Blue & White
+ “My favorite blue is Valspar’s Stillness. Using this color is like lassoing the sky, and pulling it right into your space and onto the walls. This blue has clarity and luminosity without being obtrusive—I love it!” ~Justin Caldwell Childers, J. Caldwell Designs
This season, bold, overscale prints reinvigorate the classic blue-and-white motifs we’ve come to know so well. It’s one of the most popular schemes arriving in shops and showrooms at the moment, and it adds a perfect pop of freshness to a room, just in time for spring.
+ “I grew up quite literally surrounded by blue-and-white; my grandmother must have some 1,000 pieces in her exhaustive, lifelong collection. Her wedding china, Mottahedeh’s “Blue Canton,” is a reproduction of a Chinese import that once graced the tables of the finest colonial homes, and a framed copy of the story behind the fabled “Blue Willow” pattern is one of her most treasured possessions. She’s also a big collector of Spode, which I find very charming. So naturally, my affinity for blue-and-white is as deeply rooted as my education in it. But these days, I’m drawn to the fresh, modern versions just hitting the market.”~Associate Editor Kate Abney
LAMP COUTURE
The first of its kind in the industry, Mottega’s fully customizable line of lamps—available in Atlanta exclusively at The Mercantile—allows customers to create bespoke lighting with incredible ease. Simply choose from one of nine designer shapes, a variety of finials, bases and shades, as well as nine vivid Faience glazes. The resulting designs range from $400 to $700 and arrive in just two weeks, boasting colors as brilliant as mandarin, merlot and, of course, blue and white. Available at The Mercantile, 1430 Dresden Dr., Suite B-100, Atlanta 30319. (404) 816-0060; mercantileatlanta.com
Blue & White Forever
Phoebe Howard is the queen of blue-and-white. Having decorated more than 100 rooms in the favorite color combination, she knows her stuff. Here are 25 of her tips and general words of wisdom.
+ “One of my favorite shades of blue is Deep Royal by Benjamin More because it exudes classic luxury and sophistication! I love how it complements crisp whites and other accents of jewel tones whether used in fashion or an interior.” ~Michael Habachy, Habachy Designs Inc.
+ “A favorite blue of mine is Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue because it has a lot of depth with a soothing appeal. The color blends well with white, cream, brown or black. Plus, you can easily take it masculine or feminine depending on the room.” ~Judy Bentley, Interior Views Inc.
For a snappy looking outdoor table, use blue-and-white Canton china with pink peonies and a pink tablecloth.
For a tailored look, use contrasting navy welt and banding on a camel sofa.
Pale blue linen curtains frame windows beautifully and bring the color of the sky indoors.
Tabletop choices are plentiful and varied in this color palette, from traditional to contemporary.
If you have blue eyes, paint your bedroom walls robin’s egg blue. It’s flattering and you will look better in the mornings!
A porch with dark wicker furniture, blue-and-white striped cushions and a light blue ceiling will always be a Southern classic.
Try to imagine a Fourth of July without red, white and blue!
Glossy navy blue walls and crisp white upholstery, paired with black-and-white photography, are a winning combination.
For a fresh combination in a beach house, mix Cobalt blue and turquoise; it’s like sea glass.
Deep blue-and-white striped awnings can add pizzazz to an otherwise ordinary house.
Decorating in shades of pale blue and sand instills a sense of calm and tranquility, like the beach.
Picture the greek isles, the color of the Adriatic sea and the pure white houses. What could be prettier than that?
Lacquer library walls and bookcases in Prussian blue to create an inviting and exciting space.
Wrap a package in blue-and-white striped paper, then finish with a blue grosgrain bow and a daisy tucked in.
Paint your dining room a deep boxwood green, then hang blue-and-white transferware on the walls—beautiful.
Inexpensive enamel spatterware is fun to use for an outdoor party, with a burlap tablecloth and wildflowers.
Fill three blue-and-white cachepots with miniature orange trees for a great dining room centerpiece.
Gray-blue is the perfect color for a nursery when you are unsure of the gender; go with gray-blue walls and white bedding.
Blue and white bedding is perfect for a boy’s room with red walls and framed antique American flags.
Visually, blue is a safe color for most men; there’s a certain comfort level.
Blue-and-white is ancient and modern at the same time, truly timeless.
You can find chic blue-and-white tabletop, vases and pots, or fabrics at every price point.
The classic American preppy look—including blue blazers—was made for the masses by Ralph Lauren; it never goes out of style.
