From jewel-bright reds to deep, dark purples, the plum palette is wealthy, gorgeous, and eye-catching, adding a sense of luxury to all interiors from the classic to the ultramodern.
If you yearn to use powerful colors but are wary of the primary reds, the luscious plum palette will undoubtedly come across a place in your home. The plums are a complex loved ones of muted reds, ranging from deep maroons which verge on brown, through crimson, dark fuchsia, and purplish reds to the redder shades of violet.
The names given to this glorious range of colors are a clue to their seductive appeal. If you want to conjure them up in your mind\'s eye, think of the scintillating crimson of claret or burgundy seen against the light, or envision the dark, purplish bloom of grapes, bilberries, and damsons, and the dark crimson red of plums. The splendor of these gorgeous colors is also seen in semi-precious gemstones such as purple amethysts, and the reds of rubies and garnets. The plummy reds and purples are powerful, wealthy and intense, but unlike the hotter, orange-reds such as scarlet, they are by no means flagrant or shrill. They bring warmth and richness into the property, but with awesome finesse and elegance. Where the primary reds ought to be controlled and balanced, these reds take their place in such an unassuming way that even the most faint-hearted colorist soon feels fairly comfortable with them.
The plums are regal colors, traditionally associated with display and magnificence. They cry out for luxurious supplies - brocades, velvets, and silks - glossy textures, gleaming antique woods, and gilded details. They are theatrical but tasteful, gorgeous but in no way vulgar, and incredibly painless to live with. Use them in bold, flat passages in a modern day interior, or choose dusty colors and distressed paintwork for an aged look which is timeless.
In the Purple
The purplish plums combine very easily with a wide range of colors. They work particularly well with any shade of yellow from bright lemon to earthy yellow ochers and antique golds. A especially striking pairing combines damson with lime green. For additional harmonious schemes, combine the purply shades with related colors such as blues and reds.
Utilised boldly and as solid areas of color, damson is grand without having becoming overwhelming. It is ideal for rooms employed for entertaining, a formal living room or drawing room, for example, or a dining room. If you shop around you may well uncover excellent-high quality, secondhand velvet curtains at a fraction of the cost of new ones. Hang them on gleaming brass rods with an elaborate finial, and tie them back with gold cord and major gold tassels, or use a fixed brass hook.
Use brocades and velvets for upholstery, trimming it with gold braid, fringes, and brass pins. The floor covering really should be patterned - a rug or a wall-to-wall carpet with a little motif. Wonderful color combinations are gold or yellow with touches of blue-green and gray.
In a darker or modest room, use slightly lighter versions of these colors and pick patterned fabrics with a pale background. Try a standard eighteenth-century French scenic wallpaper, a Victorian sprig design, or an elegant Regency stripe. A gilded over-the-mantel mirror, a brass fender and fireplace set, and brass or carved and gilded wood wall sconces will introduce a metallic gleam and suggest the ideal degree of opulence. Existing wall lights can be gilded with metallic gold paint.
If you prefer a relaxed and much less formal look, use aging and distressing techniques combined with secondhand furniture and textiles to produce the lived-in splendor of an old country house.
A striking bathroom can be constructed around a checkerboard of tiles in shiny, fruit-bright colors. Combine purple reds with hot reds, mauves, cool cobalt blues, dark green, bright yellow, and sky blue to create a feast of color. A white washbasin, a plain unframed mirror, and a chrome towel rack will present a utilitarian contrast.
Fruity and sensuous, damson is a lovely choice for bedroom schemes. It is pretty in an elegant way and makes a pleasant alter from pastels. Offer relief with crisp white or cream, and introduce colors such as green, pink, and yellow in patterned textiles and wall coverings. Don't be afraid to combine patterns - stripes, florals, and checks can work pretty nicely together as long as there are two or 3 colors that offer a linking theme. A couple of items in the accent damson will hold the scheme together.
