The Deep Blue

Growing up in Florida, the beach was a constant in my life. I can still feel the cool water gathering around my legs as I waded in, always looking past the breaking waves toward the deeper blue. When you are small, that deeper water feels like another world. You tell yourself that one day you will be brave enough to go beyond the light teal shallows and see what waits out where the color shifts. Then the day comes. You follow your big sister over the white caps, adrenaline rising as your feet lift from the soft sand. Suddenly you are out there in the deep water, suspended in that mix of fear and wonder. And just as quickly, a wave carries you back to the familiar light blue where your toes find the sand again. In many ways decorating is just like that. Homeowners often stay in the safe shallows of pale colors when they want a coastal look, never realizing how beautiful it can be to step into the deeper tones. Navy is one of those colors that feels bold from a distance but becomes calm and grounding once you are in it.
Let’s step into the living room of an Iris model to see how navy blue can be coastal too somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  Nook
We looked at the foyer of this Iris last week so let’s look deeper into the nook and living room. The homeowners did not need a second eating space since they already had a large bar and an eat-in kitchen. In this model, the dining room often becomes something else, and in this case, it became a sitting room. We placed a 5×8 foot rug that fits the space perfectly, then added two swivel chairs for comfort. The touch of pattern on the chairs gives the room a spark of deep blue and pulls the color into the space. A small woven table sits between the chairs and holds a green pineapple lamp that works well for reading. The space feels inviting, and if the homeowners need more seating the chairs can be moved easily into the main living room.

  •  Lighting and Walls
We removed the original dining room light and replaced it with modern track lighting. These fixtures allow the light to be directed wherever light is needed. Along the back wall, we added four loft mirrors to reflect the light from the sliding glass door and keep the room bright. Both walls are finished with board and batten and painted in white, which frames the space and keeps it open. The angled wall holds a collection of large woven baskets that read as art when arranged together.

  •  Buffet
The wall opposite the nook received a buffet because it is the perfect wall for one, and a buffet always adds welcome storage. We chose a large photograph of a tree in Aruba called the Divi Divi Tree. The picture is bright with deep blues, and the sand is so crisp it feels close enough to touch. We placed two lamps on the buffet, one on each side of the photograph. The lamps are shaped like large leaves, and each has a night light in the base. When both are on, they create a soft glow that suits the room. Between the lamps and centered below the photograph, we added a custom orchid arrangement. These flowers are permanent botanicals, so there is no watering to worry about, and they look and feel real. The wall behind the buffet is finished in board and batten, which connects visually to the nook and blends into the built-in cabinetry added to the living room. The entire composition feels calm and cohesive, with the Divi Divi photograph bringing a sense of place that ties the room back to the deep blue.

  •  Built In
The homeowners wanted a place to display items, add storage, and house a large television. The custom cabinetry system was built in and taken all the way to the ceiling. The white cabinetry keeps the room light and connects to the board and batten in the nook. The back wall of the built-in is painted navy, which brings a deep layer of color to the space while the room still feels bright. When we first began the project, the entire living room wall was navy, and it was too heavy for the space. The contrast of the navy against the white cabinetry creates the depth we were looking for, and then we lit it up. Every display section has lighting that can be dimmed, and although the colors can change, I prefer the clarity of white light. We filled the display areas with pieces the homeowners enjoy, all of which support the coastal feeling that moves through the home.

  •  Rug
We added another large splash of blue with a generous rug. The rug is an antelope pattern in blue, and it pulls the color into the room in a way that blends with everything around it. This pattern is a shape shifter because it works with many styles and is not limited to coastal design. We used a nine by twelve rug to fill the room completely, and it helps soften sound throughout the space. The more coverage you add, the better the room feels underfoot and the quieter it becomes.

  •  Lamps
Two large herringbone blue and white lamps sit on each side of the sofa and continue the deeper blue that moves through the room. The pattern adds movement without competing with anything else. Black metal tables with glass tops provide plenty of surfaces for the things you need when you settle in to watch television, and their open design keeps the room feeling light.
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