THE NEW BLUE & WHITE

Beloved by ancient Chinese dynasties, the Moors and the Greeks, this enduring colour combination takes on a fresh, modern feel with the latest indigo textiles, shibori patterns and denim tones

Smart ideas for bringing fresh life to the classic pairing.

FURNITURE Profile oval painted pedestal table DT10 in Old White, H76xw120xd80cm, £797, Scumble Goosie. FABRICS Blind in Scillo in Indigo FWY 2375/01, viscose mix, £79m, William Yeoward at Designers Guild. Cushion in Tracks in Indigo, linen, £99m, Christopher Farr Cloth. WALLS All White, Estate Emulsion, £39.50 for 2.5 litres, Farrow & Ball. ACCESSORIES Artichoke ll table lamp in Vanilla, £832, Richard Taylor Designs. Straight Empire 50cm shade in Deep Sea Chambray, £75, Pooky. Chartwell planter, £18, The White Company. Blue graphic ceramic and silk thread bowl, £155, Zoë Hillyard at Contemporary Applied Arts. For a similar footed bowl, try Astier de Villatte at Liberty. Blue floral plate, £100, Lisa Stockham at Flow Gallery. French 19th-century soupière, £450, Appley Hoare Antiques. Xylomelum pyriforme cyanotype print, from £70, Surface View. Ontario frame in White, 100x70cm, £35, Habitat.

ZONING A SPACE An upholstered screen is ideal for partitioning o≠ a study area in an open-plan room. Using di≠erent fabrics on the front and reverse doubles its decorative impact, by introducing two feature patterns that can be rotated for an easy change of look.

FURNITURE Alex desk in White, H76xw131xd60cm, £120, Ikea. Rectangular screen, with three H183xw60cm panels and Antique Brass studs, £360 plus 8m of fabric, The Dormy House. Sheraton armchair in White, H84xd56xw51cm, £500 plus 1m of fabric, Clock House Furniture.

FABRICS Screen in Don CH2864/050, linen mix, £87.60m, Chivasso at JAB Anstoetz. Seat cushion in Nebula in Indigo, linen mix, £194m, Stark. Cushion in Indigo 1509EB, linen mix, £154.40m, RP Miller Textiles at Redloh House Fabrics.

ACCESSORIES Ink Diamond medium ceramic bottle, £30, Heal’s. Draftsman’s roll in Japanese selvedge denim, £40, Galvin Brothers. Small vase in Strong Blue (used as pen pot), £69, The Conran Shop. Sentiment pencils, £15 set of ten, The White Company. Evolution square tray in Navy leather, £395, Linley. Japanese cover notebooks, £15 each, The Conran Shop. Imperial Blue A4 paper, £82.20 for 500 sheets; Accent Antique Alabaster A4 paper, £43.80 for 500 sheets; both GF Smith. Morell woven plastic storage basket, £20, Habitat. Original 1227 floor lamp, £260, Anglepoise. Iridaea edulis cyanotype print, from £70, Surface View. Ontario frame in White, 100x70cm, £35, Habitat.

Water ll canvas, from £165, Surface View. For a similar antique wooden frame, try Lacy Gallery.

From indigo to navy and cobalt, blue hues sit particularly well together, so offer great scope for pattern mixing. In this living room, cushions with small-scale motifs are successfully combined with robust striped blinds and a bold indigo geometric on the screen.

FURNITURE Dalton corner sofa in Carron Navy, H85xw274xd99cm, £2,099, Marks & Spencer. Charlotte armchair in Ian Mankin Organic Ticking in Iris, H94xw68xd74cm, £945, Sofa.com. Profile oval pedestal table DT10 in Old White, H76xw120xd80cm, £797, Scumble Goosie. Large Tray Top table with blue inset tray, H45xw100xd100cm, £2,592, Virginia White. Rectangular screen, with three H183x W60cm panels and Antique Brass studs, £360 plus 8m of fabric, The Dormy House.

