Blue the new color of choice for interior design

Current trends are dictating that blue has fast become one of the hottest colors to use in window treatments this summer, designer Cindy O'Reilly told HGTV.

"Blue is the new red," she said in a feature on the network's website that highlighted the latest trends in window treatment design.

Though tastes are always changing, it seems that blue has become the go-to base tone for designers when choosing a color palette to decorate a room. Whether you choose a light or dark shade, a blue window treatment has become increasingly popular in anchoring the aesthetic of any given space.

Traditionally, blue is associated with gender, being the color of choice used to design a young boy's bedroom throughout the ages. However, many shades of blue can be appropriate for daughters as well, as who could argue the appeal of a light baby blue or a more rich periwinkle in the bedroom of a young girl. But this color isn't limited to masculine or feminine spaces, as the pleasing tone offers many gender-neutral opportunities.

In the summer time, a light aquamarine solid in either a valance or a shade will bring levity to a space while incorporating a tone that is celebratory of the season. A geometric pattern that mixes white and navy can also bring a nautical feel to a room while adding a playful but precise look.

Blue can be dynamic because as a primary color, it is a base component of a myriad of other hues and will complement them beautifully in certain patterns. On the flip side of that logic, a striking contrast can be created by employing window treatments with patterns that pair blue with other primary colors, such as red or yellow.

Experts agree, the options are nearly endless when using blue as the tonal starting point in designing your interior spaces.