Reader request – purple

Posted on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 by KiM

Today’s reader request comes from Kate: “I’m moving to Florence, Italy in January (so exciting!) and the apartment we are renting is partially furnished. In the living area there are — gulp — two purple velvet armchairs and a purple sofa. They are in great shape and high quality pieces, I just never thought I’d be living with so much purple! I’ve read enough design blogs to know there has got to be a design solution to tame and balance the colors.” My 2 cents = embrace the purple! I wouldn’t try to tame the purple because why not have fun with it (plus I think it could easily look like you’re trying to hard to make the purple disappear). If you’re allowed to paint I’d either paint the walls (or at least the main wall) the same purple as the furniture or a lighter, lavendar shade. (If you can’t paint then I’d get a huge canvas and a couple cans of purple paint and do some funky simple art). Dark charcoal walls, purple velvet drapes would be hot. Accessorize with purple, and black and white geometric patterns. Below are some photos I found of living rooms with purpley sofas/chairs, and then a few photos where bold coloured furniture matches wall colour. (If you have ideas for Kate please drop a comment!)

Home & Decor
Sköna hem
Alex Papachristidis
Steven Gambrel
Shoot Factory
Côté Maison
Designers Guild
heyhome
Andrea Garuti

vtwonen Pelle Bergström
David Kaplan Tracey Garet

Living Etc.
Living Etc.
design*sponge
Folio
Greg Natale
Lagerlings
Andrew Suvalsky

Bo Bedre David Netto

Samira says:

I didn't know that so much purple looked so good!!

Jane says:

purple can look so great…just combine it right!

shae says:

If it works stylistically, I'd use Indian / Moroccan prints to class up the purple.

Bev65 says:

Lime green will pop the purple, and give it energy, charcoal will tone it down and make it more sophiscated. Lavender behind the sofa may make them look smaller, if that is what you feel is needed. Hopefully, the scale/color is balanced for the room. But hey, when in Rome (or Florence rather)…go with it!

loolah says:

I know people say that X makes them sick with desire, and I always privately accuse them of gross exaggeration, but actually the picture from Skona Helm had precisely that effect on me.

I wouldn't paint the walls purple. I'd paint them grey.

Leanne says:

I'm loving the grays and charcoal with the purple. Very pretty.

Great theme!

Michelle says:

wonderful wonderful
love the colors so much

I used to hate purple. HAAAATE purple. And now- I am realizing that it is the color that makes me the happiest. Whenever I see it in my home, I can't help but to smile. I like the ones that lean more towards the pink range.

Bev65 says:

Ever notice how purple is almost always also velvet? Things that make you go hmmmm…

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