"That's because the blues are very rich and deep," says Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, whose firm designed the space for a London-based theater producer and restaurant owner. "And velvet always says 'urban.' No one would ever do a blue velvet bedspread on the beach!"
In addition to the velvet, the room is swathed in layers of other blue fabrics – the same deep, gorgeous shade in subtly different textures. White lamps and night tables make the blue look even more intense. "They light up the space, physically and figuratively," says Noriega-Ortiz, author of Emotional Rooms.

And while blue is technically a cool color, this room doesn't look icy in the slightest. "It's the khaki walls and oak floor," Noriega-Ortiz says. "They really warm up the space."