The key to quality home decorating is thinking realistically. That gorgeous bedroom in the magazine might not look so great after a week in your house! A rich navy blue carpet or bedspread, for example, would soon find itself coated in grey and yellow cat/Lab fur. At this point, I would be forced to choose between redecorating my room and dying my pets to match. While my Lab would tolerate a color change, the cats have made it clear that this would be just cause for feline revolt.
However, there is no reason you should have to choose between your love of pets and your love of dark, rich colors. Navy has a classic appeal that works with country, modern, nautical, or masculine decor styles. Some ways to focus your room on this timeless color include prints, stripes, and judiciously chosen accents.
A “French provincial” print, usually white or bone with pastoral line drawings and scrollwork, will make an excellent bedspread or quilt. The navy lines on the light background will look striking and coordinate with accents like navy throw pillows or afghans. Milk glass or white wear collectibles will fit with this color scheme, but blue willowware china would be an ideal choice for things like container, waste baskets, lamps, etc. Try to find or make a bedspread that has a dark navy backing; you can fold down the top of the spread and have a large swath of color.
Nautical decor items are a popular collectible. A quilt of navy and white squares or even a solid navy spread (if you don’t have light-colored pets) would look attractive with nautical lamps and knick-knacks. Framed “antique” looking maps and charts would make elegant artwork and add interest to the room.
A solid navy carpet and bedspread will give the room a dark, simple look that appeals to those with minimalist sensibilities. Add a throw pillow or lamp in a contrasting color like red or white to give the room some interest and dramatic impact. Keep furnishings simple and avoid knick-knacks that ruin the simplicity that makes the solid navy appealing.
