Joanna Gaines' Newest Project Uses Blue as the Perfect Pop of Color

Joanna Gaines is famous for her dedication to the neutral color palette. You can see her commitment to beige, browns, and whites in each of her collections.

The rugs and throw pillows in her collaboration with Loloi are centered in neutral colors. Her curated paint collection includes a range of 10 classic and neutral colors and shades. And, her Target collection, Hearth & Hand with Magnolia always adheres to the ethos of neutrality. 

But just because Gaines loves a good beige, taupe, or sand tone, it seems that the Fixer Upper co-host and owner of Magnolia isn’t afraid to step a bit outside of her comfort zone.

In her most recent home renovation project, she added in a pop of color that might seem unexpected: cobalt blue.

In a recent Instagram post, Gaines is captured sporting a cobalt blue sweatshirt and is pointing towards a cobalt blue sconce. She captioned the post “I likey,” and more than 42,000 people liked it, implying they can’t help but agree. It’s a bright, happy, and clever decorating tip that we can’t wait to use in our own homes.

While her use of such a bright color comes as a bit of a surprise, the choice of color shouldn’t be too shocking. Cobalt blue has long been a favorite among ceramicists—after all, just think of Morocco's Jardin Majorelle or the many beautiful tiles that line the buildings of Portugal.

Ceramics are so often loyal to the neutral colors that Gains’s designs find comfort in, so matching those neutrals with a bright, cobalt blue is an ode to the neutral colors on its own.

This tone of blue makes for a beautiful kitchen, and when you mix it with white, it calls to a theme we see sprouting across the Mediterranean. 

Ashley Montgomery Design

Blue virtually matches just about any