Tangled up in Blue

Blue ..... It conjures up images of the Aegean Sea, the doors of Greek houses, the sky washed clean with Spring rain, fresh French Toile bedding, fields of blooming lupine......

Or... that Blue Hawaiian cocktail and blue stripe beach towel you are dying to start using.

Whatever the color does for you, whether it is fresh, classic, pretty, or moody and mysterious, try putting a little blue in your life:

Front foyer of the one-room creamery and barn turned home of jewelry designer Mish Tworkowski of Mish New York and partner Joesph Singer, architect. Swedish table and Swedish Stool from Evergreen Antiques.

Elle Decor, May 2008, Photo by William Waldron

This Guest Room by Peter Marino incorporates varies shades of blue creating a wonderful effect. The blue flame mirror is that element of the unexpected that always makes a space more interesting.

Architectural Digest, May 2008. Photo by Durstan Saylor

When I first saw this Dining Room, and the whole house really, I immediately thought of Axel Vervoordt and his iconic style of rustic yet tailored interiors. Designed by Barbara Westbrook and Kim Winkler, this Dining Room is a blue grey that is so commonly used in Belgian interiors. It is so interesting how this blue, which can easily be a very cool color, has been used in such a warm and cozy way. Pratt and Lambert Paint: Tabacco #33-19

House Beautiful, May 2008, Photo byFrances Janisch

These two rooms, designed by T. Keller Donovan, carry his blue scheme through the whole house. In the Living Room above, Donovan designed the plaid rug and used Peter Fasano fabrics for curtains (Dotty) and pillow fabric (Camp Leaves). In the Master Bedroom he uses fabric by Zoffany for the pillows and curtains (Maze).

House Beautiful, May 2008. Photos by John Gould Bessler

Jay Jeffers is nothing if not adventurous. His design for a client's pool house gives off a Mediterranean vibe with it's long sofa piled with blue patterned pillows and the tent painted walls. The pillow in the table is a dog bed...clever. (Although I do wonder how hard it is to pull out of there?) I love all of the different combinations of blue here: sky, turquoise, French. There is even blue woven into the floor covering. Sofa Fabric: Madison in Driftwood, Lulu DK. Dog bed fabric: Old World Weavers.

House Beautiful, May 2008. Photo by James Carriere

I have been doing a little hunting and gathering here to help get you on your way to being

true blue:

New. Fabric from Lee Jofa.

Flower sculptures by paper artist Jefferey Rudell on display as part of a silent auction at the New York Botanical Garden's Antique Garden Furniture Show, April 24th.

Photo above via Elle Decor, May 2008