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Over the holiday, I was able to savour a much-anticipated Christmas gift, Michael S Smith’s latest book, Houses. In case you’re not familiar with his work, Smith is one of the world’s most in-demand interior designers and a great personal favorite of mine. His exquisite and very English taste is almost always leavened with global patterns and furnishings that feel utterly integrated, never tacked-on or trendy.

One thing in particular struck me as I devoured Smith’s book; in room after sumptuous room, it was the blue items that kept jumping out of the frame. Like the image above (courtesy www.michaelsmithinc.com) or the one at left (courtesy Rizzoli New York), both by photographer Simon Upton, it’s the blue accents that first attract the eye. Nevermind the huge Dutch baroque painting or the antique Italian chandelier, it’s the lapis blue lamp that sceams “look at me”.

Amateur decorators typically reach for the hotter hues—reds, pinks, oranges—when we’re looking for some pop, but Smith has helped me to understand that blues are the real scene stealers. It’s a lesson underscored by my own recent decorating adventures . . .

Mike and I could not resist the robin’s egg blue lamps, above, when we found them on Craigslist for $100. We bought them even though we had no idea what we’d do with them; I thought they might go to a friend whose place I’m helping to decorate. For a lark, we tried them in our living room and were surprised at how much punch they added to the otherwise warm scheme. When all the colours in a space are harmonious it can be a bit of a yawn.

Our dining room, below, offers another example of how a little bit of blue can really spice up a vignette: beautiful breakfront, lovely chandelier, but the eye goes straight to those bright blue fu dogs. It might seem counterintuitive but if you’re looking to wake up a space reach for the blues.

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