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Photo: Kevin O'Shea Designs
Purple is not just for little girls. And it's not just an accent color. What we learned about using this wedge of the color wheel at home.
I've always been obsessed with purple. I preferred it to girlie-pink when I was a kid, even as an aspiring fairy princess. In high school, when I was old enough to art-direct my own bedroom, I had my dad paint the walls a deep lavender to contrast my all-black IKEA bedroom set (this was in the 90s, when black furniture was somewhat the rage.)
I've always thought purple and its various hues, like violet, orchid and plum as The Thinking Girl's pink. But after a few years with a lavender sleep chamber, I felt I'd grown out of the entire purple wedge of the color wheel, and have since switched to pale blue for the accent walls in my apartment.
"Up until a few years ago, people thought of purple as kind of childish," says Lauren Nelson, an artist and interior designer based in Boston, Mass. "My clients would only consider it for their kids' rooms."
But let's remember that Tyrian purple dye was rare, expensive and highly coveted by ancient Romans, before it became the signature color among European monarchs. So, the color has a regal history, too.
It now seems that purple, in all its variations, is making a comeback in fashion and interiors.
"We're using it as a grounding color for rooms now, instead of just an accent color, like on a pillow or a throw," Nelson says.
Not sure if you're ready for pansy-purple walls or an aubergine sofa? New York City-based interior designer Kevin O'Shea offers the following insight on how he decorates with purple:
• Combine purple with a pop of bright yellow. There is something harmonious and cheerful in the contrast.
• You can also use purple in all-white environments. A dark purple cashmere throw on an all-white bed is a simple way to elevate the sense of richness and luxury in a room.
• A purple lampshade on a vintage chrome or nickel lamp makes a bold statement in a living room that won't overwhelm.
O'Shea says that purple also "lends itself to unexpected applications," and suggests painting the inside of a closet with a soft violet for "an unexpected touch of luxury." Or, change the walls of a powder room to royal purple for a "jewel box" feel.
As for me, I'm poring over swatches of violet as I prepare to repaint my kitchen. I think it will look fantastic against the stainless steel organizers I already have on the walls.
And for extra inspiration, we've assembled some of our favorite new items in delicious shades of purple:
Photos Clockwise: IKEA, Crate & Barrel, oly, Sur La Table, HUNTER, Crate & Barrel, Urban Outfitters
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
I've been decorating using purple since 2002! I have two overstuffed aubergine chairs in my living room and in my loft one wall is painted eggplant. I love it and am surprised that this is newsworthy 8 years later! Come on, there are more people than me that have been doing this decor..where are you?
ReplySharon, hope you saw my comments already posted re my 1985 living room and my current master bedroom. I have loved all shades of purple to red to magenta all my life (that's a long time!) and wear it often, and, as stated, have been decorating using purple for years.
Another master bedroom I had about 8 years ago, had nearly-new deep soft green, like pine, carpeting (fortunately, not too bright!) that I couldn't afford to replace. And I do NOT like green! So, I painted the walls a pale grey and found a subtle patterned fabric that had a soft light purple & soft green on a greige (grey/beige) background. Had swags - I'm not big on full drapes - & throw pillows made, and coordinated with a solid color darker purple (almost eggplant) quilt.
I do have to say that I find most of the purple items shown in the second picture above, to be a bit too much of a 'dusty' purple. Maybe it's just the photo, or the PhotoShopping. It would be hard to combine most of them with colors other than a light grey, I think, unless it part of a pattern like the one I used above. Carefully!
A more vivid, deep purple could be paired with a red of the same intensity, or with black, or with it's tertiary, a deep tangeriney orange - that's another difficult combo, but I've seen some fantastic prints with that combo. It's complementary color, yellow, not so much, IMHO, but warmer (redder) purple DOES look great with gold. Cooler purples with silver.
For 'public' areas like living rooms, I'd go with the eggplants/aubergines like Sharon did. They definitely look adult & sophisticated, and NOT like a country bedroom, child's room, or bathroom.
