huemor me: decorating with purple, plum & lavendar

Purples and plums have been on my mind lately as I spend time in my decorator show house room, accented with pops of plum. As people tour my room they often ask about "hot" colors and wonder if purple is a hot color now. I think purple (and the various shades of purple, like lavender & plum) are always hot! If you like those colors, there's a shade out there for you.

{My room in the Historic Ellicott City decorator show house, accented with Thomas Paul fabric in plum}

Much like when you buy a new car and then suddenly see it EVERYWHERE, I now find myself seeing plum and purple everywhere!

Purple is regal and royal, sophisticated or fun, happy or moody. When done in a lighter value it can read as a neutral. When added as an accent (in pillows, vases, a throw or featured in art) it can add an interesting pop to an otherwise neutral room.

Great pairings with purple are yellow - its compliment (opposites on the color wheel), green, red, browns and creams or black and white. Each create a different mood and feeling. Black and white will up the sophisticated level, while yellow will increase the happiness factor! Consider the feeling you want in the room before you consider the combination you want.

Here are a few pictures to inspire you and your decor.

{This living room is bathed in a warm purple with berry accents}


{In contrast, this room is bathed in white with purple accents}


{Purple and yellow are complimentary colors and add a bold contrast to this living space}


{This bedroom wrapped itself in purple and adds fun pops of green, pink and orange to up the energy even more!}


{Lavender, combined with black and white, creates a sophisticated space}


{Not something you see everyday, but wow, what a pretty purple tiled wall (say that 3 times fast!).
I would love to see some color on the adjacent wall too, something pulled from the tile}

If you decide to look for the perfect color purple or plum for your walls I always suggest you start with an inspiration for the room (art piece, rug, fabric, comforter, etc.) and pull your colors from there (vs. selecting paint first).

Either way, here are a few purple and plums I like from Benjamin Moore. Always look at color in your room to see how it works with your lighting and current pieces.

Happy decorating!