Their indigo color is one reason jeans are considered a basic, go-with-everything wardrobe essential. Indigo is a color that's a mix of true blue and violet.
It's a color that's easy to work with, versatile, available, stylish, and likable across different demographics, ages, and genders. So...it's the perfect color to incorporate into your home staging.
As a wall color for a home on the market, indigo won't rate high, because usually it's too light-absorbing and makes rooms look smaller.
But for almost everything else, it's a winner, either alone or sharing the spotlight with other colors.
 |
| It's easy to find pillows, art, and other decor props in indigo shades for your homestaging. Photo: CoastalStyleBlogspot |
Do you have the blues?
At a time when many of us are "feeling blue," I decided to poke around the Internet to determine the origin of that very phrase.There are only theories about when and why feeling sad was given its own color!
History tells us that ancient Greeks believed when the skies were blue, it was because the god Zeus was sad and crying.
But perhaps the expression originated on naval vessels of long ago when an officer died onboard and sailors would raise a blue flag.
Or it could be that the color blue was associated with sick or dying people who had bruises or blue lips.
Well, I say, it's time to look again at blue, specifically indigo blue, for some more cheerful news!
Indigo has a history
What makes indigo unique is the way it dyes the surface of fibers, but only partially penetrates them. That's the reason indigo fabrics fade to give to a characteristic worn or vintage look.Here's a little of indigo's fascinating story. In 1905 Adolf von Baeyer, of Bayor Asprin fame, was awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering how to manufacture a synthetic indigo dye.
It took him 14 years of research to develop a way to imitate the special qualities of indigo. Until then the dye was made from plant material in a labor-intense, time-consuming, multi-step process that remained unchanged for thousands of years. It was actually the mass production and popularity of Levi-Strauss jeans that necessitated the search for a modern synthetic substitute for real indigo dye.
Here are photos that might spark some fresh ideas of how you can harness the appeal of indigo in your home staging.
 |
| Looking like the color of a loved and faded pair of jeans, the fabric on these slipcovers combines both ethnic and classic vibes. Photo: Luxesource |
 |
| Three indigo-patterned pillows and an indigo-dyed throw are jazzing up a monochromatic color scheme. Photo: Raquel Langworthy Design |
 |
| A shibori print roman shade and an indigo floor pattern are perfect in this all-white bathroom. Photo: Samantha Todhunter Design |
 |
| Indigo's the ideal foil for bright colors like this lemony yellow, a color repeated in the abstract art. Photo: Tobi Fairley  to your home staging without shouting. Photo: rentpatina |
 |
| Ceramics are another source of indigo accessories for your home. Expect to find it in ethnic- and coastal-styled pottery and textiles. Photo: Rae Dunn Clay |
 |
| Indigo holds its own as an exterior paint as well as an indoor color choice. Shutters, front doors, planter boxes -- they're all candidates for getting a coat of indigo paint. Photo: Euamodecoracao |
 |
| You'll find indigo in Sherwin Williams most popular shades of blue. This chart shows a dark tone of indigo, incorporating some black pigment. Light and dark indigos mix well. |
Blue lifts us up
Color is powerful. It affects our emotional state more than we are conscious of. Just like the way decluttering or rearranging furniture or giving your home a deep-clean, injecting new color into your home can award you a sense of accomplishment and strength.Right now's a great time to welcome some decor changes, even without leaving the house. If you don't have the paint or fabric on hand, go online and search for American-made products!
Search Etsy for indigo fabrics and order some today to stitch up pillow covers for your staging. Upcycle an old pair of jeans as a fabric-covered box or serving tray. Make an ink-blot work of art with some blue food coloring from your pantry.
It's a sad time in the history of the world. Each of us has a story to tell, but often not shared, about how the pandemic is affecting us.
You may be welcoming a slowed pace or more time with your immediate family, a new routine, the chance to be quiet in solitude or catch up on tasks usually ignored. Or not.
I hope your situation is not that you are haunted by anxiety, overwhelmed by homeschooling, worried about older relatives, or stressed about money for basic needs. You are not alone.
Most of us are little stir crazy, isolated and missing friends, coworkers, and family. Once we're reunited we're sure to savor more than ever our connections and friendships.
Meanwhile, no matter what your situation looks like now, I hope that the new normal that lies ahead is a good fit for you and all you aspire to. Let's hope the changes COVID-19 brings include improvements in the quality of life for every individual, globally.
