Have you ever put much thought into one of the things we spend so much of our time looking at... our walls, and more specifically, the paint that is on them. Color has such an impactful effect; it can change our mood, our focus, our confidence, and so much more. As time goes on, the "popular" colors come and go, changing to meet new trends and styles. Some colors remain as constants but may show up more or less depending on what else is in style.
This past year a classic color has been showing up a lot more. Navy blue is being used in large and small spaces within homes and businesses. Navy blue is known to represent confidence; but, it also has so much meaning and spirit behind it. As stated by Jacci Howard Bear on LifeWire, "Navy conveys importance, confidence, power", and she goes on to say that "it carries a sense of elegance and sophistication" due to the darker tones within itself. Navy also symbolizes faith and truth. It amazes me that one color can have such a diverse, yet powerful wave of meaning behind it.
One element that is bringing navy so much attention is that Sherwin-Williams announced their Naval as 2020 color of the year. Naval SW 6244 is a bold navy shade that was chosen due to its daring nature. Sherwin-Williams' director of color marketing, Sue Wadden, stated that "It’s not just about what a space looks like anymore, but how it makes you feel". The spaces in which we enter every day affect how we feel. Will the space inspire us to be the best version of ourselves? Will it makes us motivated to be healthy, both mentally and physically? Will it inspire us at work? With the right color... hopefully your answers are yes! Wadden also goes on to include some advise on what else can go well with Naval SW 6244, "Pair Naval with natural materials, such as warm leather tones, vibrant greenery and woven fiber rugs, to create a calming oasis in your home. Furniture and decor can be mixed and layered to build a look as minimalist or maximalist as you like."
There is so much room to play with this outstanding color. Adding your unique personal style will make this color your own and make all you dream home aspirations come to life.
The navy in the room above not only makes this small laundry room feel much larger, it also brings a sense of strength every time the room is walked through. In these unknown times, the characteristics that navy signifies can be a huge light in the darkness.
There are so many different ways to incorporate navy into your home: walls, appliances, cabinets, furniture, and the list goes on. The navy custom cabinets in this Bald Head Island laundry room pictured to the left are able to make the whole room pop. The deep blue in the cabinets even bring out the lighter blue tones in the TileBar Bella Moma floor tile. Rebekah Dempsey touches on some other navy blue styling tips in her article How to Decorate with Navy Blue (https://ablissfulnest.com/how-to-decorate-with-navy-blue/ )
The faith represented in the color can be a reminder and ground us as many of us are finding ourselves sitting around at home much more than usual. While a lot is up in the air, we have to hold onto what we know. Whatever faith may mean in your eyes, let navy remind you of it because now is the time to practice it and appreciate what we have around us.