Usually, when we talk about neutrals, browns, whites and greys steal the spotlight — and for good reason! They go with everything, they’ve been around forever, and, frankly, they will always be in style. That said, there’s no need for traditional neutrals to be your go to base colour when choosing a colour scheme.
Thanks to 2018’s design trends, another colour is ready to mix up your neutral colour palate. Navy is here and there’s no stopping it. As the year progresses, we’re seeing this colour get steadily more popular. The intense colour can be seen on the latest upholstery, accent pieces and there is a plethora of paint options. According to the colour experts at Benjamin Moore " Blue is a highly versatile go to colour for home owners. Deep blue hues offer a sophisticated alternative to black, while pale blue paints invite us to relax.”
Blue is no longer reserved simply for the occasional pop of colour. Instead it’s now being used, in various hues, as a basis for layering in other colours or as a backdrop for them to pop against. But an even bigger strength for blue is how well it can be layered, in varying tones, with itself.
Neutrals are a great tool in your decorating arsenal, but like your go-to pair of jeans, navy is a versatile classic that can mix with almost anything. Like a chameleon, navy can add a classic feel to a space, it grounds vibrant colours, complements so many different hues, and can also blend with your other favourite neutrals.
If you don’t want to use lots of navy in your space, you can always add it in small accents. In this bedroom, our wall art has little touches of dark blue, so we pulled that colour from the art, added pink euro pillows for a “Ralph Lauren” inspired master bedroom. Adding in small doses of another colour can wake up the other pieces in the space without overwhelming everything.
We often talk about upholstering your large furniture pieces in neutrals because it makes them so much more versatile. Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean beige. Consider navy for large furniture pieces. It’s dark so it camouflages stains, and it has a lot more personality.
Three ways to introduce blue into your décor
Not ready to commit to those navy-blue walls? Get your blue fix with these subtle ways of infusing the “new neutral”.
Focus on furniture
There’s shift happening in the furniture industry, and for good reason. The dark hues of the early 2000’s have been steadily replaced by fun bright hues such as shades of blue as consumers’ outlook have become more positive. When utilized as your statement piece, navy upholstery transforms your room or area into a sophisticated space.
Kitchen cabinet
White is still a big favourite for kitchen cabinets. They offer a modern and clean look. While we don’t expect this trend to go away anytime soon, we do see a trend for white cabinets to be paired with grey or navy. Sometimes an all-white kitchen might look too clinical. To give your kitchen a little personality try two toned cabinets in white and navy.
Try it out in textiles
If you’re not quite sure where you fall regarding the navy trend, trying it out with textiles is a great way to see how you feel. Since items such as pillows, throws and rugs are relatively affordable purchases, textiles are often seen as the design equivalent of dipping your toe in the shallow end of the pool.
