Decorating Ideas for Rooms With the Blues

Not just for beach houses and boys' rooms, blue can be smart, sophisticated and sexy in any room design.

By Susan Kleinman

Jazzy Blues

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Although the walls of this show house bathroom by designer Jamie Drake are covered in deep, midnight blue, the room looks and feels bright and airy thanks to generous splashes of white.

"The inky, deep blue wall covering is heightened by the white moldings, cabinetry and countertop," says Drake, author of Jamie Drake's New American Glamour. "This contrast creates a bold tension that is crisp, fresh and dramatic."

To keep the blue and white palette from looking chilly, Drake added polished brass faucets and fittings that he designed for THG, matte brass sconces and white china accessories with gold rope details from his Labrazel product line. Finally, to liven things up further, he added abstract paintings by James Lecce.

"I love his work," Drake says of the bold artist. "It's sensual, pop and psychedelic with incredible shiny surfaces and great depth."

"Bathrooms and powder rooms are the perfect place to experiment with color," says Drake. "We tend not to spend a lot of time in these rooms, and if you decide you really don't like something, it can be changed very easily. So if you find a color you love — even if it's a bit bolder than you're used to — I say, go for it!"