two true blues

The den and dining rooms greet you right as you walk into this craftsman-inspired new construction. The entire house was originally painted a medium grey/beige which made for a pretty uninspiring entrance. The owners really wanted a pop of color as well as a more dynamic backdrop for their art and furniture. They both enjoy most shades of blue, so we decided on a custom-mixed medium blue for the upper portion of both walls. We kept the wainscoting white in the dining room, and used a rich navy blue (Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue, HC-155) below the chair rail in the den. The results are both elegant and inviting and just what the owners were looking for.

before

The original greige in the den and dining room felt very uninspired and did nothing to highlight the lovely architectural details in the rooms such as the wainscoting and box beams.

after 1

The navy paint we chose below the chair rail helps ground the room while still adding some richness and color. The lighter blue on the top half mirrors the dining room directly across from it.

After 2

The custom shade of blue in the dining room adds the perfect amount of contrast against the white box beams and wainscoting. The blue has just enough grey in it to keep it looking elegant as opposed to juvenile.