COLOUR CODED

Bold fresh colours travel well in this sophisticated abode.

Bold fresh colours travel well in this sophisticated abode

Turquoise, chartreuse and blush are hues you’d normally associate with an eclectic beachside abode with a dreamy Caribbean sunset, not a transitional interior in a big city. But in this newly built 4,200-square-foot Washington, D.C., home owned by a pair of recent empy nesters, the place and palette are in perfect harmony.

“The wife has always loved turquoise,” says designer Erica Burns, who collaborated with GTM Architects and Sandy Spring Builders to execute the look. “She told me the hue made her happy, so we ran with it!” Turquoise became the home’s principal unifying colour, seen on walls, furnishings and accessories, but it’s tempered by lots of neutrals. “We opted for mostly light beige walls, creamy upholstery and white oak floors,” says Erica. “An all-white backdrop would have read too cool, but warmer neutrals add movement and sophistication.” DESIGN, Erica Burns Interiors, ericaburns.com; Mill Springs Blue HC-137 WALL PAINT, Benjamin Moore.

“When you pick a strong colour like turquoise, the other hues you use should complement it, not compete with it.”