Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Favorite New Color Combo: Coral & Blue
For the last few summers, coral has come back into favor as an "it" color, both in fashion and in home decor. If you're looking for a new spin on the color of summer, why not try use it as a fresh accent color against cool blue-grays and aquas? Throw in some organic textures (i.e., grasscloth, rattan or sisal) to enhance the coastal vibe or use golds, brass and rich browns to up the sophistication, as Jeneration Interiors did in the dining room pictured above. Follow Jennifer's lead and keep the coral accents to just a few, stand-out items. Taken individually, both the color and shape of this hood chair are big statements, but together the "wow" factor is undeniable. To keep the chair from looking out of place in the room, Jennifer repeated the coral color (albeit subtly) on the coral pillows on the dining chairs.
This Nantucket living room is exactly the kind of colorful, laid back cool that I love in vacation homes (note to designers: please stop it with all the white on white-washed!). The mismatched blues, coral, rattan and modern furniture all combine for a lovely, put-your-feet-up kind of feeling that feels like a home rather than a hotel (another note to designers: please stop trying to make a room feel like a "boutique hotel"!).
This Florida home's living room/dining room by Courtney Coleman is a master's class on how to decorate adjoining rooms. In the living room, the predominate color is that cool slate blue, accented with coral pillows and small accessories. The dining room, on the other hand, is awash in coral, with panels of grass mats (actually yoga mats from Pearl River!) adding texture and architectural interest to the walls while sea glass sconces and thin moldings add just the palest hint of blue to the room. Other things I love about this room: (a) that Courtney used a big print on the sofa; the muted blues and browns make it feel like less of a risk, but they bring some much-need pattern in the room and (b) the Gothic four-light hanging lantern from Circa Lighting, which speaks for itself.
I absolutely adore the rug in this living room. The colors in it are so unusual, and it pairs so perfectly with the rich paisley print on the side chairs (which are also a wonderful shape). The ming coffee table is a great counterpoint to the contemporary sofa and lamps. I only wish Angie had painted the baseboards and crown molding a crisp white, which would have worked so well with the white painted chairs and given a crisper edge to the blue walls than that medium oak stain.
This room has been a favorite of mine for a long time. The subtle greek key pattern on the sea grass rug and the small, intricate floral pattern on the aqua wallpaper are nicely balanced with the solid aqua curtains and coral upholstered chairs. I also love a dark wood pedestal table surrounded by light colored chairs (unless you're working with a very light upholstery, dark wood chairs + dark table can be a very, very heavy look). The coral chandelier and pagoda wall lanterns don't match, but painted white they work beautifully as a "set".
Designers and decorators often recommend designing a room around a great print as an easy way to unify a room's color scheme. Any one of these eight fabrics would be a wonderful starting point for a total redesign -- or just a little face lift. Use a little or a lot; either way, these prints are sure to infuse your room with some serious style.
Source list (from top left): 1. Chiang Mai in Aquamarine from F. Schumacher (100% linen; trade only). 2. Jakarta in coral and turquoise from Thibaut (59% linen/41% cotton; see here for retailers). 3. Double cross in new shrimp with new blue from China Seas (100% linen; trade only). 4. Coco in aqua from Thibaut (51% linen/49% cotton). 5. Kiki Pinata from Robert Allen (100% cotton; $12.98/yard). 6. Sea Scallop Coral Reef from Waverly (100% polyester; $21.98/yard). 7. Ting Yuan in aqua from Thibaut (51% linen/49% cotton). 8. Kool Koi Coral Reef from Waverly (100% polyester; $21.98).
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32 comments:
I love the dining room by Ashley too. That coral chandelier and lanterns are perfection.
Love the fabric samples you selected. I would pair the Waverly with China Seas.
xo,
cristin
i love those arm chairs in Angie Hranowsky's room. And the rug and vases. Harmonious.
Love those fabrics! I happen to be wearing a coral shirt today. It's truly a universally flattering color. My entryway mirror is a HomeGoods find that's the same shape as the one in the Jeneration Interiors shot - and now I want to paint mine gold!
Love this colour combination and the fabric on the sofa in the Coleman room is graphic and subtle at the same time.
