Deep cobalt blue accessories bring a richness to any room, making your space feel lavish without breaking the bank. Like black or white, cobalt blue pairs easily with other colors. It’s the perfect color for a statement wall.
1.Tozai art vase, $214; For Your Convenience 2. Howard Elliott jar, $59.95; Inspirations 3. Willow Blue & White hand drawn/painted 5”x7” frame, $50; For Your Convenience 4. Petite planter 4” x 5”, $28; For Your Convenience 5. Wine bottle, $3.95; Inspirations 6. Zodax polka dot wine glass, $22 each; For Your Convenience 7. Blue oval platter, $45; Zest Cafe and Home Art 8. ZM Home luxe arm chair, $269.99; Target 9. Monkey vases set/2, $99.95; The Shops at 1700 10. Ervin Edward pillow 22” x 22”, $195 for a pair; For Your Convenience 11. African handwoven basket, $45; The Shops at 1700 12. Finger bowl with geometric swirls, $6.95; Zest Cafe and Home Art 13. Turtle dish, $15.95; Nofo
The key to selecting the right shade of blue for a project, is selecting the perfect white to complement it. The most obvious inspiration could be in the colors of the Israeli flag, which dates back to almost 1891. I recently used a particularly darker shade of blue with Sherwin Williams, Salty Dog (#9177) in a North Raleigh master bedroom I designed. Paired with Sherwin Williams, Extra White (#7006) for the base board trim, all the other decorative elements of the space then seemed to flow seamlessly together…from the blue tape and soft white custom Schumacher drapes and bolster pillow, the white background of the Queen of Spain wallpaper on the ceiling, to the thick creamy braid of the custom cut Stanton rug and the white Ralph Lauren bedding with blue fret detail.
—Antoine A. Pontón, AP Designs, AntoinePonton.com
Calypso SW 6950 has always reminded me of Hanukkah. Why does blue represent Hanukkah: It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.
— Tula Summerford, Design by Tula, designbytula.com
Benjamin Moore’s Evening Blue 2066-20 has a touch of royal and would look fabulous on dining chairs surrounding a white table or featured as an accent color on a kitchen island. It’s also a bold choice for walls in a dining room or cozy office setting.
— Carole Marcotte, The Shops at 1700, formandfunctionraleigh.com
My favorite shade of blue is Blueberry 2063-30 from Benjamin Moore. This blue can make a room come to life with visual energy. Blue is known to bring down your blood pressure and heart rate so why not? It works well with a room that gets a lot of natural light and works well with white accents and furniture.
You can’t celebrate the holidays without “The Nutcracker” and you certainly can’t celebrate the holidays without treats! For the last four years, Carolina Ballet has partnered with local restaurants and bars to celebrate the season with custom “Nutcracker”-themed desserts and cocktails. Make like Clara and the Prince and enjoy these delights on a glittering throne of your own.
TROPHY BREWING CO.
Spiced Winter Warmer: A 5.7 percent-ABV holiday beer with a sweet, malty backbone conditioned on a balanced blend of cinnamon, ginger, clove and orange peel.
VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Sugar Plum Bonbon: Made with local plums, brown sugar, dark chocolate and cinnamon, this dairy-free ganache has a fruity flavor and a fluffy texture inside its dark chocolate shell.
VIDRIO
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Crafted with Deep Eddy vodka, Pama pomegranate liqueur, Frangelico, Baileys, Nux Alpina, Allspice dram, cardamom bitters, tiki bitters and house made chocolate pomegranate molasses.
Clara’s Fallen Ornament A dessert prepared to look like a holiday ornament that has fallen off the Christmas tree and shattered on the floor, incorporating white chocolate mousse, spiced pomegranate gelee, gingerbread and gingerbread meringue.
so.ca
Mouse King’s Midnight Snack: A chocolate gingerbread, coffee buttercream dessert with white chocolate snow and marzipan mice.
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
Waltz With Plums: A layered dessert featuring chestnut custard, spiced pumpkin and sugar plum jelly, gingerbread and a honey caramel drizzle.
TWO ROOSTERS ICE CREAM
The Nutcracker: A chocolate ice cream base with chunks of homemade “crack bars,” made with saltines, brown butter, chocolate and pecans.
KINGFISHER
Chocolate, Coffee, Tea: A cocktail made with cocoa nibs, lapsang souchong tea, Ethiopian coffee, bourbon and marshmallow.
10th & TERRACE
The Sugar Plum Fairy Martini: Made with Absolut vanilla vodka, Chambord liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup.
lucettegrace
Gateau Clara: Made with chestnut mousse, black currant yoghurt cremeux, almond cake, black currant gelee and almond shortbread.
