My blue

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved the colour blue most of all. How does a child make a spiritual connection to a colour? And how does it last a lifetime? How did the colour blue become something I feel connected to, as silly as that sounds?

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I think it began simply because I had blue eyes. People fussed over their colour when I was a child, especially when my mother dressed me in something blue (which she did often). She realized very quickly that I looked marvellous in blue, and it became this very "Terri" colour. I felt so special to be so admired for my blue eyes. From the age of 3 or 4, I began to list blue as my favorite colour and that has not changed. Half my wardrobe is blue. My eye still loves it most when I see a line-up of coloured things. Blue is the crayon I choose, the game piece I pick, and the mug I take from the cupboard most. Most of my pottery is blue, and much of my jewellery is too! I have blue shoes and sandals, blue handbags and most of my pyjamas are blue.

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But the funny thing is, when I first got back into home decor, I never chose blue. I didn't pick blue for fabrics, nor for furnishings, and I didn't pick blue paint either. I can't explain it, but it didn't initially appeal to me, perhaps because I'd read those warnings about blue being cold and terrible for a north-facing room, and simply not warm and inviting. Blue also seemed a bit gauche, actually, with those formulaic pretty blue and white country rooms everywhere. Not the look I was after. And the nautical theme was seriously overdone by decorators everywhere (I suffer from nautical disease myself, so I know the pain of abstinence).

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So, although I hungrily wanted a blue bedroom (north, of course), I veered away from it and shut it out of my brain. To solidify things, I visited a stunning house belonging to friends of a friend and they had several all-blue rooms, which did feel rather chilly, especially when compared to their other warm and cheery rooms.
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So I forgot about blue.

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Then one day, sitting in my living room, I leafed through a decorating magazine and came across an utterly perfect all-white room, accented only with the most tranquil blue drapes and a blue and pink abstract painting on the wall. It was love at first sight. Those drapes whispered in my ear, "remember me, my love?". I'd found my blue again!

The drapes I saw were like these, a pale-grey blue, possibly my favorite shade of blue
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Since then, I see blue whenever it's there. Little splashes of blue, a faint blue in the corner, a soft blue blanket. It's attracts my eye like never before. And I still dream about those blue drapes (and intend to have some made for my living room, eventually). I have plans for a blue laundry room and perhaps even a blue bathroom. Blue works with my desired palette, which will eventually mean a house full of whites and creams, browns, and blues. I will still have my dashes of pink and greens, but slowly I want to move towards a very au natural earth-sea-sky inspired palette.
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I think it's all about choosing the right blue and using it carefully, artfully. It's a serious colour and despite its quiet charm, can be handled very badly and can look very flat and boring. A little goes a long way!

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So without further ado, here are some rooms that make a rather persuasive case for blue (all photos from Domino, unless otherwise stated).

Above: A traditional blue room where liberal use of white freshens up the abundant blue (from Southern Accents)

Above: Exquisite blue china, almost electric blue! Best used sparingly...to match your jewels perhaps?Above: A very fresh bathroom in a curious shade of blueAbove: A graciously restrained blue country room (Country Living) Above: Handsome slate blue. Dark slate blue is my favorite blue next to those pale grey-blues (Tom Scheerer Design)
Above: My kind of nautical...restrained, quiet references

Above:: Showcasing a smart blue china collection, definitely someone's cup of tea! (House Beautiful)

Above: Remarkably quiet for such a detailed room (Tom Scheerer Design)
Above: A traditional chair, regal in navy blue suit-like fabric

Proof that blue doesn't have to be meek!