- Design Inspo
Interior Designer’s Guide To Using The Color Lavender At Home
The lavender fields of Provence, France, definitely are a sight to behold. This natural bath of color has inspired artists for centuries, indeed. The plant is not only soothing to look at; it has some pretty impressive medicinal calming effects too. Clearly, this is why we call the pastel version of purple, aka lavender. Resting in the natural world is one thing, but how does one incorporate the color lavender into the home?
Of course, there have been periods in design which may have given the color a bad rap as a hue favored by little girls or a shade chosen for an exterior of a 'painted lady' Victorian house. (In general, this trend of painting exteriors of Victorian and Edwardian era houses two or three usually pastel colors such as blue, green, yellow, and lavender began in San Francisco in the 1960s.)
However, the color's appeal can go beyond its visual impact. For instance, many consider lavender to be a graceful and elegant color associated with refined wealthy women, a spin-off of purple-clad royalty. Furthermore, while it said that wearers are friendly and open-minded, it also linked to intuition and mystery.,
Here, Nest Casa dissects the color lavender, often called the 'grown-up pink,' and shows just how sophisticated this hue can be.
LAVENDER’S COLOR CODES
In order to achieve an elegant rendition of this pigment in your space, you must first understand how or how not to use it. Nest Casa Sara Colombo states that green is lavender's best color combination. As an illustration, she is pictured here in her office, featuring lavender drapes and lampshade offset with a moss green pattern carpet and a palm tree leaf's green. Of course, it must be the correct shade of green. For instance, a simple pastel with strong yellow tones may not achieve an elevated look.
Ladurée Green
To demonstrate, quite to perfection is Parisian macaron brand Ladurée in this Geneva outpost. The French cookie delicacy is made in a rainbow of colors, which manifests in the store interiors. In fact, the brand colors are greyish, light green, and intense lavender. Interior design India Mahdavi gave the green a slightly mossy tone for walls and curtains in this dining area with lavender seating. She grounds the intense hues in a charcoal and white diamond pattern flooring.
Additionally, deep rich emerald green can also be a color to pair with lavender. This combo also gives it a more masculine appeal. In like manner, is a classic navy blue? Any rule this shade can't appeal to the male gender?
Granted that, there are colors to avoid, though, when trying to achieve an upscale rendition of the soft hue. First, traditional purples can easily take the color into overkill. Second, pastel pinks, as a rule, keep lavender in the sappy sweet zone. Third, although it may be lavender's color wheel compliment, pale yellow and lavender bring to mind an easter egg hunt.
LAVENDER COLOR INSPIRATION
Some of the best iterations of using the color lavender in a home or commercial space are compliments of the famed De Gournay wallcoverings. These hand-painted wallpapers almost always feature birds and exude a sense of Orientalism. They are coveted the world over for their beautiful tableaus. Along with Chinoiserie, other popular themes include 19th-century French Scenic, Art Nouveau, and Art deco.
A London Home
Most definitely, de Gournay wall coverings lend themselves to a color tableau that includes lavender. With that in mind, de Gournays’ Instagram featured this London home. Design designer Thomas Hamel designed several hand-painted panels called ‘Le Bresil’ in an entrance hall to welcome guests. In particular, the faded lavender velvet sofa is how the color, when muted with a grey, is the epitome of high style.
A Palm Beach Store
The French wallpaper marque also highlighted their creations in the Kirna Zabete store in Palm Beach. The New York founded specialty fashion boutique founded by Beth Buccini enlisted the same designer, Steven Gambrel, to create a posh shopping oasis in the upscale Florida location. In effect, by toning down any artifice of the pastel shade of lavender by adding grey, make this de Gournay tropical floral-themed wall covering beyond gorgeous. As an example, this velvet settee, paired with marble accents, almost skews grey.
LAVENDER STYLING TIPS
As demonstrated by Colombo, adding a bit of lavender here and there and pairing them with the right colors - in this case, any shade of green - is the easiest way to incorporate the color lavender into your space. Explicitly speaking, accent accessories, wall treatments, upholstery, and carpets are sure-fire ways to add this soothing shade into your homes' existing decor.
1. Accents/ Accessories
Side Table
Moreover, small accent pieces and accessories are the safest way to incorporate lavender into your existing color scheme. Dubbed the mojito and margarita, certainly, these irresistible side tables add the right dose of hue for their spicy nature. Star interior designer India Mahdavi designed these for #cheznina at the Nilufar Gallery in 2018.
Glass
In a similar fashion, colored glass vases and objet d’art do the trick and are perfect for non-committal design types. To specify, one of Nest Casa’s favorite glass designers is a Danish artist and designer, Helle Mardahl. The Copenhagen-based glass ‘maestro’ uses mouth-blown techniques to realize her bulbous, asymmetrical milky glass vases, plates, jars, and other dishes, for instance. These delightful vessels beg classification as impossible-to-own-too-many.
Pillows
As a matter of fact, a favorite motto at Nest Casa is that throw pillows are the best way to add a pop of color. The most compelling evidence of this is Ikat-dyed styles that contrast a unique custom embroidery headboard and play nicely with velvet color block. Similarly, lavender pillows with silk fringe trim contrast perfectly with black and white houndstooth check chairs in the 1 Place Vendome restaurant.
2. Wall Treatments
Walls, especially when used as an accent wall, are another method for incorporating the color lavender. This kitchen Milan-inspired design kitchen uses a pinkish lavender to create a wall of cabinets.
Once again, de Gournay stuns with wallpaper in the lavender vein. Set to a midnight blue background, this ‘Abbasi in the Sky’ wallpaper in shades of lavender and purple in this Doha Townhouse becomes the only focal point needed in this room.
3. Upholstery
Likewise, upholstery is another to quickly and relatively easily implement the color lavender. Once again, de Gournay takes the prize for the use of lavender. For their Paris showroom, India Mahdavi recreated a private apartment using this Dedar Milano textile in moiré, Amoir Libre in s sultry shade of the color.
4. Carpets
This classic color combo of cream textiles and trim paired with mahogany wood furniture are given dramatic effect with bright green walls and wall to wall lavender carpet that creates a sea of lavender.
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