There isn’t much blue in our house. There are bits of blue on a cardboard cat scratcher, dishes from NYC’s Chinatown and a few book spines. And that’s it. Wait, let me think a moment to be sure. … Yeah, that’s it.
Figures. Blue is one of the most beloved colors, and I tend to make choices that aren’t super popular.
But soon there will be blue in the house. A certain blue that will look good next to a paprika color (or rust, deep terra cotta, whatever you want to call it). A blue like these …
Marrakesh mosque detail by photographer Lisa Bettany:
I don’t know the original sources of these next few images. Please leave a comment if you recognize any:
I’ve never forgotten the blue of this Turkish inkwell that was sold on One Kings Lane about a year ago:
The blue also shows up in artifacts from Iran, like this 1400s bowl in The Met’s collection:
And this jar from Syria, from the 12-13th centuries, now preserved at The Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art:
It often appears naturally with rust, as captured here by photographer Tina Negus:
It shows up on walls, like this Morocco room here featured in the August 2012 issue of Lonny:
With all this blue inspiration from Morocco, India, Iran, Syria and Turkey, of course I’ll be using it in a globally-inspired room! In 2012 I was obsessed with paprika painted walls. I can tell already that 2013 is the year of turquoise/teal obsession, and to get it out of my system, I must paint with it. You shall soon see what I do with it.
You can see more of THIS blue on a Pinterest board.
Hi Deb,
just sent you mail at your gmail acct. I am a fellow pied-a terrer and have followed your blog and thoroughly enjoyed it. let me know if i can help…
anita
Hi Anita! I have sent you an email reply. I’m so glad you wrote and glad you’ve enjoyed the blog.
Hello Deb!
Happy new Year. I m wondering if u ve ever visited Turkey? If not do you plan to? Cause I would really like to meet you if you plan to come to İstanbul.Tijen
Hi! Oh my goodness so funny you ask! Istanbul is so much on my very very short travel list, there’s an Istanbul book on the coffee table 3 feet away! True story! :) I will definitely remember this and contact you WHEN I visit Istanbul. Unfortunately so far I’ve only been in the airport. Feel free to send me an email and let me know what are the best things to do there, maybe even beyond the obvious tourist stuff. BTW I recognize your blog, I’ve visited it! Wonderful inspiring images.
Ohh thanks! Yes i also remember we talked about how much our eclectic style taste is similar. I love the images which u share in social media. I can sense u ll enjoy Istanbul so much and wb wonderful to meet w/ u yes i ll definetely send u an email:) tijen
Have you seen THE blue called BLEU MAJORELLE at a house/garden deisgned and painted by Jaques Majorelle in Morocco? (owned by Yves St Laurent at the time of his death). It’s stunning. Great with ochre, pinks, teal, emerald, red . . . . and it glows in the setting sun
Oh thank you Mandy. I’ll Google it right now. I’m looking for THE Blue to go with a room that’s painted paprika. I think it will make a stunning nook in part of the room!
Not sure if it’ll be THE blue you need this time, but it’s a blue everybody needs to know about as it’s so ooooohh !
There was a time when you would never have found a scrap o f blue in my house (or my wardrobe, if you go further back!).
I remember in the early 90s, when I was into black and white, a co-worker told me about her orange and green home. I thought it must be so “ick.” Like 1960s. Tired old looking. I thought then I’d NEVER have orange, EVER. Now — while I’m still not a fan of bright orange, I can’t get enough of paprika and rust colors! And I love them with green. We invested in a long-term commitment to 2 orange chairs in our living room & there’s green in there. Two rooms in my home are now painted paprika color. (I do think that’s enough now.) That’s proof that we should never say never! Sooooo … maybe blue now creeping in. I have started wearing blue more …
True value paints – Royal Crown is similar to that BLEU MAJORELLE.
Thank you Deepa! When I post about the blue project, I’ll share colors from different brands that are most like this blue.