Turning up the turquoise
14th Nov. '07 • Category: Home & Garden • Tags: blue, decorating, fashion, interior-design, turquoise
Authored by Kate Smith
The way Farrow and Ball’s Stone Blue looked in Dominique Alexander’s Fall 2007 runway-inspired room in The Washington Design House was spectacular.
I couldn’t stop looking at the color from all different angles, and it is too bad that the photo doesn’t do this gorgeous color justice.
While the overall look of this room didn’t immediately grab my attention the way the Chanel-inspired room did, the turquoise niche certainly drew me in. It also made me want to go back and take a second look at how the fashion designers who had influenced his thinking used turquoise in their Fall collections.
In talking about his design, Dominique Alexander said, “Each of the fashion designers I drew from for the inspiration for this room is wildly different from one another.”
“Narcisco Rodriguez offered subtle intensity with fresh pretty clothes. His collection can best be characterized as simple and modern.”
“Alexander McQueen was perhaps the most inspirational to me. His runway collection was futuristic. McQueen was heavy on the drama and fantasy of fashion. His silhouettes were very tailored and expressive.”
“Moving onto the legendary house of Versace, the fall collection was sophisticated and glamorous, while still being fun and fresh. One of the things I love most about Donatella Versace is that her collections have never been literal.”
“I chose to be less literal in my interpretation of ‘Turn Up the Turquoise.’ I utilized turquoise to highlight volume and to draw the eye to a particular shape. Overall, the palettes were neutral and very geometric.”
“In the room I designed, you should notice that the colors chosen are very fresh. I wanted to draw your eyes to the fantastic curves of the seating arrangement. I used color to enhance the character and depth of the room.”
I really appreciate that Dominique took a more subtle approach in his interpretation of the theme. I think his strategic use of color is very effective and adds interest and a bit of glamor to this modern room. What do you think?
