First, let's look at Warm Blues and Cool Blues.

Warm blues, like denim, ocean blue, or slate blue, contain hints of red. Color experts say these shades advance, or come toward you, so they help make a room feel cozier. Decorating with a warm blue can work well in the living room, the kitchen, or the dining room.

Cool blues like cobalt, turquoise, and ice blue, have yellow in them and tend to recede, or back away, which can help a small space look bigger. Cool blues encourage calmness, possibly for a bedroom, and focus, perhaps in a home office.

In a bathroom, where you want a crisp, clean look, a 'cold' blue can be a good thing.

Consider the natural light in the space. Look at the way the natural light falls in a room before deciding on the shade.

Cool blues work well in south facing rooms.

North facing rooms may feel bleak with the icy cool blues so opt for a shade which includes some green to make a duck egg blue or a pale aqua.

Colder climate? You might want to use a shade of blue that has muted, or gray tones, to calm down the brightness.

Warm climate? Bright, colorful shades of blue will blend right in with the scenery!

Where should you focus the shade(s) of blue in your decor?

Decorating with blue as the main wall color in your space can be an adventure, but not to worry...just make sure you try the color on a color board (read more about selecting the right paint color) or on the wall if you so choose.

Here is an example. I worked with a client in the Fort Myers area a couple of years ago, and helped her select interior paint colors. She wanted to paint one wall of a guest bedroom in a bright shade of blue. All other walls in the room were going to be off-white. Accessories in the space were blue, green and white.

The color she had selected was so bright and bold it would have been overpowering in the space. We found a shade several tones lighter and decided to go with that selection. My client was very pleased with the result. There was a beautiful shade of blue on the accent wall that complemented her accessories and gave just the right amount of drama to the space.

Accent and accessorize with shades of blue. If you want to be a little more subtle than walls covered in your preferred shade of blue, use this color in fabrics, area rugs, artwork, collectables, etc.

If your decor style will accommodate, consider painting a wood floor or a beamed ceiling (the ceiling, not the beams) in a shade of blue. Country, Cottage and Shabby Chic styles are a few decor themes that would allow for this type of treatment.

Here are some suggested color palette combinations for decorating with blue. They are adapted from THE COLOR SCHEME BIBLE, by Anna Starmer.


This is one of my favorite color reference tools.

The best way to use the following information is to have the book in your hands, find the page number that is indicated with each palette, and see the samples.

Take the page to your local paint store and have them match the colors found on the page. There are suggestions as to how to use each color as well when decorating with blue, right down to the small accents in the space!

• Coastal - Mediterranean Blue, Warm Peach, Warm Cream, Hazy Sky, accent with Sunset Orange (pg 186)
• Classic/Retro - Seawater Blue, Tobacco Brown, Beige, Milkshake Tan, accents of Teal (pg 169)
• Light/Airy - Topaz Blue, Celery Green, Sage Green, Slate Blue, accents of Lavender (pg 167)
• Bright/Playful - Bright Aqua, Lemon Yellow, Buttercup Yellow, White, accents of Dark Turquoise (pg 166)
• Soft/Subdued - Slate, Deep Slate, Seal Gray, Dusty Pink, accents of Foxglove (Fuschia) (pg 164)
• Modern/Progressive - Bright Turquoise, Pale Aqua, Light Citrus, Wasabi (Lime Green), accents of Peach (pg 162)

Create your own unique combinations while decorating with blue and have fun!