Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Find your summer adventure with our new bookazine, available now in the magazine store! Read More
    • This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      On land passed down through generations, a Wisconsin family experiences—and shares—the glory of gardening. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    On a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana, catch a colorful wave of fresh development, plus a new hotel from the cofounder of Vera Bradley.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    With smart accessorizing, a potting bench becomes a celebration station for summer soirees.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Casey Lawrence’s lush window boxes were a revelation to her online followers. Use her tips to grow your own.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Get out your red, white and blue for these patriotic dessert recipes.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    Don't toss those orange peels! Instead, use them as vessels for our super-simple and fragrant candles.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. Decorating Ideas
  4. Decorating with Blues

Decorating with Blues

January 10, 2013
Skip gallery slides
Pin
More about decorating with colors
Blues evoke the restful feeling of sky and sea but can also add a welcome punch of bright color to your home.
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Turquoise blue

Connect with color

Blues with some green in them (aqua and turquoise tones) generally impart the calm feeling of the sea. In this pretty room, a turquoise hue (Benjamin Moore #757 California Breeze) paired with white trim and accessories gives a light and airy freshness.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Timeless blue

Timeless blue

A deep blue (Benjamin Moore #AF-520 Schooner) offers an earthy, serene background in this living room. Deep brown accents, simple off-white furniture and nature-theme accessories enhance the atmosphere.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Relaxing blue

Gender-neutral guest bedroom

Blue walls (Benjamin Moore 1676 Northern Air) set the tone for a relaxing guest room and pick up one of the hues in the floral and gingham bedding.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Gray-blue

Gray-blue

A too-blue room can feel cold and sterile, so balance muted cool blues with a touch of warmth. In this Minnesota home, warm woods, bamboo and leather add life to a soothing but passive blue (Behr #760F-4P Downpour) to create a relaxing gathering space.

4 of 10

5 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bright blue

Kitchen style

The owners of this Iowa kitchen were challenged by the orange-tone cherrywood cabinetry and woodwork. They decided to enhance the existing colors by painting the walls a bright royal blue (Benjamin Moore #AF-525 Fiji). Orange is across the color wheel from blue; it's a perfect complement-and shows how choosing the right color can make all the difference in a room.

5 of 10

6 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sizzling blue

Light and bright

The contrast of this deep azure wall (Sherwin Williams #SW6803 Danube) with white furnishings gives the feeling of being in tropical climates. Monochromatic (one color plus white) rooms are particularly dramatic. Here, dark shiny woods, oversize art and interesting shapes stand out against a beautifully saturated blue background.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Patriotic blue

Patriotic blue

A large vintage American flag, pillows with star motifs and navy walls (Glidden #1526 Federal Blue) play up the patriotic theme in this Indiana room. The deep-blue walls make the large room seem more intimate, as darker colors tend to do. Rather than using a bright white, all accents coordinate with the tea-stained white of the flag, which keeps contrast low and the color scheme muted.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Nautical blue

Nautical blue

This Indiana lake home bunk room uses a water-inspired blue (a custom shade produced by Sherwin-Williams) as the perfect hue to complement the colors in patriotic and sailing accents. It evokes the expansive feel of sky and sea, and combined with the energy of the quilt patterns, puts guests in the mood for play.

8 of 10

9 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Restful blue

Garden delight

Sky blue gives a sense of peace and tranquility, so it is perfect for bedrooms. The pretty stylized flower wallpaper (Paper Roses in White/Sky from Lee Jofa) and white matelasse bed linens make this Wisconsin bedroom cheerful, relaxing and welcoming.

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

More about decorating with colors

More about decorating with colors

See a color you like? Most home improvement stores are happy to mix colors if you show them a picture or a fabric sample you're trying to match. They're also usually able to match discontinued colors. Remember that colors can look different depending on factors such as light and the size of your room-plus colors can look different on a computer screen or a printed sample. Always buy a small container first and try the shade out before painting the entire room. Get more color inspiration by browsing any of our slideshows below.

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 10 Turquoise blue
    2 of 10 Timeless blue
    3 of 10 Relaxing blue
    4 of 10 Gray-blue
    5 of 10 Bright blue
    6 of 10 Sizzling blue
    7 of 10 Patriotic blue
    8 of 10 Nautical blue
    9 of 10 Restful blue
    10 of 10 More about decorating with colors

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Decorating with Blues
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.