- 1. Go for on trend navy kitchen cabinets
- 2. Pick a bright blue paint for a clean look
- 3. Choose the palest of blues for a soothing space
- 4. Paint the ceiling blue
- 5. Contrast your blue kitchen with other rooms
- 7. Add some interest with a blue floral wallpaper
- 7. Use sky blue for a coastal vibe
- 8. Combine light wood with deep blues
- 9. Pick a classic blue for a traditional feel
- 10. Yellow and blue? Always a winning combo
- 11. Keep the room light with a pale blue wallpaper
- 12. Match your sofas to your walls for a cohesive look
- 13. Embrace the color blocking trend with deep indigo
- 14. Go for a blue hued mural as a dramatic backdrop
- 15. Paint the floorboards blue
- 16. Layer up on blue bedding
- 17. Add a touch of teal to the bathroom
- 18. Add a touch of teal to the bathroom
- 19. Match your bathroom door to your tiles
- 20. Or just paint the whole thing blue
- 21. Choose a blue color scheme for your hallway
- 22. Create a calming workspace with a bold blue
We are LOVING blue room ideas – and although we never thought we would say it, we think grey may be at risk of being replaced as our fave color by blue. With its ability to be both bold and subtle, contemporary and traditional, moody and light, blue just has a versatility that grey could never give us – hence why it is undoubtedly becoming one of the most popular decorating colors this year. It is bold enough to make you feel like you are being a bit brave, but classic enough so that you don't have to step too far out of your greige comfort zone.
So whether you planning to go to big (think an entirely cobalt kitchen) or just want to add some small touches of this on trend color to a bedroom or living room, we've got you covered with our round up of the best blue room design ideas.
Find more design ideas and inspiration on our hub page.
Blue living room ideas that will inspire you
1. Go for on trend navy kitchen cabinets
If you are fully committed to the cause then blue kitchens are oh-so desirable at the moment. Pick any hue of blue and we are pretty sure you could make it work with all kitchen styles from classic Shaker to modern minimalist, but it's navy blue kitchens that we are particularly loving at the moment.
The exposed brick walls, pops of bright color and industrial accessories give this simple Shaker a kick of modernity. If you want to get this look on a budget, or just don't fancy ripping out your current kitchen, you can always paint your kitchen cabinets – just check out our step-by-step guide to painting kitchen cabinets. Find the best paint for kitchen cabinets in our guide.
2. Pick a bright blue paint for a clean look
Feeling blue about your colorless kitchen? Paint is your friend when it comes to quickly transforming your space, quickly and relatively cheaply (especially if you can tackling painting a kitchen yourself). Too replicate this clean, crisp style pick a vivid blue – something like Farrow and Ball Stiffkey Blue , add a heavy helping of white (check out our white kitchen ideas for inspiration) and some zesty yellow kitchen accessories for a the dreamiest of color combinations. Find more inspiration for your scheme with our dark kitchen paint design ideas, too.
3. Choose the palest of blues for a soothing space
If your style in more light and airy than dark and atmospheric, take note from this kitchen and choose the palest shade of blue to paint your walls – something like Benjamin Moore Winter Ice would work perfectly. Just make sure you throw in a few slightly darker hues or some bright colors (love how the apple green works here) to stop the space looking too saccharine.
If you love this kitchen, make sure you go and check out more of our (grown up) pastel decorating ideas.
4. Paint the ceiling blue
Ooft this kitchen is giving up all the French farmhouse/slightly Mediterranean/holiday home vibes and we love it. Best thing about the room (apart from those exotic looking bottles of booze) has got to be that ceiling! It's almost got a rag paint effect, but we think your could recreate the authentic, paint thats been here centuries effect, with some trusty chalk paint. Try Annie Sloan Greek Blue for a similar color and then go and follow our step-by-step guide to painting a ceiling to find out how to DIY this look.
5. Contrast your blue kitchen with other rooms
Consider the colors of your connecting rooms, too. Add pops of yellows or oranges to hallways or landings so that when you look into the space from the outside, you get this gorgeous contrast that might be too much if they were in the same space. For a similar blue used in this kitchen, go for the classic Hague Blue from Farrow & Ball and contrast it with Citron and Charlotte's Locks.
7. Add some interest with a blue floral wallpaper
While paint is obvious choice for adding blue hues to your home, wallpaper can be more interesting way to get in those inky colors. Floral wallpapers may remind you of ancient hotel bathrooms and your grandparents' living room, but we promise they are making a comeback! Just be sure to choose a large scale pattern that's not too fussy – case in point, this print from Sandberg.
For more proof that florals are back check out these floral room design ideas.
7. Use sky blue for a coastal vibe
Not planning a beach holiday this year? Chill, you can bring all the beachy vibes to you. Switch out your cushions to some blue striped variants, upcycle your furniture with some blue chalk paint, dot around some sea-themed accessories (just please no miniature ships in bottles) and you are good to go.
8. Combine light wood with deep blues
Sorry we couldn't get through a gallery without mentioning how you can work in blue with the Scandi trend. But dark blues really do work with a lot of the key elements of Scandi style – particular New Nordic design ideas – the light wooden, slimline furniture in particular, as beautifully demonstrated below. For a similar blue paint we recommend Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue.
