Blue-and-White is Always Right

The classic color pairing makes a fresh addition to almost any room, as beautifully captured in the home of interior decorator and textile designer Heather Chadduck Hillegas and her husband, photographer David Hillegas.

A collage of blue-and-white, including china pieces, wallpaper, paint swatches, textile swatches, jewelry, llnens, and inspration photos

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

With blue-and-white decor, mix and match pattern, texture, and shades of blue from robin’s egg to deep navy. History, nature, and fashion are your muses.

Heather Chadduck Hillegas and David Hillegas’s home offers blue-and-white inspiration for almost every room: dining room, office, living room, entry, guest bedroom, and patio. Find style for every day and Flower‘s wallpaper finds that embrace the color scheme, too.

Blue-and-White Decor for Every Space

In the Dining Room

“Blue-and-white and green live quite happily together here at Pineapple House (the historical moniker for the circa 1920 home).” — Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Interior Decorator & Textile Designer

A large wooden table graciously set with blue-and-white china, blue-tinted crystal goblets, silver goblets, two large glass hurricanes holding a large candle each, and—at the center—a large blue-and-white china tureen filled with a flower arrangement of peach, pink, green, coral, and burgundy blooms.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The dining room’s botanical allure comes from the hand-painted walls of trailing vines based on a Swedish wallpaper design, while the table sparkles with a mix of blue-and-white pieces.

Elegant table setting with lush florals and blue napkin includes the ‘Gosford’ dinner plate and side plate

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The elegant table setting with lush florals includes the ‘Gosford’ dinner plate ($265) and side plate ($185) and ‘Vita’ goblet in Blue ($320) by William Yeoward Crystal, williamyeowardcrystal.com.

Antique wooden china cabinet, open to reveal the china inside the top half. Below, a large pale blue decorative tassel hangs from the drawer handle.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

A cabinet filled with blue-and-white Canton pieces is lined in a playful wallpaper that complements the more formal motifs of the china. ‘Les Touches’ wallpaper in Cadet by Brunschwig & Fils, brunschwig.com

“Much of the blue-and-white Canton was a gift from David’s mother. This spot seemed like a lovely little shrine for it.”

In a Home Office

A blue-and-white wallpapered room with a matching chair, a wooden writing desk with drop-down top, two white lamps, a gilded mirror, and white built-in bookshelves.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Keeping up with correspondence in a room wrapped in blue-and-white makes the task more enjoyable. ‘Loggia’ wallpaper in navy on white from Meg Braff Designs, megbraffdesigns.com

Get the Look: Blue-and-White Wallpaper

6 rolls of blue and white wallpaper in various patterns

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Wallpapers (left to right, then bottom): Aerial Garden by Anna French • Aldwych by Cole & Son • Derwent by Osborne & Little • Avera by Brunschwig & Fils • Piccadilly by Cole & Son

7 rolls of blue and white wallpaper in various patterns

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The ‘Echols’ wool kilim rug, handwoven in Turkey, is from the Sarah Bartholomew Collection available through King’s House Rugs, kingshouseorientalrugs.com. The shoes are Stubbs & Wootton velvet loafers; visit stubbsandwootton.com for similar.

In the Living Room

“Our living room started with a neutral palette. Over the years we’ve added layers and layers of blue-and-white. It’s addictive!”

A symmetrical seating arrangement centered in front of a white painted mantel includes two facing sofas upholstered in a light neutral color, with blue-and-white throw pillows in two patterns--one diamond-shaped and modern, and the other floral and fringed. Pale blue floor-to-curtains, a blue and white rug, and an assortment of blue-and-white urns and vases throughout the room continue the theme

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Casual touches such as bamboo curtain rods and garden stools keep the living room from feeling too formal. Heather upped the style quotient on a bamboo bench/coffee table with a wide tassel trim by Samuel & Sons, samuelandsons.com. The 18-inch ‘Gathered Bedwyn’ lamp shades in Blue Marden Cotton are from Edgar-Reeves Lighting, edgar-reeves.com.

Close up of rug and bench cover with arrangement of roses, blue slippers on floor.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

In an Entry

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The foyer sets the tone for the blue-and-white joys to come. Heather chose China Seas’ ‘New Batik’ in French Blue on Tint (quadrillefabrics.com) for the table skirt.

In the Bedroom

Blue-and-white is a favored palette in bedrooms due to its soothing side, as beautifully put together in the Hillegases’ guest bedroom. Heather mixed antiques with an iron bed she had made and outfitted in a jaunty stripe. For similar fabric, see Summerville Linen Stripe in Ocean by Schumacher, fschumacher.com.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

In a sitting area, a classic tulipiere makes arranging a breeze—pop in whatever blooms you have at hand. ‘Country Estate’ tulipiere tower set ($695) in Delft Blue by Juliska, juliska.com

A desk and chair beside a four-poster bed is decorated with a large arrangement of hydrangeas, a vintage-inspired blue phone with rotary dial, a brass lamp, and large rectangular mirror with a brass frame. The walls are painted a pale blue

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

‘Margot Collection’ Euro shams, sheets, and duvet cover ($68–$599) and ‘India Collection’ ($79–$399) scallop-edge pillowcases by Matouk, matouk.com

For Outdoor Living

Blue-and-white decor works year-round in any space. Heather used the color pairing outside with a striped tablecloth and cushions, a blue-and-white garden stool, and fresh-picked hydrangea blooms.

“We’ve planted over 100 blue, white, and green hydrangeas in the cutting gardens since we purchased the property.”

Hydrangea flowers arranged on a blue and white table

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

‘Festival’ dinner napkins ($57/set of 4) from Sferra, sferra.com. For similar dinnerware, see Williams Sonoma’s ‘Ginger Jar,’ ‘French Blue Bouquet,’ and ‘Japanese Garden’ collections, williams-sonoma.com.

Another view of the outdoor table shows metal dining chairs with blue-and-white striped seats and an outdoor stone fireplace with a roaring fire.

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Another view of the covetable table setting reveals metal dining chairs with blue-and-white striped cushions, as well as the cute blue polka dots on the glassware. ‘Drop’ short ($44) and tall ($50) tumblers by Vietri, vietri.com

For Your Lifestyle

Let the captivating spirit of blue-and-white extend to all aspects of your daily life, even the family pets.

Two dogs wearing neck scarves lounge on a couch

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

The couple’s German Shorthaired Pointers, Harley and Eloise, embrace the color pairing with their sartorial choices.

A large blue-and-white vase of blue flowers decorates a covered porch with ample seating

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

'In Bloom' vase ($3,317) by Bernardaud, bernardaud.com

“It’s fascinating how a piece of blue-and-white china adds a certain presence or shimmer to a room, as flowers can sometimes do too.” — John Esten in the book Blue & White China

Gift boxes wrapped in blue and white paper and tied with blue ribbon

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

‘India Block Print Blue’ and ‘Heron’ wrapping papers ($11/roll) by Dixie Design Collective, dixie-design.com

A collage of blue-and-white items for the home

Photo by David Hillegas | Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

'Grace' dinner fork ($135), dinner spoon ($135), and dinner knife ($130) by Ercuis, 201.804.8000; (bottom center) 'Monogram Twig' hand towel ($35) by Henry Handwork, henryhandwork.com.

Produced by Amanda Smith Fowler and Ellen S. Padgett | Photography by David Hillegas | Styled by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

25 MORE DESIGNERS CELEBRATE BLUE-AND-WHITE

Peruse rooms, table settings, and decorating details from some of our favorite designers featuring the color pairing that defies all trends, blue-and-white. See story.