2014 Color of the Year?

I have posted several times lately about how I am seeing more and more shades of purple used in interior design and how beautifully purple combines with Chinoiserie. I especially like lilacs and lavenders and soft purples with gray or blue undertones. I have a Pinterest board on the subject here. I remember being at a Farrow & Ball party a few years ago and asking one of the F&B executives why there was not lavender or lilac in their color range. The response was, "We don't do pretty colors." Farrow and Ball has now added a lavender gray I love called Calluna that they describe as "a much requested pretty heather colour." I guess they changed their minds.

Above is another wonderful example of combining purple and Chinoiserie - Nicolette Horn's master bedroom in Oslo in violet. I suspect that we are about to see colors in the purple family named as hot colors for 2014 and perhaps even as color of the year by someone. We shall see. For lots more inspiration on combining purple and Chinoiserie, don't miss my September Houzz Ideabook here.

Farrow & Ball Calluna

Chinese Red for My Office Makeover

Benjamin Moore Chili Pepper 2004-20

A client's powder room we painted in Chili Pepper

I have decided to paint the walls in my office Chinese red. Red is a hard color to get right. I want a really really deep coral that is not too blue and not too orange - a nice balance of pink and orange and red. These are the two reds that I go to time and time again. The painter is coming Tuesday, so I will decide over the weekend.


Chili Pepper -
"This is a really deep coral, kind of like a cheerful Chinese red. Pinks and reds to me are synonymous with frozen drinks and relaxing." - Richard Mishaan from House Beautiful



Blazer -
"It's exciting and it has a historical reference: the Greek vases, the palace at Knossos, and all that business. I love red, always have, always will. Either you like steak or you like hamburgers." - David Easton from House Beautiful

Farrow & Ball Blazer 212

Meg Braff 's woodwork in Blazer

An Iconic Navy Kitchen

Ruthie Sommers

This iconic kitchen by Ruthie Sommers from Domino has been pinned and posted about countless times. If you'd like to copy this look yourself, the walls are a VERY dark navy blue by Benjamin Moore called Soot 2129-20. The door is Benjamin Moore Poolside Blue 2048-40. Add a vintage chandelier spray painted white and some blue and white Chinese porcelain and china.