Decorating
Colour: How to Use Soft Blue and Lavender in Sophisticated Ways
Calm, pretty and soothing, pale blue and lavender shades bring a softness and sweetness to an interior, but they require sensitive handling
Not exactly pastels and certainly not bold colours, pale blue and lavender tones have a stronger link with nature than your average sugared almond shade. Think hazy summer skies and gardens full of fragrant rows of purple lavender for your inspiration, and then experiment with these shades to see how versatile and contemporary they can look. Combining them with exciting textures, rustic wood or glossy finishes will radically change the appearance and feel of these easy-breezy tones. These beautiful rooms show how it’s done…
Ditch the grey
Use soft, subtle blue as an alternative to pale grey. It has all the versatility of a muted grey, but brings a slightly brighter and less urban feel to a space.
Use soft, subtle blue as an alternative to pale grey. It has all the versatility of a muted grey, but brings a slightly brighter and less urban feel to a space.
Go for simple accessories
Adding decorative pieces in pale blue, lavender and lilac will softly punctuate a white background, adding a pretty-without-being-sickly note to a simple room. These vases are glass bottles swirled with coloured paint – and easy trick to copy.
Adding decorative pieces in pale blue, lavender and lilac will softly punctuate a white background, adding a pretty-without-being-sickly note to a simple room. These vases are glass bottles swirled with coloured paint – and easy trick to copy.
Give it some gloss
Pale blue in a contemporary kitchen? It’s not an obvious choice for a sleek, smart cook space, but this room demonstrates just how effective it can be. The trick is to use the soft blue on an unlikely material, as with these high-gloss cabinets.
Pale blue in a contemporary kitchen? It’s not an obvious choice for a sleek, smart cook space, but this room demonstrates just how effective it can be. The trick is to use the soft blue on an unlikely material, as with these high-gloss cabinets.
Create a watery vibe
Pale blue and lavender shades suit a bathroom. Their watery tones and fresh, light feel seem to work beautifully in a room where water features. Team with white for a fresh, softly nautical feel.
Pale blue and lavender shades suit a bathroom. Their watery tones and fresh, light feel seem to work beautifully in a room where water features. Team with white for a fresh, softly nautical feel.
Take it rustic
Pale blue and lavender can read as rather sugary or pastel, so guard against this by teaming them with rustic surfaces, reclaimed timber and plenty of warm wood.
Pale blue and lavender can read as rather sugary or pastel, so guard against this by teaming them with rustic surfaces, reclaimed timber and plenty of warm wood.
Pay attention to texture
One tip for preventing soft blue and lavender from looking more sugary than sophisticated is to team them with texture, to bring welcome depth and add layers of interest. Here, a beautiful grey velvet sofa is finished with lavender velvet cushions. This lush fabric brings light-catching, rich texture, offsetting the sweetness of the shade.
Why we can’t live without velvet
One tip for preventing soft blue and lavender from looking more sugary than sophisticated is to team them with texture, to bring welcome depth and add layers of interest. Here, a beautiful grey velvet sofa is finished with lavender velvet cushions. This lush fabric brings light-catching, rich texture, offsetting the sweetness of the shade.
Why we can’t live without velvet
Pair with pattern
Rather than a block of colour, dilute the impact of soft blue or lavender by incorporating it with pattern. Here, a paisley design brings some pale blue into this predominantly white bedroom, adding interest without steering the space towards a too-colourful look.
Discover why a blue and white scheme is a winner
Rather than a block of colour, dilute the impact of soft blue or lavender by incorporating it with pattern. Here, a paisley design brings some pale blue into this predominantly white bedroom, adding interest without steering the space towards a too-colourful look.
Discover why a blue and white scheme is a winner
Use as a subtle accent
Treat pale blue and lavender as you would a stronger tone, dotting them into your scheme as an accent (albeit an understated one). Here, blue cushions and a throw add subtle colour and pace to this beige bedroom.
Treat pale blue and lavender as you would a stronger tone, dotting them into your scheme as an accent (albeit an understated one). Here, blue cushions and a throw add subtle colour and pace to this beige bedroom.
Boost your natural blooms
Lavender and pale blue tones are natural features of a summer garden, so it makes sense to augment this natural palette with some additional blue or purple. Here, a pretty summer house has been treated to a pale blue paint job, but you could replicate this effect by simply painting a fence, shed or bench.
TELL US…
Love lavender? Passionate about pale blue? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Lavender and pale blue tones are natural features of a summer garden, so it makes sense to augment this natural palette with some additional blue or purple. Here, a pretty summer house has been treated to a pale blue paint job, but you could replicate this effect by simply painting a fence, shed or bench.
TELL US…
Love lavender? Passionate about pale blue? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
It’s always possible to have too much of a good thing, and this certainly rings true when it comes to pale blue and lavender. The solution? Layer up tones of both, on cushions, rugs, even artwork, to create lots of blue accents without colour overkill.