Let’s talk about jewel colours – ruby, amethyst, aquamarine, emerald, sapphire, citrine and topaz. They add style and drama, often lacking in neutral tones, and in the right amount, can offer warmth and a deluxe hotel feel. These tones that are on trend at the moment, can be seen from the living room to the bedroom, offering elegance and making a real statement. If you choose to use one or more of these, you need to ask yourself, how much? Do you go big and bold or just accent? It does require planning and careful selection of colour and contrast. Consider the amount of sunlight you have, will a jewel tone look cheap and gaudy or will it add a rich note to a dull space? Rich colours could look out of place in a summery location but an accent could brighten a neutral decor.
Just a Bit
If you just want to test what it looks like, choose an accent, a touch. Remember the formula: 60% is the dominant colour, 20% the secondary colour and 10% is the accent. White is often the dominant colour and against that you could choose two partner jewel colours. Think aqua and citrine, ruby and sapphire which look sharp against the stark white. Another option is to blend neutral colours and add the jewel as the 10% – consider the soft coffee tones with buttermilk and add an emerald chair, cushion or art work. Or go ahead and paint or wall-paper one wall – you can always change your mind! Check out this chic photo with the combination of aquamarine velvet, soft wood and bronzed metal.
Accessories
These can include your artwork, ornaments, cushions, throws, rugs and even candles. Consider contrasting textures and patterns, leather against faux fur, velvet against linen. I love picking out colours from art work to be enhanced by candles and ornaments. We have an area of our apartment which combines the warm wood of the Chinese money chest highlighting the jewel colours in the Asian paintings and enhancing a vase with an interesting leather net covering.
Black, White and Metal
Nickel, silver, gold and bronze, either polished or buffed, highlight jewel colours and add another level of elegant luxury. Black also adds a contrast to jewel colours – helping them stand out and giving the colour more depth. Look for inexpensive items such as dishes, lamp bases, mirrors, towels and bed linen to make a statement. Hang metal-framed art work and add luxurious lighting. It all adds a bit of drama!
