Blue Room Ideas

True blue - whether of the sky or navy variety - is one of the most versatile decorating hues.

Because of the beachy location of this blue and white living room, the owners used semigloss paint finishes for the walls. Higher-gloss finishes are much easier to clean and work well in humid, high-traffic beach homes.They also used removable cushion covers for their seating areas—outdoor-rated fabrics such as Sunbrella are easy to wash and will stand up to wet swimsuits and towels.

Video: Spruce up your living room for under $100 >

For this home, designer Darryl Carter chose classic milky shades, as well as the palest robin's egg blue (Albermarle Blue by Darryl Carter Colors by Benjamin Moore) in the master bedroom. He even convinced the homeowners that their dark-brown four-poster bed could make the move from relic to marvel with light-gray paint.

In this photo: Benjamin Moore's Ashmead Gray transformed the master bedroom's mahogany Henkel Harris four-poster. Custom drapes from Calico Corners add a hit of pattern, and an antique leather trunk provides extra storage. The duvet and shams are by Area.

Blue and white gain new freshness and grandeur in St. Antoine wallpaper in BP948 by Farrow & Ball. The symmetrical arrangement of the sinks and cabinets by A-Ball brings order to a small space. Minwax stain was applied for the bold diamond pattern on the floor.

Do you like this story? Become a fan of MSN Living on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates on love, fashion, parenting, home decor & much more!

A built-in recess in a Maryland farmhouse was made into a homework area. A pink vintage mirror adds depth and light, and a blue and white chair livens up the desk.

Bring color into a bathroom not only through a bright wall hue, as seen here in this small space, but also through fresh flowers, like blue hydrangeas. They'll provide a pleasing pick-me-up every morning.

Various shades of blue work well together in this country kitchen. Notice the deep blue floors—and the darling dogs too!

A beach cottage in North Carolina goes for a nautical theme in the bathroom, with bold blue walls and white accents. The dark blue works well for the space, since time spent here is brief. 

The boys' room in this Vermont country home feature custom bunks that were designed with extra storage—drawers and shelves—in mind.

Bright Idea: Use a nautical bulkhead light to illuminate a tight spot on the cheap. ($12.97; homedepot.com)

These walls were stenciled with silver paint, then finished with bronze highlights. Benjamin Moore's Super White freshened up a 30-year-old Saarinen table. A lively patterned and completely washable plastic floor mat was brought in to bring joy underfoot.

Blue is a calming color, which might be why it's a common hue for bathrooms. The walls of this blue bathroom (which happens to be from our 2010 eco-friendly House of the Year!) are Benjamin Moore Natura in Fiji.