If you're a little tired of the neutral palette that's dominated home trends for the past decade or two, then you, like us, might be curious about the new blue interiors trend thats been gaining momentum. Yes, we've had a real moment for green interiors – green kitchens, couches and plenty of plant life – over the last few years, but there's a new neutral on the horizon, ready to take over.
Blue is a colour with a lot of history and cultural connotations – from feelings of calm and relaxation, to its connotations with the sky, the sea, with Hamptons homesteads and religious iconography. In the art world, it's dominated forms – from the eye-catching turquoises of Native American jewellery to the canvases and cut-outs of Matisse. In fashion too. "Blue has no dimensions; it is beyond dimensions", Yves Klein once said. Tiffany & Co. have trademarked their shade either.
Needless to say, it's a shade with plenty of depth and emotionality. So it's little wonder that it's perennial popularity has seen a surge as of late. But if you're wondering how to incorporate some blue hues into your space, we've compiled some top tips – as well as places to shop – below.
1. Painting your kitchen cabinetry
View this post on Instagram
The reign of the green kitchen on Pinterest boards and in celebrity homes (we see you Kendall Jenner, Emma Chamberlain and Dakota Johnson) is on the decline, and instead we're seeing a rise in blue kitchens. We're loving these powdery, egg-shell adjacent blue kitchens that feel like the cool cousin to the sage greens we saw permeate so many homes these last few years. They also pair particularly well with grey marble benches, or mid-tone timber floors or cabinetry.
Where to shop:
2. Creating a feature wall
View this post on Instagram
If you're toying with the idea of adding a feature wall colour (or ceiling colour) to one or more of your rooms, then might we interest you in this special hue? Blue is a great choice for its inoffensiveness – its generally seen as pretty conservative and traditional whilst also being a bit more fun that your standard 50 shades of white. It's scientifically seen to be calming and is often described as peaceful, transquil and stable – all properties we'd love to imbue our walls with, no?
Where to shop:
3. Swap out your bedding
View this post on Instagram
White sheets are a little old hat these days, and who doesn't love to change up their bed linens with the seasons anyway? Why not invest in a fun set of blue sheets, or a blue throw blanket, in order to add a little zest to your colour palette? Charcoal grey-blues and powdery aquas are beautiful complimentary tones for just about any space.
Where to shop:
4. Invest in artwork for the home
View this post on Instagram
Artwork is an easy way to bring colour and intrigue to your space – especially for those of us renting, who can't exactly paint the walls or cabinetry. Obviously, there's an abundance of artists, galleries and art websites to source blue-hued pieces from, but we'd say that the most important thing here is to pick a piece that speaks to you, and that you personally love. If you're local for some art prints to start you off, we've got some suggestions below.
Where to shop:
- Society6
- Saatchi Art
- Contemporary Editions
- Food For Everyone
- Sunday Salon
- Atollo Print Shop
- your local art gallery.
5. Dishes and kitchenwares
View this post on Instagram
For those less emboldened to paint a wall or invest in a large piece of furniture or art, but who still want to incorporate some blue hues into their space, then a great way to do so is through vibrant dishes and kitchenwares. Hit up your local op shop for some great, inexpensive blue glassware or dish sets – or trawl online for some that catch your eye.
Where to shop:
6. Accent seating
View this post on Instagram
Chairs are one of the most playful items of furniture in our homes, and can often be overlooked as simply needing to adhere to our functional needs – and not much else. But the humble chair actually has a pretty storied design history that includes some wacky, weird and wonderful variations, so it's probably one of the easier (and sometimes cheaper) ways to invest in some colourful furniture accents in your home. From Scandinavian designs to Mid-Century Modern – there are plenty of blue variations on the classics (and the not-so-classics) that are intended to combine your practical sitting needs with the aesthetic.
Where to shop:
Blue not quite your colour? Not to worry, we've also got a list of easy tips for incorporating sage green into your home.
