Good Purple, Bad Purple

INTERIOR DESIGNSep 30 201028 Comments

Purple is a color I dont gravitate towards. I dont know why, its just NOT my color. I never ever wear it. And I dont love it in interiors…. but then again, wait- sometimes I do.

Its a very tricky color that could be so beautiful or a Barney the dinosaur mess…

Good Purple:

Good Purple: Good Purple:BADDDD Purple: Good Purple: Very Good Purple:Excellent Purple: I cant tell, but I dont think so Purple: Maybe Purple: Love it or hate it Purple: Not for me, but maybe for someone more boho Purple: You are a famous designer, but I still hate this Purple: Kids room Purple: The WORST KIND. Good kids room Purple: Best purple ever: Moody and lovely purple: Layered and boho good Purple: Not sure purple:

Its a love it or hate it kind of color… whats your opinion?

28 Comments

Mr. Goodwill Hunting :: 2.13.10 at 9:25 am :: Reply

Some of these purples raises the brow. Me personally, I like purple. Especially plum purple. Theres something extremely regal about it. I have several purple pieces in my wardrobe. None in the home decor, however. Mr. Goodwill Hunting
Catherine :: 2.13.10 at 11:01 am :: Reply

I used to hate purple, but I'm warming to it a tiny bit now. Still, most of the above don't do it for me. I think the second from the bottom is my favorite.
Carol :: 2.13.10 at 1:08 pm :: Reply

The dark purple dining room is amazing, but I would never have the guts to do it. The chairs and the purple flowers are gorgeous. The rest of it I could live without. I think with purple, the darker, the better. Carol antiquetexan.blogspot.com
Lonely Wife Project :: 2.13.10 at 2:08 pm :: Reply

Kids room purple is definitely the worst kind. I love purple accents like that console table. It's definitely a color that's not for everyone.
my favorite and my best- MFAMB to you :: 2.13.10 at 2:32 pm :: Reply

a pillow. fabric. not a wall. though i do kind of like those deep rich eggplant walls in that domino image....
a perfect gray :: 2.13.10 at 3:23 pm :: Reply

EXCELLENT POST! Pretty much agree with all your assessments....I am really loving that 'very good purple' room and the art....
Sally Wheat :: 2.13.10 at 7:27 pm :: Reply

So funny!! It's like you're reading my mind!!!
carrie leber :: 2.13.10 at 10:42 pm :: Reply

I like just about any purple, except for mauve - that just does not cut it for me. Love these that you have totally.
Ann :: 2.13.10 at 1:17 am :: Reply

My laundry room in Colorado had wallpaper with buttons all over it. The border was cowboy cats shooting each other. A little too much. I thought I would take down the paper and stick funny things and junk into the ceiling like the 21 Club. I picked a color that was different, it was a pale lavender. I happened to have a huge western desert landscape kind of like a Roy Rogers movie set that matched the muted color really well. I was going to have a jokey laundry room, now it is really pretty. I feel happy every time I go in there.
Janice Bear :: 2.13.10 at 9:56 am :: Reply

Oh you would HATE my kid's room. But she's six and I let her pick it herself so...I won't lie, though. I like me some purple myself. But is it said that I was drawn to a large majority of non-purple things in your photo essay?

Nicole Cohen :: 2.13.10 at 10:30 am :: Reply

Ha! I cant argue with your kid! Mine wears a dora dress all day and night so I hear ya! Plus, I really truly applaud you for letting her design her own room! I love that you encourage her creativity!

The Zhush :: 2.13.10 at 8:35 pm :: Reply

Well, you know I love a good purple...and I wear it too...but mostly in accessories, like bags and rings, etc. You could really make this kind of argument for almost any color, right?

Nicole Cohen :: 2.13.10 at 10:56 pm :: Reply

Yes. I think so. But purple is just a color that I dont gravitate towards...

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Julia @ Hooked on Houses :: 2.13.10 at 8:47 am :: Reply

Fun post! I'm linking to it from my blog today. Thanks, Nicole! :-)
Mandi :: 2.13.10 at 8:54 am :: Reply

Wow... never saw so much purple! Kind of fun. I'm a weirdo that kind of loves the "Love it or hate it"-purple. Though, not in MY house. But I'd admire it elsewhere. Haha
Mikalah :: 2.13.10 at 9:48 am :: Reply

The word purple is starting to sound really weird to me now...
js :: 2.13.10 at 11:11 am :: Reply

Nothing rhymes with purple... Anyway, I saw similar flowers on the balcony when I went to Warsaw, Poland, a decade ago and it has inspired me to try to recreate that at my house ever since. Does anyone know what kind of flower that is? The pansies I tried this year never did that. When I was in my early 20s and still living at home, I tried to do a sophisticated dark purple/very light pink color scheme in my room. However, my mother had final say on the colors, so I ended up with mauve closet doors and trim instead of the dark purple I wanted. So disappointing.
Nichole@40daysof :: 2.13.10 at 11:53 am :: Reply

I completely agree with you except I do sometimes wear it, but only quite dark purples. I also found myself contemplating a very dark purple paint color recently, which shocked the H E double hockey sticks out of me. We'll see if I have the guts to actually do it.
gena :: 2.13.10 at 2:29 pm :: Reply

Well, since I live on Lavender Hill, I LOVE them all !!!!!! gena www.thehousonelavenderhill.blogspot.com
Lisa T. :: 2.13.10 at 5:13 pm :: Reply

I completely agreed with you on all of them! And I am a purple lover. But it is a tricky one to decorate with. I think because it is so strong. If you lighten the color it seems to need some gray in it. Maybe.
Helen Rodgers :: 2.13.10 at 12:33 pm :: Reply

My dining room chairs are covered with purple, and I use it in moderation here and there. Many of my clothes have purple in them. I'm loving these pictures that show such a bold use of the color purple, and I'm feeling inspired. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Ann :: 2.13.10 at 1:59 pm :: Reply

I love the blue-purples but not big on lavender. And not a wall full in any shade.
carla :: 2.13.10 at 10:21 pm :: Reply

This is too funny. For a long time I considered purple my favorite color because of my fondness for it compared to other colors. I do wear it...in fact I just realized I'm wearing a purple shirt right now. So I feel a need to defend purple and I think none of the "bad purples" offend me as much as they do you. BUT I'm also realizing that I don't decorate with it-not a speck of it anywhere in my house. At all. So maybe it's not that great, especially in big doses!
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Keri :: 2.13.10 at 3:32 pm :: Reply

I love this post! My daughter wants a purple room, and I took her through this post from top to bottom explaining to her the differences between acceptable purple and purple that will never, ever, ever live in my house! Thanks for the valuable tutorial!! Keri