Soft blue

COLOUR PALETTE

Earthy, natural hues help to ground a blue scheme

3 SECRETS TO THIS SCHEME

WARM FEELINGS The key to making this scheme feel cosy and welcoming is to choose blues that include plenty of grey. These blues look more subdued than bright blues, which will have a colder effect.

NATURAL BEAUTY Warm up this blue scheme with soft, organic textures. Plaster-effect wallpaper or paint will give your walls an informal look, while stone-effect tiling will create a relaxed vibe on floors.

GO SOFTLY Create a calm overall look by avoiding strong contrasts between colours. Instead of using black, consider dark brown, and in areas where you might use brilliant white, like woodwork, consider creamy tones as an alternative.

01 Matt emulsion in Earthy Hue, £15 per 2.5L, Wilko 02 Dulux Heritage velvet matt paint in Powder Colour, £49.37 per 2.5L, Dulux 03 Claypaint in Caspian, £52 per 2.5L, Fenwick & Tilbrook 04 Day Dreamer wallpaper in Nirvana and Tan on Dovecote, £45 per roll, Lust Home 05 GoodHome Sarry Beige concrete effect textured wallpaper, £22 per roll, B&Q 06 Global Fusion Sky wallpaper in Blue, £26.99 per roll, World of Wallpaper 07 Ticking Stripe 1 fabric in Cream, £34.50 per m, Ian Mankin 08 Akara Blue wall and floor tiles, £53.48 per sq m, Victorian Plumbing 09 Diderot Stripe furnishing fabric in Heritage Grey, £25 per m, John Lewis & Partners 10 Mozzafiato Talamone tiles, £45 per sq m, Claybrook 11 Bamboo pendant light, £119.99, H&M Home 12 Urban sandstone effect tiles, £16.95 per sq m, Walls & Floors 13 Origins Penny carved rug in Blue, £160, Next 14 Studio G Surf fabric in Navy, £17 per m, Jane Clayton

Combine plain and patterned blue tiles for a Mediterranean feel

Dive into this trend with a pattern that evokes the gentle lapping of waves

3 SECRETS TO THIS SCHEME

PRETTY PRINTS Look out for bedding, wallpaper, curtains and rugs in fresh, floral designs. Choose styles with cream or pale neutral backgrounds as these will give a bright feel, without l