Purple Love

Purple is a colour that inspires passionate reactions. You either love it or hate it. In my case, I love it. I'm always surprised by the strong reaction I receive when I mention any tint or shade of purple as a design solution to clients.

Purple combines the tranquility of blue with the excitement of red. It is said that purple is associated with non-conformists such as artists or designers. It draws out intuition and encourages creativity. Shades of purple are restful and comforting and can often be found in religious symbols. Purple has long been a symbol of royalty and mystery.

So where can you go with purple in decorating?

Purple can be used as a complete envelope for a room.

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You have to really love purple to take this approach to its use. Even when grays and white are added in, there's still a lot of purple.

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This room depends almost totally on purple. Much too saturated for my tastes, and I think one would tire of it quickly. There are lovely accents here that could be added into other schemes.

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While there's still a large percentage of purple in this room, the softness of the colour provides a calming backdrop for living. Purple and brown work well together and it is a combination rarely seen.

Playing it safe with accents.....

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The drapes in this room provide a great backdrop for the green bedspread. I find spring greens and purples particularly pleasing to the eye.

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Soft and playful.....

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Going a little wild......

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One of the strengths of a neutral palette is the option to use a really strong splash of colour with it. This ceiling is daring and inspired and makes this toned down decor rich and exciting while working well with the purplish gray cabinets and table. The additional hints of purple around the room help to anchor the colour.