Colour Inspiration: Violet & Gold :: TIG

‘Violets, lavenders, lilacs, purples – I have always loved these amethyst tones. For me, the beauty of this part of the spectrum lies in its ability to be at once masculine and feminine.’ Architect & Interior Designer David Collins

While the design style of many of the images gathered here does veer toward the feminine, I know what David Collins meant when he spoke about this chameleon of colours. It also has the mysterious quality of being at once reminiscent of a bygone age yet curiously modern.

And when paired with gold, something magical happens to this chameleon colour, the warmth of the gold being the perfect foil for its blue undertones. It’s also a surprisingly adaptable hue, often taking its cue from fashion, and showing up in table decorations, powder rooms, bedrooms and even kitchens to great effect.

Delicately patterned Gracie wallpaper, antique French daybeds upholstered in velvet, billowy silk drapes, linen covered chairs — all benefit from a touch of this paler, prettier cousin of more regal purple. Or for the merest whisper, you can simply enjoy it for as long as a cut bloom of lilac, anemone or hydrangea lasts . . .