FABRICS Blind in Scillo in Indigo, viscose mix, £79m, William Yeoward at Designers Guild. Screen in Kanoko in Indigo, viscose mix, £75m, Zoffany. Cushions in (left) Nebula in Indigo, linen mix, £194m, Stark; (middle) Ashan Stripe in Indigo J882F-04, cotton, £35m, Jane Churchill at Colefax and Fowler; (right) Tracks in Indigo, linen, £99m, Christopher Farr Cloth. Ottoman in Tupi 04, linen mix, £125m, Lizzo.

ACCESSORIES Vintage Patched Kantha quilt in Indigo, 200cm sq, £650, The Conran Shop. Nankeeng cushion (second from left), £160; Marjorelle Geo cushion (second from right), £190; both Irving & Morrison. Connor mug, £8, Habitat. Wild Mint candle, £28, The White Company. Xylomelum pyriforme cyanotype print, from £70, Surface View. Ontario frame in White, 100x70cm, £35, Habitat. Palayam rug, 240x310cm, £495, Oka.

STATEMENT PATTERN A flamboyant floral wallpaper (left) is the defining feature of this contemporary kitchen diner, in which the curtains, furniture and splashback (above) have been kept understated so as not to compete. Natural foliage brings an accent colour and fresh finishing touches to the blue-and-white scheme.

FURNITURE Pinner rectangular dining table in Flint White, H75xw180x D80cm, £1,195; Pinner benches in Flint White, H44xw180xd35cm, £495 each; all Heal’s. Georgian dining chairs with Sacha legs painted in All White by Farrow & Ball with Old Gold Speckled nailing, H108xw50xd43cm, £658 plus 1.5m of fabric each, The Dining Chair Company.

FABRICS Chairs and bench cushions in Plain Linen in Overall Blue, linen, £96m, Fermoie. Curtain in Birch in Ivory, cotton, £34m, Jane Churchill; table runner in Eva in Mastic, cotton mix, £49m, Manuel Canovas; both at Colefax and Fowler.

WALLS La Foret wallpaper in Cobalt, 134cm wide, £145m, Christopher Farr Cloth.

ACCESSORIES Anzia white ceramic bottle vase, £30; Blot blue spot jug, £30; Blot blue serving platter, £32; Vienna tumblers, £20 set of six; all Habitat. Chartwell herb pot, £10, The White Company. White enamel vase, £375, Astrid Keller at Flow Gallery. For a similar vintage glazed terracotta pot, try Petersham Nurseries. For similar candlesticks, try Nordic House. White dining candles, £3 each; Tourron pasta plate in Blue, £23; all The Conran Shop. Late 18th-century French frame with new aged glass, £950, Maison Artefact. Stripe hand-woven dhurrie rug, 200x300cm, £550, The Conran Shop.

Above WALL Tratti Mixed Scuro glazed porcelain tiles, two patterns shown from a set of eight, 10cm sq, £178sq m, Domus.

ACCESSORIES Tourron dinner plate in Blue, £24; Tourron pasta plate in Blue, £23; both The Conran Shop.

Deep Blue glazed bowls, £28 each, Ben Sutton Ceramics. Similar vase, Tall recycled glass vase, £20, Cox & Cox.

Blot blue pasta bowl, £10; Blot blue serving platter, £32; both Habitat.

Maiolica earthenware small mug, £25, Daphne Carnegy at Contemporary Applied Arts. Double Striped linen tea towel, £18.50, Toast.

BESPOKE ARTWORK Framing a piece of fabric or wallpaper is a simple way to create art that perfectly suits a scheme. This abstract print brings together the pale denim and dark indigo tones of the room.

