Color Crush: Denim Rush Is as Versatile as Your Favorite Jeans
Announcing our color crush has become one of my favorite ways to ring in the month. Not only does it help set the mood for the next few weeks, but it’s also a lovely way to keep expanding our color palettes and how we interact with new and nuanced shades. September is one of those months that can sometimes feel like an ‘in-betweener’. True summer is over; we are gearing up for a cozy fall, but the weather forecast still calls for pretty high temperatures. So in the spirit of this month’s transitional vibe, we’ve dubbed Denim Rush as our latest color crush.
Denim Rush is one of those blues that instantly feels both timeless and contemporary — it’s inspired by your favorite pair of jeans, after all. And right now especially, I think we are seeing a resurgence in familiarity, comfort, and nostalgia in color trends — Denim Rush fits right into that. It’s bold and on the darker side, but still technically a mid-tone blue. And the muted tone gives it a liveability that other blues (like true navy and electric blue) lack. Again, is any color more classic than that of your favorite denim?
And while our most recent color crushes, like August’s bold pink and July’s Mango Swirl, feel perfectly in line with summer weather, Denim Rush is confidently stepping into a new season, aesthetic, and design atmosphere. It can be bold, muted, or moody, and the best iterations of this blue will somehow capture a bit of all of that. Here’s everything you need to know to decorate with it.
Latest Videos FromLivingetc
What Color Is Denim Rush?
While saturated, the purple tones and mid-tone weight make this blue feel deeply livable.
(Image credit: Dave Wheeler. Design: @_esoteriko, @jadeyarbrough)
So, you probably have an immediate color in mind for ‘denim’ blue — something deep, possibly a bit faded, and super liveable. And that’s pretty much exactly how we are defining this shade of blue. But to put it in terms of the color wheel, “Denim Rush sits comfortably within the blue hues that lean slightly towards purple,” explains interior color expert Fiona de Lys. “It has a mid-tone shade weight, and it sits back a few subtle tones towards gray.”
Those subtle gray and purple undertones are what give Denim Rush its depth and make it more relaxed than other, bolder shades. Ultra Azure, for instance, is a similar but very saturated color. “I describe Denim Rush as an early autumn blue with a hint of periwinkle and gray for play and mood,” adds Fiona. “I’m reminded of late evening walks under a slightly brooding sky, where a hint of purple lingers from the setting sun.”
Decorating with light blue and navy is a classic choice, whereas a mid-tone blue can be trickier to incorporate. It can easily read as dated, but when you have the right balance of hue, tints, tones, and shades, it becomes an equally timeless and fashionable color. Denim Rush is quickly becoming my top choice for pre-autumn decorating. It’s cozy, moody, and pairs with almost everything.
Farrow & Ball
Ultra Marine Blue
Fiona de Lys is a UK-based interior color expert with English-Italian heritage. In her work, Fiona strives to unite the relationship between light, color, and history when designing a space. Her heritage is part of the influence that inspired her to explore the roles of identity and history in developing a personal dialogue with color. Now she works as an industry-recognized color consultant in the UK and overseas, and partners with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID). Plus, she created the Delysian Color System for her color consultancy service.
How to Use Denim Rush in Interiors
A statement piece in Denim Rush is the perfect way to bring color into a space without going too bold.
(Image credit: Manuel Canovas)
Decorating with blue is relatively easy, as it’s a natural color that also brings a sense of calm. However, to bring Denim Rush into your home’s color palette effectively, try fully leaning into the specific mood this shade creates. Rather than any old blue, Fiona explains that “Denim Rush evokes a sense of bringing the day to an end, a winding down of a fun day outdoors, rather than a freezing cold winter’s day.” Therefore, it works really well for cozy spaces. “Think bedrooms, snugs, and living rooms accented with other colors,” adds Fiona.
A Denim Rush color drench will envelop a cozy living room or bedroom when you want a wellness-forward space. Plus, this paint application will make the shade feel a bit more modern.
However, don’t feel stuck to a drench. Denim Rush is one of those colors that would work really well on larger furniture items and decor. It adds a pop of color, more interesting than the common neutral, but ‘safe’ enough that you can easily style it with a range of colors and textures.
Soho Home
Karine Armchair in Midtone Oak and Grey Blue Velvet
DFS
Demure Four-Seater Sofa in Dark Blue
Maison Flaneur
Me’ Table Lamp in Blue
The inherent earthiness means a lot of other colors go with blue. So, even if you go bold, you can still incorporate Denim Rush in most palettes. But if the goal is a well-balanced, cozy space (and isn’t that what we are all after?), warmer colors will provide that essential balance in design and make this blue pop.
And to get specific, Fiona says, “Given its tone and hue, Denim Rush works well with burnt Sienna and tan for smooth pairings, or mustard yellow and paprika for more vibrant pairings.” Alternatively, “Purple and red for bold, tense pairings,” she adds. It really all depends on how calm or maximalist you want your room to be.
“I wouldn’t hesitate at all to put all these colors together as a complete palette,” she adds. Decorating with Denim Rush really is like styling your favorite jeans — it goes with everything!
Pairing a more saturated version of Denim Rush with natural textures and earthy colors will help soften it.
(Image credit: @_esoteriko @dave_wheeler @jadeyarbrough)
I think I’ve just been convinced that a denim, mid-tone blue is the new color to ring in the start of Autumn. And while we are totally crushing on Denim Rush, be sure you don’t accidentally choose a blue paint color designers say to avoid.
For endless color inspiration, be sure to subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter.
