Destination Inspiration: The Colors of Normandy

If you’ve seen our latest 2019 color+design trends story Country Caper then our latest locale for our Destination Inspiration series, where we look at the color palettes of some of the most sought-after and far-flung travel destinations, will come as no surprise. We’ve previously explored South Africa and Iceland. This time we’re exploring the Normandy region of France.

The places we travel so often inspire our design choices — the textures, the styles and of course, the colors. The French countryside of the Upper Normandy region is filled with quaint villages, medieval architecture and gorgeous flora. Below we’ll show you how you can draw inspiration from Normandy’s color palettes into your next design project.

Lush Countryside Greenery
Artist Claude Monet called Normandy home. His fascination with water lilies and the countryside greenery of the region was no accident. It’s abundant and beautiful. Follow Monet’s lead and draw inspiration from the famous water lilies of Giverny or the green of Monet’s own home — his signature spearmint shutters are swoon-worthy.

Giverny, France

To bring this lush look into your design project look to Dunn-Edwards Vegetation (DE5676), Parsley (DE5663) and Lime Twist (DEA124).

Passionate Purples
Take a lead from the grand hotel Domaine de la Corniche and play up the purple. Legend has it the mansion was originally built by King Leopold II of Belgium as a secret love nest for him and his mistress. The hotel’s lobby to its guest rooms are steeped in royal purple, a hue reminiscent of Violet Majesty (DEA142) from our 2019 color+design trends story Country Caper.

Domaine de la Corniche

Replicate this royal palette in your own project with Purple Palace (DE5993), Violet Majesty (DEA142) or Cabaret (DE5992).

Les Bleus
Les Bleus, or “The Blues." You may have heard that term a lot over the summer during the French national soccer team’s quest to take home the World Cup. Normandy is also filled with les bleus, that is to say blue storefronts, doors, bodies of water and magical skies. In the medieval town of Rouen, the capital of the region of Normandy, the blues especially pop.

For a touch of true-blue French style in your design aesthetic try working with hues like Beautiful Blue (DEA136), Safe Harbor (DE5865) or Rare Turquoise (DEA133).

Want more tips on building a room around blue? Check out our helpful hints here. And if you’re looking for more destination inspiration, check out the color palettes of Iceland here and those of South Africa here.

All photography by STRUKTR Studios