Electric Surge: How to Design with Cobalt Blue

A lightning bolt of color in your home is easily achieved with cobalt blue. This deep, striking shade can update your décor and give it something electrically charged. Here is how to use it in your home.

1. Sing the Blues.

Design in Ocean Colors

Mixing different shades of the same color can create a softening effect in your color palette. Try cobalt blue in a room that is tempered with other shades of blue, such as sky blue or even aquamarine. The cobalt blends in while giving the palette an edge.

2. Choose a Trim.

Make a Trim Color Vibrant

Cobalt blue can be an interesting idea for a room’s trimming, instead of the usual colors such as white or beige. This can works beautifully with a neutral color scheme, as can be seen with the cobalt blue kitchen counters above.

3. Blue and Wood.

Wooden Furnishings Dream in Blue

Whether you’re designing a modern or vintage-inspired room, if you have wooden furnishings they can look grand when set against a lashing of cobalt blue. The result is trendy and elegant.

4. Bluewash Your White!

Cobalt Art Brings Personality to White

Whitewashing is a big trend in décor because furnishing your home in loads of white is modern, while being a classic staple for years to come. However, an added bonus of a whitewashed room is that you can update it with an injection of color, such as cobalt blue, to give it a fresh appearance.

5. Modern Touch.

Sharpen Décor with Cobalt Blue

Because cobalt blue is such a loud and proud color, it speaks of contemporary design. Use it against solid, traditional furnishings to give them a little something of the current trends without making the look feel awkward.

6. Choose a Signature.

Cobalt Appliances are Refreshing

Target a signature item in the room that could do with color. This can be an armoire, statue or stove, for instance. You can see in the above image how the piece takes centre stage in the room.

7. Color Block!

Mix Two Strong Colors

Color blocking has been a huge trend in fashion and it refers to mixing two or more bright colors together. In décor it can also be very stylish. Instead of sticking to cobalt blue as the main attraction, pair it up with other hot colors, such as bright red. The colors feed off each other to instil a cheerful, bold living space.

8. Cobalt Carry-On.

Small Cobalt Items can Be Used in More than One Room

Choose items in cobalt blue that you can move from one room to the other, such as a set of picture frames or cushions. This makes it easy to add bold blue to whatever room you feel needs something extra. This is also a great way to experiment with how cobalt blue works in different rooms.

9. Choosing Blue Furniture.

Stylish and Cozy Cobalt Sofa

If you want to add a piece of furniture to your living space, tread carefully. You want the piece to be elegant and sophisticated, not look cheap. A good idea is to choose sleek lines that are in comfortable materials, such as suede, to ease the bright color while still making the item last longer than a season.-Via

Sunday, 17 November 2013