Purple Reign
If you’re looking to bring fresh colour to your home in time for summer, we’d like to present for your consideration… purple. It’s a broad spectrum and can go wrong rather disastrously, but all you need to do is avoid electric 80s and royal purple and instead plump for violet, aubergine, lavender, lilac, dirty plum, mauve, iris, mulberry or orchid. And apply in small doses rather than great big dollops. Think a stand-out piece of furniture or a couple of chairs, a painted door or feature wall, a rug, embossed and vintage-style glassware left on display, or that good old standby for adding instant interest and changing the mood of a room, scatter cushions.
This dusty lavender rug is so so so pretty. Somehow pastel feels more grown-up when it’s in purple, don’t you think? Complemented with pink, a bit of light yellow and the warm wood of the picture frames, plus the white walls, this is a look I love.
Purple has long been associated with opulence, pomp and royalty, but it can feel rather tacky when the shade is too intense and glossy. For a look that’s more Chateau Chic than Balmoral Bolshy, this darker, matt shade of plum on the door and the wall, coupled with the nature study print and vintage bentwood chair, is a cool take on Gothic Chic. Try Plascon’s Velvet Pansy and Veld Dusk (in a matt finish).
Tolix chairs are my absolute best and who would have thought they’d look so good in grape. It works here as they are the only pops of colour in an otherwise understated palette of black, white, natural and dark-stainted wood. You can find reproduction Tolix designs in purple (stools) from Chair Crazy and the dining chairs to order from Robert Thomson.
I’ve got a cherry red dining table (an el cheapo pine table we’ve had for ages) and it’s due for a paint upgrade. Purple is looking really appealing, especially when matched with vintage chairs and white floors. Purple Infusion 2 by Dulux is pretty close to this table’s colour. While I prefer walls in matt, a piece of furniture is a different story and can carry off a high gloss finish.
It’s a fine line between moody and sombre, but this entrance hall gets it bang on. In combination with the wood it feels really elegant and lived-in, and the addition of the black vintage table lamp is perfection. A chalky finish here would look fab, and I’m definitely feeling Annie Sloan’s Emile for a space like this.
I’ve long wanted to paint my front door (and internal doors) interesting colours, and after seeing this image I want to do it right now! This is a very cheerful sort of purple with pink undertones, close to Plascon’s Purple Palace.
An upholstered sofa is a big commitment, especially when it’s in a statement colour. This soft lilac is timeless and looks rather glam with a button detail. Pair with navy and grey – purple’s favourite companions in the colour spectrum – and you won’t have any regrets. The wicker chair is something you’d easily find at a flea market or good second-hand furniture store. While they’re typically intended for outdoor use, a lick of paint gives it a new level of sophistication, perfect as a statement chair in the living room or bedroom.
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