+ “My favorite blue paint color is Blue Nile by Sherwin-Williams. I’m a water sign and am always drawn to it. The color embodies soothing and intense qualities just like the ocean. It’s perfect—not too blue and not too green.” ~Christy Dillard, Dillard Design
A tried-and-true retailer of beautiful, affordable fabrics, Lewis & Sheron is also a megasource for hundreds (if not thousands) of blue-and-white textiles, from the clean and graphic to the unabashedly ornate. Best of all, many of the fabrics can also be purchased through the showroom’s website at lsfabrics.com. 912 Huff Rd., Atlanta 30318. (404) 351-4833; lsfabrics.com
+ “For the past few seasons, I’ve presented a ton of light, airy, silvery blues that all look fantastic. But lately I’ve been drawn to deeper, richer blues—colors with a bit of a history. My current favorite is Benjamin Moore’s Bella Blue. It’s a dusky peacock blue with a touch of gray that can work in a modern space with crisp white trim and black accents, or can add a dash of unexpected exotic color in a classic setting above a Persian rug or dark wood furniture. I recently used it in my own powder room in a satin finish and everyone that sees it wants it in their home.” ~Byron B. Blake, HomEdit
+ “Typically, blue is not my go-to wall color, but I love Benjamin Moore’s Wedgewood Gray with its sophisticated gray undertones. I’ve used it in dining rooms with creamy white wainscoting, and most recently used it to bring life to an old wood floor in a mountain house master bath. Its versatility lends it to so many applications and surfaces; it goes classic when done in a soft, flat finish to fresh and modern when given a dollop of sheen.” ~Linda Beth Loughlin, Linda Beth Loughlin Interiors
+ “One of my favorite blue paints is Benjamin Moore’s Mysterious from the Affinity Collection. It’s such a wonderfully deep and rich blue shade. I love to paint an entire room—ceiling, walls, trim and doors—one color. With a small space, painting an entire room a darker color camouflages the scale. It’s a knockout effect!” ~Jimmy Stanton, Stanton Home Furnishings
+ “I love every shade of blue! But I’m currently obsessed with Farrow & Ball’s Blue Ground. It’s more of a clean turquoise blue and I enjoy pairing it with other crisp colors, including white and black. The color also changes with the time of day and amount of light, a plus as you get to enjoy it from a different perspective each time you walk into the room. This particular color reminds me of the seemingly opaque blue water of Chalk Sound in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.” ~Barbara Heath, The Mercantile
+ “A blue that we recently used is Martha Stewart’s Wrought Iron. It’s a pretty deep blue with a little bit of gray that makes it feel very modern. It looks crisp with cream and whites against it, but also looks classic with black or gray in the mix. I thought it was a nice alternative to a deep neutral color. Colors like red or yellow definitely pop next to this deep ocean blue.” ~Barbara Westbrook, Westbrook Interiors
+ One of my favorite blue colors is Benjamin Moore’s Hudson Bay. It’s a strong blue that has a lot of depth and easily coordinates with many other colors when used in small doses.” ~Kerry Howard, KMH Interiors
+ “Go dark! My current favorite is Liberty Blue by Benjamin Moore. It’s so deep and rich, it’s almost black. I first fell in love with this color after seeing Giorgio Armani’s Spring 2011 collection titled ‘La Femme Bleue.’ The line was inspired by the traditional indigo robes of the nomadic Tuareg people of Saharan North Africa. I just lacquered a pair of chests with this color and plan to use it in a high-gloss finish on foyer walls to create a mysterious and chic entry.” ~Bill Musso, Musso Design Group
One of the scant blue foods occurring in nature, the blueberry is a gem of the culinary world. By June, yoU-pick fields around Georgia will be ripe for the picking, and there’s good news: You don’t have to trek all the way to the North Georgia mountains to find them. Blueberry farms in Carrollton, Canton and Covington are all convenient to the city. pickyourown.org/GA
THREE TO SEE
From blue-and-white knick-knacks to serious antiques, Atlanta is a hub for blue-and-white ceramics.
For inexpensive, mass-produced decorative pieces, try Richard’s Variety Store.
For elegant, one-of-a-kind heirloom pieces, put Parc Monceau on your shopping list.
And when it comes to sheer volume, nobody beats the range of exquisite pieces at Jane Marsden Antiques & Interiors.
richardsvarietystore.com, parcmonceauatl.com, marsdenantiques.com