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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

I Might Be Going To The Dark Side!


 Don't worry today I am talking about the dark side of color, not the Baaaad dark side! ;)

Dark walls are often associated with making a room look smaller. Yes, they can do that, but they can also make a room look cozy, and inviting, or crisp and sharp when accented with white. 

If you pay close attention you will notice that dark walls are being seen in  the design world these days especially in dark charcoals, and blacks.

One of the most stunning, small, tiny powder rooms I ever saw was all painted in black with gold accents. It literally had room for a toilet and a very small sink. I saw this years ago and have never forgotten it.

Personally I tend to go for rooms that are in a fairly light to medium hues, however there is one color I have learned I can live with that is dark, and that is NAVY BLUE!!

Van Deusen blue for New House office
Benjamin Moore’s Van Deusen blue

When my oldest son was celebrating his 9th birthday we did his room in all navy and white, his Dad made him his furniture for the room which was all white with navy drawers and navy tops. 

It is still one of my favorite rooms that I decorated in our home of 37 years. I wish I had a picture to show you.

With the purchase of a new home I have started thinking about each room as it will relate to the other rooms in the house. 

In an open concept home you need to look at the whole picture  not just each room as a separate entity.

Today I am going to talk about the office/den in our new home. Let me show you the floor plan once again so you can see how it relates to the kitchen and great room….

mallorca_5fqw

Our office is where they show a dining room. It can be an office, or dining room. You will notice that our office doors are French doors. 

I am very excited about these gorgeous 8 ft, glass doors, but since they are glass the office will be in plain view even when doors are closed. 

The doors can have a covering on them, but why have French doors if you are going to leave them covered up all the time.

Remember I am a girl that requires light so I might have a covering that can be closed if my hubby wants privacy, but most of the time this door will be open for viewing.

With that in mind, you can tell from the floor plan that you will be able to see inside the office from the kitchen and great room. 

It is important that there is a visual flow, from room to room, and since my color scheme is navy/cobalt, black and white in this part of the home it seemed to me that the office would be the perfect spot to do navy.

I still have some convincing to do as far as my hubby is concerned, but I think I can convince him if I keep it fresh and crisp.

The two navy paint colors I am considering at this point are:

Van Deusen blue for New House officeNormandy Navy New House office
           Van Deusen Blue         Normandy Blue             


Both of these colors are from Benjamin Moore paints. The first one is the color I love, the second color is still in the Navy but just might make a good compromise for my hubby, if I need to compromise to convince him.

Let me show you some of the rooms that have inspired me….

New house office

This one wall is so striking, it does not make the room close in or look dark and heavy. 

We have two nice sized windows on the back wall that could take this treatment beautifully. 

I am not a fan of the brown recliner, or the russet throw, but all the navy and white is so appealing to me.

Notice the round window? I don’t have a window, but I can use a nice white round mirror to give me this look.

New house office 3

This navy is quite a bit darker, and yet it still feels crisp with all of the white surrounding it. I also like the window treatments in this room, they add a touch of texture and warmth.



Good Life of Design: Designer Tricks of The Trade Some good advice on choosing paint colors

The rug and the gold accents really bring this room to life.



Favorite “PINS” Friday! | Beneath My Heart
The more white the better.



Nautical Inspired Office or Study Space

The white furniture and storage cabinets, keep this room looking fresh and crisp. Love the sail ship and I think the office is a perfect place to display a ship like this! I think this might also be another element that just might convince hubby he NEEDS a navy office.

Blue & White Hallway - Cornwall Cottage - Holiday Cottages (houseandgarden.co.uk)

This room has a lot more white than navy  by making the navy in panels outlined in white moldings, and yet it still gives you the feeling that you are in a navy room. I really like this.


For example, a navy pillow punches up a white slipcover in the living room, while navy walls create a rich envelope in the master bedroom.

Navy with a touch of black is so handsome and it is a combination that I do love and use in my home. I even have a pinterest board named, Black, White and blue all over.

I even found a piece I would like to hang on the navy wall in the office/den from Dot & Bo


White World Map

As you can see my wheels are turning in my design brain. I am having so much fun. Design is such a passion of mine that this just feeds my creative side to be able to make plans for our new home.

We have a lot to think about and trust me I am……

“Enjoying The Process!”

House Progress:


It is starting to look like a real house now, not just a box in the dirt!

BTW: To see more of my inspiration images go  to