These 12 Elegant Rooms Prove You Can Decorate with Purple Effortlessly
Move over, pink. It's purple's turn to shine.
Purple has been overlooked for far too long. This soulful color commands every room it's in, no matter if the shade envelopes the walls in a lacquered fashion or dots across the room in floral fabrics. In fact, it's easy to see why purple feels so dynamic when the shade has been historically associated with royalty, luxury, and ambition.
We're not the only ones that have fallen for charms of purple. Pantone just announced Very Peri as their Color of the Year for 2022. Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director at the Pantone Color Institute, explains that the periwinkle shade "displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages creativity and imaginative expressions."
While we're all drooling over the lilac-blue tone, we started thinking about the countless ways purple, in all its shades, can be deployed throughout the home—from subtle whispers, such as light orchid and lavender hues springing from scenic wallpaper in an entry, to dramatic flourishes like theatrical drapery in a magnetic violet taking center stage in a dining room.
Check out these alluring purple rooms from VERANDA archives to help you find the right tone and application for your own home. You'll be taken with the power of purple in no time.
Plum
Delicious plum lacquered walls mark the private family quarters of Emily Eerdmans's gallery-in-residence in the West Village. Inspired by her design mentor Mario Buatta, Eerdmans leaned into the idea of using “pretty” decorations such as the flirty florals covering the plush sofa. The flower-basket oil painting is by Jean de Botton.
Royal Purple
Decorator Angie Hranowsky framed the impeccable views from this Austin dining room with regal purple drapery that commands the room. The dynamic shade is balanced against green and silver paneling and a warm brown hexagonal table (Fritz Porter). The walnut chairs are by Blackman Cruz.
Aubergine
Rich aubergine walls mingling with subtle watery tones on the goatskin credenza create a cozy kinship in the library of Ceara Donnelley's Charleston manse. The custom mohair sectional (Dmitriy & Co.) wraps a R&Y Augousti table. The paneling color is Pelt by Farrow & Ball.
Wisteria Purple
For Leontine Linens founder Jane Scott Hodges, it was important that her dramatic boudoir had enough secret storage spaces to hide away all her treasures. Here, the purple Fortuny damask draws up “like a ball gown” and stores more of Hodges’s extensive linens collection behind its draping.
Mauve
The mauve wallcovering (Thibaut) in this New York guest bedroom by designer Chiqui Woolworth strikes the perfect balance between red and purple, creating a cozy atmosphere. The bed and lampshades are covered in an archival English fabric (Scalamandré).
Imperial Purple
The color scheme for this Yellowstone living room by Palmer Weiss all stemmed from Pierre Frey's captivating Mortefontaine linen. Weiss covered two swivel chairs and several pillows in it, then distributed its nutty purple, soft brown, and olive tones around the room on ottomans and loveseats. The 19th-century portrait of Pocahontas is by Victor Nehlig
Orchid
Decorator Katie Ridder's fearless use of exhilarating color palettes and layered patterns shines in the twin bedroom of this Hampton retreat. Ridder layered orchid bed upholstery over cobalt blue grasscloth walls. Both the drapery and bed fabrics are by Studio Four.
Amethyst
A self-proclaimed maximalist, designer Sig Bergamin mixed nearly two dozen patterned fabrics together in this Miami living room for the ultimate layered look. The amethyst-and-gold-accented vintage art series anchors the room. A deep-red striped daybed fabric is by Robert Kime.
Pastel Purple
Candy shades of purple, blue, and yellow spark creativity in this Paris kids' room by design duo Raphaël Le Berre and Thomas Vevaud. The ombré rug is by Han Feng for Tai Ping.
Violet
For an immediate rush of joyous color, Colette van den Thillart placed a contemporary painting by Jame Lahey right in the heart of her Toronto living room. The designer created the geometric sculptures on top of the garden table herself.
Lavender and Deep Lilac
Melanie Turner proves it's all about subtleties in this Atlanta living room designed for a young couple. Lavender and deep lilac shades repeat throughout the room in the whimsical wallpaper (de Gournay) and on the dining chair (fabric, Schumacher). The dreamy hues give the entire space a youthful verve.
Indigo
To make his guest truly feel like royalty, Juan Pablo Molyneux cover every inch of the guest suite in his France chateau in a lavish, indigo fabric (Watts of Westminster). The sofa is from the Louis XVI era.
Sarah DiMarco is the Assistant Editor at VERANDA, covering all things art, design, and travel, and she also manages social media for the brand.
59 Eye-Catching Living Room Color Combinations
36 Radiant Paint Colors for Your Dining Room
Tour the Atlanta Design Social House
52 Radiant Living Room Paint Colors