FURNITURE Swedish 19th-century painted pine chest of drawers, H103xw123xd46cm, £2,250, Appley Hoare Antiques. Salvesen Graham chair, H94xw70x D76cm, £1,600 plus 5m of fabric, David Seyfried. FABRICS Chair in Dunoon Dark Navy, viscose mix, £49.50m, Ian Mankin. Cushion in Yukata Batik in Indigo, acrylic, £126m, Thibaut. WALLS Denim Unito Oltremare wallpaper 5208, 70cm wide, £72.75 a roll, Brian Yates.

ACCESSORIES (In frame) Les Garconnes wallcovering in Mariniere, linen mix, 100cm wide, £132m, Pierre Frey. Framing, dry mounting in white-painted ridged wood frame with non-reflective art glass, 90cm sq, £415.92, Picture. Still Life bottle in White, £120, Akiko Hirai at Flow Gallery. Ink Spot large ceramic bottle, £40, Heal’s. Midnight vessels, small, £50; large, £410; Tanya Gomez at Contemporary Applied Arts. Ikat dhurrie rug in Indigo, 200x300cm, £725, The Conran Shop.

Sumptuous layering of texture and pattern is the key to this serene blue-and-white bedroom scheme. A bold headboard fabric creates a focal point, complemented by a curtain and cushions in similar shades, while the valance and throw add essential warmth and softness.

FURNITURE Cicero king-size bed including mattress, H120xl200xw150cm, £8,950 plus 7m of fabric (for headboard), Ensemblier. Hexagonal Drum table in White, H55xdiam48cm, £1,152, Virginia White.

FABRICS Curtains in Sumba LW 212-46, cotton mix, 300cm wide, £220.70m, Élitis at Abbott & Boyd. Headboard in Cochin in Navy, linen, £102m, Thibaut. Valance and cushion in Little Cape Ticking in Navy, cotton, £43m, Ralph Lauren Home. Valance edged in Strata Strie Border in Navy, polyester, £31m, Samuel & Sons. Cushions in (middle) Yukata Batik in Indigo, acrylic, £126m, Thibaut; (right) Sari in Indigo, £224m, Peter Dunham Textiles at Tissus d’hélène. Throw in Mistral in Night, linen, 300cm wide, £175m, de Le Cuona. Lampshade in Regal Silk Vol 3 in Caspian, silk, £44m, James Hare. WALLS Denim Unito Oltremare wallpaper 5208, 70cm wide, £72.75 a roll, Brian Yates. ACCESSORIES White stonewashed king-size duvet cover, £50; White stone-washed rectangular pillowcase, £10; both Habitat. Bobbin turned lampbase in Gesso, £345, Max Rollitt. Roman drum shade 16RMD, £81.72 plus 2m of fabric, Heathfield & Co.

Still Life bottle in White, £120, Akiko Hirai at Flow Gallery. Leather notebook in Navy, £15, Undercover. Berlin medium white frame, £49, The Conran Shop. Postcard, 80p, The Courtauld Gallery. Ikat dhurrie rug in Indigo, 200x300cm, £725, The Conran Shop.

BOLD CONTRASTS

An adjoining bathroom offers an opportunity for more adventurous decorating, as shown here with the strong wall colour and chequered flooring. Echoing the palette of the bedroom scheme ensures a unified look.

WALLS Moonlit Night, Perfect Matt Emulsion, £39 for 2.5 litres, Designers Guild.

FURNITURE Monolithic stool, H38x diam24cm, £150, Viaduct. Blue Ikat stool, H43xw43xd43cm, £460, Irving & Morrison.

FABRICS Blinds in Ashu Indigo, linen mix, £206m, John Robshaw at Tissus d’hélène.

FLOORING Encaustic tiles in Blue and White, 20cm sq, £174.90sq m, Fired Earth.

ACCESSORIES Wonki Ware soap dish, £15, The Conran Shop. Milk extra-gentle soap, £8, L’occitane. Blu Mediterraneo vitalising lotion, £43, Acqua Di Parma. Anatolian Stripe hand towel, £30, Toast.