I collect Indian saris and Japanese kimono fabrics, so you can see where I get my inspiration.
Sharon, could you tell me what other colors/woods/accessories you used in the rooms with the aubergine and eggplant?
I did my bathroom walls in white and accented with dark purple rugs and towels and flowers with yellow rubber ducks everywhere and yellow accents. It's so cute, bright and cheery!
ReplySo sad there is still so many in this world such as ron with such hatred in their hearts ! TSK, TSK, TSK.... remember the saying...."what goes around, comes around'? Better be careful Ron!
ReplyP.S..... In addition to Purple being a "regal" color, it is also considered to be the most "spiritual" color! Must be why Ron doesn't like the color purple, the color, not the movie!
Replyuh....speaking of ghetto
ReplyLOL...I am about the whitest person you will ever meet.
ReplyBut 25 years ago, my living room was dark eggplant upholstery (very similar to the chair in the top picture), grey walls, and a celadon green, eggplant, and warm grey Chinese oriental carpet.
My current BEDROOM is in shades of purple and red, with a bit of deep magenta. Sort of an Indian-sari look. (In fact, my bedroom window swag is made from sari fabric). I can't imagine it as a child's room! PINK and purple, yes, but not the deep reds, purples and magentas I've used.
And, @Lauren Nelson - guess where **I'm** from? Yup, "128 is a pahhking lot" land!
PPS - most of the black people I've known were into the "kente cloth" colors - deep greens, mustard yellows, browns, wines. Not sure which ghetto YOU are from.
Ron u must live a very sad life in your very small world!!
ReplyI have always liked purple......I'm currently looking for a sleeper couch for my mom in law..and yep, I'm getting a dark purple......my bedroom is egplant.......my insulin pump is purple.....I have a clip in hair piece that is, you guessed it purple......it depends on what the item is and what shade of purple........but it's a great color....
Reply....I'm so sick of earth tones! That's all I see around here. Various shades of #2 and vomit.
ReplyWorks great out in the natural desert, but the exterior AND interior of every house around here is the same colors! I recently went to look for an off-white, plain bathroom floor tile, and all I could find were the usual shades of tan/brown/desert tan/sand, all with striations of the same. Pre-muddied! So dreary. The HOA MAKES me keep the exterior that color, but so far, they haven't dictated our INteriors, thank goodness.
Been trying to reply @Maria, but it won't post - I suspect because that post is spam.
ReplyNonetheless........I'm so sick of earth tones! That's all I see around here. Various shades of diarrhea and vomit.
Works great out in the natural desert, but the exterior AND interior of every house around here is the same colors! I recently went to look for an off-white, plain bathroom floor tile, and all I could find were the usual shades of tan/brown/desert tan/sand, all with striations of the same. Pre-muddied! So dreary. The HOA MAKES me keep the exterior that color, but so far, they haven't dictated our INteriors, thank goodness.
ONLY IF ITS ON THE CADILAC....................DUH
ReplyLOVE the color purple - always have, always will! My office is purple, my landscaping company crew's wear purple t-shirts to identify them, many accents in my house are purple and as I find them, most of the small appliances in my kitchen are changing to purple!! It is a great accent color and beautiful in every shade. Have seen a purple kitchen on HGTV, which was a little too much for even me, but I'd be willing to try it someday if I had a lot of extra money and nothing to do with it!
ReplyThe reason yellow is such a "pop" against purple is because it is its natural compliment. Look at the color wheel
ReplyPurple is just doing a retro thing. Back in the late 1950s - we had raw silk purple drapes, medium sage green carpet and light silver gray/sage tinted walls. Things are never really "new" - they are just recycled.
ReplyI love purple way back before kidergarden. I still do. I love the out-back with it's purple ceiling! I have a wine color couch. I have a lavender bedroom with a midnight purple roaman shade. I love this room.
ReplyPurple is a wonderful colour that goes with everything since there is always a shade that matches. The article inspired me to incorporate more purple in my home.
Reply