Today's Monday Color is the mysterious and rich Indigo, a shade of blue that has a long history in ancient cultures from the Egyptian Pharaohs that buried their dead in indigo dyed cloths to its reference in 4000 year old Sanskrit texts across Asia, as well as its symbolism of the intuitive, truth-seeking Third Eye Chakra in Hinduism for tens of thousands of years. In more contemporary times, it has held a time honored place in the rainbow acronym we all learned as kids (the "I" in R.O.Y.G.B.I.V.). It is the only commonly used natural blue dye, but needs to be produced in a reduced form in order to dye textiles because Indigo is inherently insoluble in water.
To me, it is the purest blue, expressing its history and natural roots in the very depths of its color. Paired with white, it graces several rooms of my beach house. Synthetic dyes inspired by Indigo are washed into the blue jeans I wear almost daily. Its personality can be moody or bright, ethereal or uplifting, all depending on context.
Images above:
1. A soothing Indigo and Gray living room found on Creative House Idea.
2. An homage to Indigo, from Caravane in Paris, France (found on Remodelista).
3. Indigo chairs bring a bit of brightness to an otherwise somber interior (from HGTV's blog).
4. and 5. My own restful Indigo, White and Gray bedroom in Long Beach, NY.
6. A Hamptons family room designed by Amanda Nisbet that effortlessly pairs Indigo with Sky Blue and bold Fuschia.
7. Refreshingly crisp Indigo tiles in a bathroom designed by Stephan Learner (from Elle Decor.com, photograph by Peter Estersohn)
8. Indigo promotes restful nights for baby while bright accent colors keep this nursery fun. (Coincidentally, the color predictors over at Pantone are targeting an Indigo trend for 2012....read more here on Re-Do It Design blog).
9. This 24"x 36" Mark Rothko reproduction 'Blue, Green & Brown' Canvas Art from Overstock.com delivers a large dose of Indigo on a budget.
10. Indigo Dip Pillow from John Robshaw, whose block printed textile empire was born during a trip to India to find natural Indigo dyes for his paintings.
11. Viva Terra's Reclaimed Indigo & White Oriental Rug let's you bring Indigo outdoors in a traditional pattern with high-tech features (the rug is made from recycled plastic bottles and packing materials and naturally resists stains and mildew).
12. Uma Resist bedding collection from Nancy's Linens in Indigo (other colors available).
13. The practically perfect Ikat Slipper Chair in Indigo from Urban Outfitters.
14. For poolside or to transform your bathroom, the Alttoglass Nieblas Fog Azul Non Slip Recycled Glass Mosaic Tiles have a beautiful deep blue hue (1" mosaic tiles come on 13"x13" sheets).
