NOTHING SETS THE TONE for a home like the hues you choose for your surroundings. Though waterfront dwellings often feature a blue and white color scheme, there are others that suit this type of setting.
For instance, Lee Eiseman, executive director at the Pantone Color Institute, suggests its 2017 Color of the Year, Greenery, for a home’s exterior to emulate the natural environment.
“Touches of Greenery are a good idea as accents to blue and white along with other colors seen most frequently in nature.”
— Lee Eiseman
“It can certainly be used on shingles, door and window trim, fencing and the like,” Eiseman said.
Inside, she recommended an accent wall for a fresh approach, along with (Greenery) pieces, such as pillows, upholstery, bedding, area rugs or kitchen cabinetry.
Greenery, she explained, is a ubiquitous color in nature. It works as background or foreground for any other color. People who have an affinity for blue and white can continue to use those because they provide comfort, but the atmosphere can become repetitive if it is used frequently, she said.
“Touches of Greenery are a good idea as accents to blue and white along with other colors seen most frequently in nature, such as sunlit yellow or earthy browns. Blue-greens can also be used effectively with yellow-greens and adds a change of temperature from the warm tones,” Eiseman said.
In living color
Sometimes, all it takes is a new sofa or rug to update an existing palette, said Faith Phillips, interior design expert with La-Z-Boy at its Monroe headquarters. Home owners can transform the look of the room by adding accents that are changed seasonally.
Even a bowl of oranges can introduce a new hue.
“They’re natural, edible and can be replaced very simply. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to bring color into your home,” Phillips said. “Green apples add that aspect of green that embodies spring. When we’ve come through the winter that’s dark and gray, we want to bring life back within the home, and this is how to bring that freshness that embodies that rebirth.”
Though many choose blue and white for their abodes on the water, if you look closely, there’s always a hint of green. Depending on the season, you can add anything from the orange at sunset to the colors of fall leaves.
“All it takes is a pop of green to brighten all the colors found in nature,” said Phillips, who suggested painting a wall behind white cabinets in the color that screams spring.
Green makes blues even more vibrant, and it can be calming on the eye. It is considered one of the most restful colors, according to Phillips. Solid green isn’t needed when making a statement with upholstery. She suggests looking for a subtle pattern on a chair or an ottoman instead.
Plants also can be used as room accents. Succulents come in a variety of colors and don’t require a lot of care. A few colorful blooms in a vase also will do the trick. “It doesn’t have to be a big bouquet. It can be a little bud vase,” Phillips explained.
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