Blue and White Done Right is the Latest Publication by Schumacher
Some things just go together. This fall, Schumacher is presenting a compelling case to add the combination of blue and white into the mix. Their most recent title, Blue and White Done Right: The Classic Color Combination for Every Decorating Style, written by Hudson Moore with Mario López-Cordero and published by Monacelli Press, presents dozens of compelling uses of blue and white together through a mix of stunning interiors projects from around the world. Featuring work from the likes of Mark D. Sikes, Miles Redd, Tom Scheerer, Virginia Tupker, and Veere Grenney, this compendium of design ingenuity demonstrates the power of carefully considered interiors strategies.
Schumacher, which has been around for more than 130 years, continues to stand out as a leader in the world of fabrics, wallpapers, trim, furniture and home accessories, and this volume demonstrates the value and impact of considering these components of any interiors project. The publication is filled with exceptional examples of design that reinforce the book’s thesis that these two colors were meant to be together, and the breadth and vast variety of styles presented demonstrate the flexibility and versatility inherent to these colors. Whether you are more drawn to modernist or traditional designs, there is something for everyone in this carefully considered book.
We spoke with Moore, who is the Senior Design Editor at FREDERIC Magazine, about the process of writing the book and how it all came together.
Cover of Schumacher’s “Blue and White Done Right: The Classic Color Combination for Every Decorating Style,” courtesy of Schumacher.
Hudson Moore and Schumacher Create a Book about Decorating by Color
WHITEWALL: Congratulations on the completion of the book. It’s a really impressive endeavor. Can you tell us a bit about how this project came to be?
HUDSON MOORE: Thank you! I was approached by my boss, Dara Caponigro, to work on the book under the fabric house Schumacher, one of our sister brands. I formerly worked for Schumacher, so in a lot of ways, this project felt very familiar! Monacelli commissioned us to create a book breaking down decoration by color (hopefully there will be more in the future!), and blue and white felt like an obvious first choice. We gathered images from designers and architects, many that were brand new to me, and compiled and organized them in a way that I think (and hope) is inspirational and educational!
WW: It must have been challenging to decide which projects ended up in the book. Can you talk about your selection process?
HM: Like any story that I put together, there’s a long editing process involved. I think I printed out every room that has ever been designed in a blue-and-white palette in the last century! Everything gets printed and placed on boards, and then we start narrowing things down. Eventually it all got organized into chapters, and we were really conscious about including as many different designers as we can. The range and diversity of the work is, in the end, what’s most important and impressive!
Design by Miles Redd, featuring Schumacher Cubist chairs & throw pillows; photo by Max Kim-Bee, courtesy of Schumacher.
WW: With the projects included, you were able to create categories for each project to fit into. Was that a challenge to organize?
HM: The chapters are broken down by design style, so some rooms were very obviously placed. But there were a few rooms that stumped us: And that’s the beauty of design! It’s hard to book a designer’s work in a box when they’ve created a personal and unique space.
WW: What were some of the inventive methods designers employed to bring these two colors together in ways that were inspiring for you to study and look back at?
HM: There are so many examples of this throughout the book! One of my favorites is this kitchen by French designer Jean-Louis Deniot. He took dusty blue cabinets in a country kitchen and had the recessed parts painted in white, delineating the detail perfectly. It was so smart, simple and effective.
WW: I love how you added a glossary of different whites and blues at the beginning of the book as a way of showing how much variance there is in each of these colors. What was the thinking behind that?
HM: Thank you! We really wanted there to be an educational piece to the book—but nothing that felt too textbook-y! I loved how the glossary turned out. I knew most of the color names in the section already, but I learned so much about the origin stories behind them!
Design featuring Schumacher Indian Arbre, photo by Francois Halard, courtesy of Schumacher.
Why Designers Need Schumacher’s Blue and White Done Right
WW: It seems rare, and perhaps an oversight, that color theory isn’t a more prominent topic of discussion amongst designers. Do you hope this book might expand this dialogue across the industry?
HM: YES. You can tell when a designer has studied or has a good understanding of color theory. There’s intuition with color, but once you have the basics of color theory down, you can really create something special. A designer that does this so well is India Mahdavi—every room more brilliant and interesting than the next!
WW: What was the most challenging part of completing the book, and what was the biggest surprise along the way?
HM: I think I was so surprised by how captured I became with the blue and white combination! I am an ultimate minimalist and all-neutral apologist. But, over the course of a year working on this book, I’ve been finding myself gravitating toward more blue things for my home and wardrobe (the white’s been there all along!).
WW: What are you working on next?
HM: My day job at FREDERIC Magazine keeps me busy. I feel so lucky to get to meet designers, travel to them, and style and capture their projects. It’s so rewarding. I’ve got a few more book ideas in the works; we’ll see if they materialize into anything!
Design by FREDERIC Magazine featuring Marella by Vogue Living for Schumacher (chairs) and Bunny by Vogue Living for Schumacher (napkins); photo by Melanie Acevedo, courtesy of Schumacher.
Designe by FREDERIC Magazine featuring Marella by Vogue Living for Schumacher; photo by Melanie Acevedo, courtesy of Schumacher.