BITTERSWEET
The Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail: Made with peach-infused bourbon, sherry, elderflower liqueur and fresh plums.
Guglhupf
Mother Ginger: Made with Durham Distillery Conniption American Dry Gin, Lil Farm ginger-turmeric syrup, Pernod, lemon and fresh sage.
THE HAYMAKER
Urban Legend: Made with Fernet-Branca, Solerno blood orange, house ginger syrup, house passion fruit syrup, lemon and lime.
For this holiday party season, ditch your basic black dress for colorful styles embellished with sequins and sparkles. You’ll dazzle fellow revelers with every step.
The founder of interior design company Design by Tula, Tula Summerford has lived in Raleigh for a decade. A graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Summerford has a gift for marshaling color, pattern and texture to create spectacular spaces. Summerford is married to Allen and is the mother to four children, Katina, Nicholas, John and Kara. She’s a member of The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Raleigh, as well as a lifelong member of the Girl Scouts of America, and her favorite local charity is the Green Chair Project.
Tula Summerford; Photo by Joshua Steadman
Hometown: I grew up in Jamaica, New York, about 20 minutes from the city.
Your neighborhood: Country Club Hills
What do you love most about Raleigh: I lived in New York for 20 years, and then in the small, quaint North Carolina town of Edenton. Raleigh offers the perfect balance of both.
Currently reading: “The Lost Girls of Paris” by Pam Jenoff
Currently listening to: Girl Boss with Sophia Amoruso. My daughter Kara turned me on to this.
Style mantra: My style is a celebration of my designs in all forms! Style should always evoke emotion and create conversation.
Style influencers: I’ve always admired Iris Apfel for her eclectic style. Her originality and mix of couture with flea market finds are perfection.
Favorite clothing labels: Gucci, Proenza Shouler, Dries Von Noten
Flats vs. Heels: Heels … always heels!
Local go-to shop: Vermillion and Gena Chandler
Last great lunch: Bida Manda
Go-to piece: My black Iro jeans
Favorite piece of jewelry: My charm bracelet filled with memories of my childhood
Travel dreaming: Bali
Favorite drink: CHAMPAGNE! My two faves are Perrier-Jouet Belle and Krug
Style secret: I’m always on the move … comfortable and chic is my usual vibe. I wear lots of black but love to add a pop of color.
Moment in your life that inspired your style: My first boss told me it was better to have a few fab, high-quality pieces in your wardrobe vs. a closet full of average pieces.
Just like your favorite chocolatey dessert, brown accessories bring an alluring sweetness to your home. Brown walls are bold but neutral, the perfect paint color as a backdrop for colorful interior decorations.
1. Brown glass vase, $19.95; Zest Cafe & Home Art 2. Two’s Company wooden frame, $29.95; Zest Cafe & Home Art 3. Wooden “give thanks” trivet, $14.95; Zest Cafe & Home Art 4. Votivo red currant candle, $36; For Your Convenience 5.“Dix Park Sunflowers” by Deb Hauser, $220; For Your Convenience 6. “Are You A Miserable Old Bastard?” by Andrew John and Stephen Blake, $12.95; The Shops at 1700 7. Dough bowl, $29.95; Inspirations 8. Banka brown frame, $34.95; The Shops at 1700 9. Brown pottery, $69.95; Inspirations 10. Wood wine rack, $59.95; The Shops at 1700 11. Brown twine orb, $6; Awesome Abode glass sphere, $14.50; Inspirations 12. Brown pillow, $49.95; Inspirations
Chocolate Brown is much more flattering to adjacent colors than deeper browns because it feels so much milder in tone. I also love to eat chocolate so the name draws me to this brown every time!
Auberge (Benjamin Moore 2106-20) is a rich brown that would make a beautiful, romantic and cozy master bedroom. Pair it with creamy white accents for a knockout look. Auberge also acts as a beautiful background for your artwork and accessories.
— Carole Marcotte, The Shops at 1700
My favorite shade of Chocolate brown is Chocolate Truffle 2096-20 by Benjamin Moore. If you are considering using a Chocolate Brown, I say go for it because I like my browns to look rich! You can use a brown paint in a contemporary or traditional home. You can use browns with pink and turquoise accents or use bright white and neutrals for a sleeker look.
— Julie Flournoy, For Your Convenience Gifts and Accessories
Our favorite chocolate brown is SW Black Bean! I once was inspired by Miles Redd and painted an entire room of bold stripes in this shade! It pairs beautifully with cream or Hermès orange.
