ciao! newport beach: my favorite shade of blue...

The update of our front entry is finally complete, with the last finishing touch involving just a little bit of painting.

We inherited this antique hall tree many years ago from my husband’s Nana. When it came to us it was sort of a dingy cream color.

In its prime, it must have been a beautiful white, but over time it had yellowed terribly. So at our home it went through a phase of dark green and then a pretty shade of chalk paint called Florence, but now it’s finally PERFECT!

This color from Farrow & Ball is called “Stiffkey Blue” and it’s the most gorgeous shade of soft navy. Like a well-loved pair of blue jeans, it just feels right at home, dressed up or dressed down.

And it matches perfectly with our new Serena & Lily wallpaper. This blue and white vining Priano pattern is so pretty, and I truly love it more and more each day!

The natural textures of this French market basket and pretty hydrangeas look amazing when paired with this blue. I found this color quite by accident after visiting the Farrow & Ball store at SoCo Design Center.

As I was browsing through their wallpapers, I noticed that they sell small sample pots of each of their gorgeous paint colors.

I picked up a few that caught my attention, because I always have projects that spontaneously pop up, and I love to stock up on pretty paints.

So when I was ready to update the hall tree, I was thrilled that Stiffkey Blue was absolutely the most perfect shade of blue to complete the look of the whole room!

This is the way this color is described by Farrow & Ball:

”An inky navy. This inky blue is named after the Norfolk beach where the mud, along with the cockles, share a particular deep navy hue. Although traditional in feel, Stiffkey Blue is often used to create a richly dramatic space with a more contemporary finish. When used in well-lit areas of the home it will appear much bluer, working wonderfully when contrasted with white.”

The Farrow & Ball design studio has lots of interesting inspiration, like these color boards created by their knowledgeable staff.

And I love the quirky paint brushes dangling in the front window. So fun!

So now the hall tree is revamped, the wallpaper is done, and I simply added a fun new light fixture and round jute rug to harmonize with all the blue and white fabulousness that’s going on here in the front entry.

Just for fun, I’m sharing some gorgeous Stiffkey Blue inspiration from some of my favorite designers…

Be sure to check back very soon for more insight on the SoCo Design Center. Not only do they feature great home décor shops, they also have amazing restaurants and events.