Harkness Interiors: Navy - My Old Frienemy

I used to hate navy. I made fun of my friends for wearing it or buying anything that was navy. I was still stuck in associating navy with its awful BFFs of the nineties: maroon, hunter green and anything that resembled mauve. For the record, I still abhor maroon, hunter green, and mauve. I do not see them ever making a comeback. Navy, however, is the comeback kid. Love it, want it, need it - clothes, accessories, and in interiors. I heart navy. My love affair with navy started about 2 years ago and I don’t see it going anywhere anytime soon.

Here are my predictions for the future of this fabulous color:

It is now being featured a lot with the 2012 color of the year Tangerine Tango (see a look from Ann Taylor Loft's spring 2012 line below). Right now this combo is mostly in clothing but it is also a wonderful combination for interiors. Throw in some gold sconces and I'm in heaven.

Dare I say I predict navy is a frontrunner for color of the year 2013? I'd take those odds in Vegas baby. Just in case you're wondering, my next guesses are kelly green or a pure lemon yellow.

So here's how I see navy moving forward:

- Continuing to be used as a neutral base for more fun bright colors. I'm loving it with hot pink, kelly green, and lemon yellow. Hot trend emerging! (Referenced above in my humble opinion).

- Trending away from the traditional nautical use of it. This is classic and never trendy, however I don't think it's very exciting anymore.

How to use it now:

Use it in a rug. Nothing else in the room would have to be navy. Just a quiet navy Persian-ish or graphic contemporary patterned one. The rest of the room can be neutral - khakis, whites, stones, etc. Of course then I'd put a hot pink throw pillow on the couch - ha!

Paint your powder room ceiling high gloss navy. Hang a sparkly crystal chandelier in either brass or chrome. It's my own little version of Van Gogh's “Starry Night”.