordesign #artdeco #artdecostyle #colourmyhome
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During lockdown sales of scented candles have gone through the roof so we tackle the topic of whether a smelly candle really can transport you somewhere else. Whether it’s fig and pomegranate , gingerbread, sea salt or ‘scent of freshly signed divorce papers’ there is a scent to suit every mood it would appear. One of my favourite smells is ‘Love is the drug” by @rockettstgeorge.co.uk  and I use it to help me unwind as I soak in the tub. Would love to know what your favourite home scents are so drop me a comment as @mad_about_the_house needs some inspiration in this department! 
We also round up the latest design books all launching this spring . New out this month Is ‘Resourceful living’ by our favourite style savvy insta influencer @_lisa_dawson_ . We drool over the colourful world created by @beataheuman as she shows us how ‘every room must sing’. And I couldn’t put down this little gem of a book, ‘the mindful home’ by @joannathornhillstylist is set to inspire and inform you in equal measure to create a home you can thrive in. 
You can find us as always in your podcast app by looking for ‘The Great Indoors’ so make sure you subscribe. A huge thanks to @katetaylorldn for producing the show, and to you for listening. 😍
. #thegreatindoors #greatindoors #thegreatindoorspodcast #scentedcandles #smellycandles #bathroom #howivintage #colourlover #banthebeige #patternlover
Just completed a fabulous trip to Leeds to do some Just completed a fabulous trip to Leeds to do some filming inside some of my favourite colour fuelled homes. 
Meeting Sandra from @the_idle_hands and getting to experience the fabulous interiors she has created (that Ive drooled over for years here on Instagram), was a huge treat for the eyes and food for the soul. This past year more than any other has got us deeply connected with how much our homes mean to us and I love to learn how they have also become a creative outlet for so many. We have this wonderful platform to share our designs and indeed egg each other on to ignore the sensible advice and instead make bolder and more audacious design choices. Following your true heart always pays off!  I’ve got connected to the passion, joy, and uplift that can be gained by doing it your own way and owning your style 100% .  It involves plenty of graft but ultimately if you get connected to the colours and patterns that chime with you,  and dare to make some bold moves along the way, you are rewarded with a home that just feels awesome to be in. My little trip away has left me inspired and invigorated itching to get some fresh new colour rolled out on the walls! And possibly to get a puppy! Nel totally stole my heart 🐶
These little films I’ve made will be part of my exciting new course, coming out in May all about how to create confident colour schemes because a little know how goes a long way to creating your dream colour filled interior. Cannot WAIT to share all this mouthwatering content with you 😍

#colourlover #banthebeige #colourscheme #interiordesign #ihavethisthingwithcolour #styleithappy #myhomevibe #victorianhouse #interioraddict #eclectichome #eclecticdecor #crashbangcolour #colourcourse #bbbinteriors #houseofhackney #puppylove
How’s your Monday? Did you get to the shops? Dri How’s your Monday? Did you get to the shops? Drink a beer in a pub garden?! I’ve attempted train travel today  and three cancelled trains later I’m wishing I stayed at home! Anyone else not ready for this new normal yet! I’ve grown very attached to my sofa and cosy clothes this past few months! 

CREDITS Cardigan @jumper_1_2_3_4  Trousers @me_andem Trainers @nike Sofa @sofaworkshop (discontinued) in magnolia @gpjbaker  Tiger print cushion @trashvelvetuk pink cushion @grahamandgreen Flowers @sageandco.floraldesign Curtains @habitatuk (discontinued) 

#nonewnormal #banthebeige #colourlover #myhomevibe #noplacelikehome #pink #ihavethisthingwitpink 

📷 @aluncallenderphoto
I do love some HEAVY PETAL action. Florals are eve I do love some HEAVY PETAL action. Florals are everywhere in my home and it gives me full on joy to see them layered up on walls, on furnishings and my latest edition this hollyhock cushion. But they don’t  love me. As the blossom is bursting out this spring my hay fever is in full flow. 🤧sending love and tissues to my fellow sufferers! 

CREDITS Wallpaper is Artemis @houseofhackney . Painting by @beckyblairartist . Side board is vintage from @vinestreetvintage . Vases and chair are @grahamandgreen . Hollyhocks heavy petal cushion @houseofhackney . Flowers by @sageandco.floraldesign . Wall light @pookylights . Floor is intenso parquet @quickstepfloors 

#heavypetal #floralwallpaper #floraldesign #flowerpower #colourlover #banthebeige #bbbinteriors #mycolourfulinterior #mycolourfulhome #howivintage #sodomino #interiors123 #interiordesign #countryinteriors .
Had a very busy day filming today and I got my mak Had a very busy day filming today and I got my makeup done all fancy and put on some pretty clothes. I’m exhausted because it was hard work but I also feel like I’ve had a real boost to play with some all the pretty things in all the pretty colours. Like these new pumps from @roguematilda which are giving me life! And they are flat so my feet are happy to. 😍

Thanks @swainy2021 for the style inspiration and @jadefarmiloemua for the eye bag hack! (See my stories)
It’s podcast day! And on today’s show @mad_abo It’s podcast day! And on today’s show @mad_about_the_house and I discuss the pitfalls of shopping online, because admit it, we’ve all fallen down one! Whether it’s find out your forest green sofa is shiny teal (mentioning no names Callum) to discovering the dining room chandelier is no bigger than one of pat butchers earrings. 
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#leopardisaneutral #banthebeige #thegreatindoors #thegreatindoorspodcast #livingroom #interiorrefresh #colourlover #maximalistinteriors #maximalistinteriors
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