I remember seeing the Coleman home in House Beautiful and being amazed that yoga mats were used in the dining area on the walls-brilliant idea and they work so well with the color palette.
I adore the room by Jeneration Interiors -- that chair is amazing...great details throughout, and such a beautiful color scheme, Averill!
Hope you're having a wonderful day :)
Coral and blue, mmmmmmmm. Yes please. :) And P.S. I love the snapshot style way you posted the photos today!
Beautiful textile - I especially love 1, 2 and 4. As you know - Thibaut is one of my current favorites and #2, while not relevant to the post I wrote, immediately caught my eye.
Can you send me an e-mail? I need to get your contact info and selection for the giveaway you won. I tried replying to one of your comments but got that "no comment blogger" address. I have a few - but you can try katewishingtrue@gmail.com. thanks!
I just noticed your wish list. I love that!!!!!!!!!!
That's my favorite summer combination. :)
It is a very happy color combo!! I used a saturated version of this combination in Isabella's room, it's been nearly a year and no urges to rework it...yet! Janell
Averill! these are all so lovely, yes coral & turquoise rocks! so glad u liked the new pillows we just got, ahhhh, they're so adorable!
I love coral (it was even one of my wedding colours) and it looks so great with the blue.
I so agree!!! LOOVE the Ashley Whittaker room - stunning! Coral is definitely my color for summer!
xoxo
dagny
ps - we're giving away a full year's subscription to Norwegian Elle Interiør!
I am loving to, perfect for the season.
Averill, what great examples of this color combo. You are showing how it can be done right!! You have such an amazing design aesthetic. I just read your comment on my blog and I know what you mean about the To do list,it is on going. That is where the fever comes in, I can't do the to do's and the I want to do's at the same time, kind of a little frenzy in the brain this time of year. Soon it will be too warm to do anything but relax and Enjoy the Process, Happy Wednesday, Great post as always, Kathysue
Averill, I have ben a fan of coral as long as I can think and this combination is so fab!
I remember my mother's kitchen in the sixties at some point like that!
Some color combos are timeless! And summery!
I really am such a coral girl. And orange. And a deep pink. So these are perfect. I also really dig rust. I know...way too 70s but it can be so chic!
Jeneration Interiors is amazing! I'm not familiar with their work but I can't wait to see more. Coral is one of my favorite shades - and shapes. I love the trend with framed coral prints, or stands of faux coral around the home! Great post Averill.
-SF
Oh coral, the misunderstood lovechild of pink and peach, sigh. I used to wear it a lot in the 90's, and now I am starting to love it for home, in fact there is one room left to paint, and I am thinking maybe coral? Maybe Peach? hmmmm.
I have always said that coral is my neutral.
I have always said that coral is my neutral.
I don't really love coral, or most reds for that matter, however, that whole Ashely Whittaker room! Well, that is rapidly changing my mind.
I think this is a combo that I would never tire of! I've looked at that koi fish fabric several times and would love to find a spot for it in my house.
Agreed, lovely. I find the blues a bit cold on their own, but this is a great accent to warm up the room and give it some punch.
Love the fabrics you found, too.
Coral and blue have always been one of my favorite color combos!! Not only to decorate, but to wear!! ;-) And the pictures you picked out show us exactly why these 2 colors go so well together. Great job dear!
I love the color combo and esp. that Thibaut fabric, Averill!
Thanks so much for your kind and supportive comment. Have a wonderful wknd.
I have been looking for the second fabric. Thanks for the resource! Im so excited because I can actually find it within 50 miles of my home! We don't have very good resources around here.
Beautiful inspiration. I've loved that Angie Hranowsky space since the first time I saw it!
The Jakarta and Sea Scallop Coral Reef print are my favorites of the fabric inspirations you've chosen.
I just came across my room on your blog. Thanks for posting. You'll be glad to know that the moldings in that room are now a soft white. I wanted to do it originally, but it's a big house and painting the trim came in the next phase. Home magazine ran a story on that room before the trim was painted so that's why I have those pictures. I hope to get updated pics soon. Great blog! Keep up the great work.
the prints you put together are Marvelous!!
I am obsessing over coral and turquoise right now! I love that new thibaut jakarta fabric!
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