Hello, sailor! 2018’s hottest decor colour is making waves.

Design turns to the dark side for winter. BY CARLI WHITWELL

WHENEVER I HAVE A performance review or presentation at work, I’ll pull out my fave navy-blue dress, a Roland Mouret-inspired piece that instantly makes me feel more Claire Underwood (minus the sociopathic tendencies) than my frazzled self. The cut is great, but my dress’ power is in its colour. It’s a deep shade that’s commanding without being loud, chic without trying too hard.

This fall, the runways, from Céline to Victoria Beckham, were full of the quietly empowering hue, although the best example was Maria Grazia Chiuri’s all-blue sophomore show for Dior. Models walked on a sapphire watercolour-esque runway wearing everything from corseted indigo velvet gowns to chambray work suits. The show was an ode to Christian Dior himself, who once declared, “Among all colours, navy blue is the only one that can ever compete with black; it has all the same qualities.”

Monsieur Dior would be happy to know that, this season, the classic colour is also having a resurgence in our homes. Maybe it’s a response to the ubiquitous millennial pink, but richer tones are back. “People are exploring moody interiors: lots of plaster walls, dark marble, deep greens and velvet furniture,” says Jessica Nakanishi of Toronto design firm MSDS Studio. She describes the ideal deep blue as “cool but still rich; it has a certain formality without being too staid.”

Think of it as your home’s new neutral, adds Sébastien Fauteux, creative director for Urban Barn. “The good thing about blue is that it works well with a warmer palette: beige and taupe, but also with a more contemporary colour palette such as grey.” The hue also plays well with brass, wood and wools, adds Nakanishi, noting that lowcommitment options like throws and blankets are the best way to try the trend.

That said, don’t be afraid to make a statement. When you paint or wallpaper your walls deep blue, it has a trompe l’oeil effect that makes the room

seem bigger. Told you it’s a power colour. n

2 4 1 3 5 1. Wood and cotton chair, ClassiCon ($4,790, at Avenue Road, avenue-road. com). 2. Earthenware vase, CB2 ($22, cb2.com). 3. Leather and canvas bag, Louis Vuitton ($4,500, louisvuitton.com). 4. Ceramic lamp, Urban Barn ($149, urbanbarn.com). 5. Cotton towels, Zara ($13.90 and $39.90, zarahome.com).