25 Blue Rooms & Why You Need this Classic Color

Blue living room ideas

If you’ve seen the pages of our catalogs or shopped our site, there is no denying that we love blue rooms. Whether we’re painting a wall with this beautiful hue or upholstering it on all our furniture, blue rooms never go out of style in our eyes. Follow along as we share 25 blue rooms we love and why your home needs this timeless color.

A Classic Color that Never Goes out of Style

When we think of blue, the first thing that comes to mind is how timeless the color is. Trends will come and go, but the color blue has always remained. One of the reasons blues are such a fan favorite is because it evokes a sense of serenity to a space. Studies have shown that blues have the ability to lower our blood pressure due to their calming effect. Adding a touch of blue into your home also brings a feeling of nature, like the ocean or sky. Just look around you, blues are everywhere!

Another positive to using blue is that there are a variety of shades for every feel. If you want to go moody, use a dark blue like we used in the office above. For a serene setting, opt for lighter shades of blue. You can see in the room above on the right, the light blues give off a calm, coastal vibe.

What Color Goes with a Blue Room?

It’s more like, what color doesn’t go with a blue room? Blue is very versatile – think like your favorite pair of jeans that goes with everything. Since there are so many shades of blue to choose from, your options for creating blue rooms are endless.

A favorite color combination of ours is blue and white. We love how effortlessly these two colors mix together, but if you’re looking to shake things up, try pairing blue with another color you already have in your room. In the room on the left, we pulled the spice color from the rug to inspire our color palette. Since spice was already paired with blue in the rugs we continued that color on the drapes, upholstery, and pillows.

On the right, we paired blue and green together. These colors work well because they are analogous, meaning they are side-by-side on the color wheel. The bold pop of green wallpaper works beautifully with the light blue fabrics to create a mild contrast.

Color Wheel for Blue Rooms

Using the color wheel will help guide you on which color combinations work best for your blue rooms. If you’re not familiar with the color wheel, it’s a fool-proof way to help you choose your color palette. Read more about it here.

Spectrum of Blues

With so many shades to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down which blue is best for your space. If you don’t already have a shade in mind, consider the feeling you want your room to evoke. The shade of blue you select will dictate the emotion your room gives off.

Warmer versus Cooler Blues

Warm blues tend to lean more towards the green side of the color wheel, while cooler blues tend to lean towards the purple side. We love using warm blues for a playful, inviting feel. They’re perfect for the kid’s playroom or an entryway, like the one on the left. Cooler blues evoke a soothing vibe, making them perfect for a busy office, bedroom, or bathroom.

Darker versus Lighter Blues

Dark shades of blue contain deeper pigments, like black or grey. Think of these as your moodier shades. Light blues tend to have a whiter look to them, creating a softer look. You can see above the contrast between the two rooms. The office has darker blues and feels more vibrant, while the living room is soothing and laid back.

Start with Anchor Pieces

If you’re having trouble where to begin, find an anchor piece as a jumping off point. It could be a great fabric, a painting, or a rug pattern. Let the colors and shades in this piece guide your color choices and shades of blue throughout the rest of the room.

As you can see in the entryway above, we used the locker cabinet as our starting point. Since this is a focal piece, we wanted the other pieces in the room to compliment the locker. This piece inspired us to bring in the chair, mirror, shelf, and umbrella stand to help balance out the blues. In the bedroom on the right, we built the entire room around our blue Antelope Rug. We then pulled the blue from the rug and used it in the drapery, bedding, and table lamps.

Where to Add Color in Your Room

Your options are endless when it comes to the ways you can create blue rooms, so take look at your room and focus on what it needs. To make a big statement, use blue in your larger pieces like furniture, upholstery, rugs, and drapery. Using a blue paint color or wallpaper is another sure way to catch everyone’s eye.

For a softer approach, weave in blue with your decorative pieces and soft goods. This can be accomplished with wall art, pillows, bedding, throw blankets, lamp shades, and decorative pieces like chinoiserie vases.

Are you ready to design a blue room? Shop our favorite blue pieces and find more color inspiration from these helpful posts below:

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Abbey Nolte

Abbey is a homegrown Georgia peach who loves a fresh take on Southern design. When she’s not working behind the scenes of the How to Decorate blog and podcast, you can find her cheering on the Appalachian State Mountaineers and spending time with her wheaten terrier, Charlie.

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  1. Reply

    Tara Laver

    January 28, 2024

    Can you please share the paint color in this photo above, https://www.ballarddesigns.com/howtodecorate/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Navy-blue-bedroom.gif?

    • Reply

      Kelley Bostian

      January 31, 2024

      Hi Tara,

      I believe this is Glace Bay #CC-814 by Benjamin Moore, which we covered in our Summer 2022 Paint Colors blog post. Hope that helps!

      Happy Decorating,
      Kelley

  2. Reply

    Tara Laver

    January 17, 2024

    Hi, in the section “What Color Goes with a Blue Room?”, it seems to indicate the green on the wall is wallpaper, but I wasn’t sure which one it is. Can you help?

  3. Reply

    Sherryl

    May 4, 2023

    What is the design used in the chair, pillow, and draperies in picture number 1?

    • Reply

      Kelley Bostian

      January 31, 2024

      Hi Sherryl,

      Glad to hear you love this blue living room! I’m going to answer each of your questions in bullets:
      – Chairs: Connely Uphostered Bench
      – Pillow: Not sure which one you are referencing, but shop all of our throw pillows options here!
      – Drapery: Becca Drapery Panel in Cloud Blue

      Happy Decorating,
      Kelley

  4. Reply

    Lynne

    October 26, 2022

    I’d love to know the pieces and fabrics of the chairs and sofa (reddish) in photo 8. Thank you!

  5. Reply

    Debbie Wellbrock

    July 19, 2022

    Sorry – I meant the dining room chairs in picture # 9.

  6. Reply

    Debbie Wellbrock

    July 19, 2022

    I love the blues shades. Can you tell me what the fabric is on the dining room chairs?

  7. Reply

    Melissa Lovely

    July 16, 2022

    As a Southern lady from Tennessee, I love your Georgia style- simple, yet elegant.

    • Reply

      Abbey Nolte

      July 18, 2022

      Thanks, Melissa! So glad you like it!
      Abbey

  8. Reply

    Grace Tucker

    July 15, 2022

    I’ve loved Ballard Designs for over 27 years. Always on trend and never disappointing!!

    • Reply

      Abbey Nolte

      July 18, 2022

      Grace, thank you so much for the kind comment!
      Abbey

  9. Reply

    Margaret E.

    July 15, 2022

    The article about decorating with blue is wonderful. Thank you. I only wish the furniture and fabrics were identified! I have been mulling over the website fabric choices, but seeing these photos is so much easier!

    • Reply

      Abbey Nolte

      July 18, 2022

      Thank you, Margaret! If there are specific fabrics you’d like to know the names of, I’d be happy to provide them for you.
      Happy Decorating,
      Abbey

  10. Reply

    Jill Hayes

    July 15, 2022

    Love the blues. My house is decorated in blues. It’s called the house of blues now

    • Reply

      Abbey Nolte

      July 18, 2022

      Jill, so glad you enjoyed this post!
      Happy Decorating,
      Abbey

  11. Reply

    Shellie

    July 2, 2022

    Love your taste. Getting great ideas for our quaint home. Thank you.

    • Reply

      Abbey Nolte

      July 5, 2022

      Shellie,
      So glad you liked it! Happy Decorating!
      Abbey

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