Tribal Bluesfeatured

At the beginning of every consult, we walk new clients through a style questionnaire – it’s a quick way to help us gauge likes and dislikes while getting a sense of taste-level and interest in participating in the design process. Some clients whip out fabric swatches they’ve already been collecting, others look more than a bit exasperated when asked to describe their aesthetic. While every client comes to the table with a little something different, when asked what their favorite decor color is, 8 out of 10 will say “blue.”

There’s a reason blue and white is such a sought-after combo. It’s soothing, it’s crisp, it’s classic. It goes with everything, instantly freshens a room and you’ll likely never tire of this twosome. But it’s also safe. And safe isn’t always exciting…

While our job is to make a client’s home a happy place, it’s also to introduce them to new ideas, to push them to explore. Remy and I both love color, we love pairing bold patterns with bright punchy colors and layering on loads of texture, so we’re always on the hunt for new ways to use classic blue since it’s almost always on our clients’ wishlists.

I happen to be a huge fan of blue and white Chinoiserie, but lately I’ve been loving a slightly more tribal take on this scheme, particularly pieces clad in African indigo. In addition to working on client projects, I’m also in in the midst of renovating our new home, and I just purchased an amazing pair of vintage African Indigo Mid-Century armchairs for my husband’s home office (pictured here). These chairs are total chameleons and I’m hard-pressed to think of a room they wouldn’t work in. Although not African indigo, per se, I also fell in love with the incredible Yoruba Tribe Nigerian Beaded Chairs featured at the top of the post.

I spend a ton of time sourcing vintage and quirky pieces on Chairish.com and I’ve found this site to be a wealth of fantastic finds for this particular niche. Here are a few more of my faves, from Chairish and beyond.

22″ African Indigo Pillow, $240

African Indigo Lumbar Pillows, $480

African Indigo Settee, $5,349

Tufted Batik Chair, $899

French Bench in African Indigo, $400

Blue Moroccan Shag Rug, 5×8, $785

Indigo Basket, $58

Navy Dancer Basket, $58

76×51 Framed Cameroon Cloth, $3,500