9. Pick a classic blue for a traditional feel
The right shade of blue can work just as well in a traditional space as a modern one, as perfectly demonstrated by this living room. Pick out a fresh mid-toned blue like Farrow & Ball's Lulworth Blue, which despite its boldness doesn't overwhelm a space, and pair it which contrasting wooden pieces and touches of burnt orange.
Find more great living room paint ideas in our paint design gallery.
10. Yellow and blue? Always a winning combo
Yellow and blue may sound like a daring color scheme, but it needn't be reserved for the minimalists amongst us. Take a tip from this lovely living room and choose more muted hues. A sea foam green and a pale lime-toned yellow work together beautifully, especially with a healthy dose of off white and some dark wooden accents thrown in.
We have loads of tips on how to use a colour wheel for interior design in our guide.
11. Keep the room light with a pale blue wallpaper
North facing living room? Despite it being a cooler tone, a light blue color scheme could be your best bet as, it goes without saying, using pale colours in a light-deprived room can make it look brighter. We love how the print of Cole & Son's Cow Parsley is subtle enough so you can still incorporate other patterns into the space (note the striped cushions), so despite there being a very clear color scheme here, the room doesn't look too matchy-matchy.
12. Match your sofas to your walls for a cohesive look
For a really dramatic look, try matching your upholstery to your walls. It creates a lovely enveloping feeling that works really well in rooms that don't get much natural light. Give the look even more of an atmospheric feeling by adding larger houseplants around the edges of the room and in the corners and pick reflective furniture to give just a touch of light.
We love this Libra blue velvet sofa and matching armchair and if you are after a paint that's just as dreamy and dramatic try the ever-popular Farrow & Ball Hague Blue.
13. Embrace the color blocking trend with deep indigo
Color blocking is still going strong, and we are totally okay with that. It's such an easy trend to DIY and can completely transform a space. You don't have to go crazy with loads of colors either, here Annie Sloan's Duck Egg Blue has been used as a neutral background for the vivid Napoleonic Blue .
For more color blocking design ideas make sure you check out our feature.
14. Go for a blue hued mural as a dramatic backdrop
We are big fans of murals. One up from wallpaper, these large-scale designs have a really dramatic impact. Pick out a mural that will guide the color scheme for the rest of the room – in this mural from Designers Guild, blue is obviously the key color, but the hints of green and pink give you a ready made pallet to start designing the space around. Despite the traditional print, the vivid cobalt blue bedding and the bright, boho style cushions give the room a chic contemporary vibe.
For more glorious mural design ideas head over to our feature.
15. Paint the floorboards blue
Painting floorboards is a super easy way to update a room on a budget – especially if you have the time to tackle the job as a DIY project. If you love a clean crisp scheme but are itching to play with a brighter color, your floorboards could be the perfect canvas to experiment on. Choose a bright clear color like Farrow & Ball St Giles Blue, as seen, for a really fresh look.
For tips and tricks, plus a ton of ideas, check out our guide to painting floorboards.
16. Layer up on blue bedding
Switching up your bedding is probably the easiest way to bring this on trend color into your bedroom. Layer up all the cool toned blue pillows, blankets, throws and cushions to create a really calming sleep space. You could also invest in a blue headboard to make the color even more of a focal point in your bedroom. Tie to whole look together by adding matching accessories throughout the space.
17. Add a touch of teal to the bathroom
Not ready to commit to four blue walls in your bathroom? Take a cue from this gorgeous bathroom and and go halfies, painting the bottom portion of your walls in the beautiful Inchyra Blue from Farrow & Ball. Find more bathroom paint ideas in our guide; and don't miss our best bathroom paints buyer's guide so you can be sure of choosing the right finish.
18. Add a touch of teal to the bathroom
You could also use your window treatments to bring contrast into your living room. Plantation shutters make a great alternative drapes and blinds and offer a contemporary feel. If your living room is a deep indigo blue like this one choose a crisp white – it will keep your window bright and enhance the light.
Convinced you immediately need shutters in your home? Check out our guide to choosing window shutters.
19. Match your bathroom door to your tiles
if you are doing up a bathroom on a budget, you could easily add just a pop of blue by painting the inside of your bathroom door. It's a super quick weekend project that could make a big difference to your space. If you have a bit more of a budget, pick our some tiles (or some very convincing vinyl flooring) that has touches of blue to match your newly painted door.
We have loads of tips on how to paint doors over in our guide.
20. Or just paint the whole thing blue
Want to fully commit to the cause? An all blue bathroom really can have a striking effect. We would recommend giving this a go if you have a large, light, airy bathroom that can handle the color. If you are designing a small bathroom, by all means go for it, but maybe keep the ceiling and the floor light and pick out white sanitaryware to provide some contrast.
21. Choose a blue color scheme for your hallway
Use a few different tones of the same color to create a calming, cohesive hallway. We love how a darker blue has been used on the woodwork in this hallway, but the walls have been kept a lighter color that really lengthens the space. The blue floor tiles bring the whole look together, and that pop of yellow? Perfection.
Get inspired by more gorgeous hallway paint ideas. And check out our buyer's guide to best paints for hallways for some really tough finishes.
22. Create a calming workspace with a bold blue
Blue is known for its calming, stress relieving qualities, so it just makes sense to incorporate it into your home office. Painting floating shelves the same color as the the walls stops small rooms (which most of our home offices are) feeling cluttered and keeps the space looking more open.
We have a load of small office design ideas if you are after more tips.
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