Vandy Schaefer believes our homes are catching up to our closets. “If you don’t think indigo is a neutral, then look at your jeans. What will you wear with them? Anything and everything.”
She likes the blue’s ability to stand on its own in a room or blend in. “Everyone’s grandmother had a piece of blue and white, so our moms thought of it as old fashioned,” she says. “But a new generation is looking at it with fresh eyes.”
Schaefer opened her interior store and design studio, Cache & Co, this past year at the redeveloped Westone and stocks it with a steady stream of blue and white goods from pillows and throws to printed porcelains, designer lamps, bowls and free trade baskets. “Some colors trend or are forecasted as ‘the color of the year,’ but not blue and white, it never goes out of style. It’s just classic.”
Mix it with abandon, no matter your style. Schaefer says blue and white works with a modern aesthetic when paired with strong art or African textiles. It equally works well in traditional rooms on upholstery or pillows.
Want to add some to your home right now? Go for a pair of lamps; Schaefer believes it’s an investment that can last a lifetime.
“Indigo is part of the native textiles of so many cultures that everyone can find a way to embrace it.” — Vandy Schaefer
1. Porcelain Party
Ellen Evans creates pottery in her Queens studio that is beautiful and functional. Rustic stoneware is layered with patterned porcelain to create works of art that are food and dishwasher safe.
www.terrafirma.com $665
2. Angophora Pillow
Inspired by Australia’s exotic flora, Bruce Slorach’s gorgeous textile designs are hand printed in India bringing a fresh spin to classic botanical prints.
utopiagoods.com $135
3. Isadora Tea Table
Navy lacquered grasscloth immediately updates this traditional side table for a pop of color that still feels neutral. bungalow5.com $665
4. Woven Vessel
Kazi partners with African artisans producing design-forward pieces that celebrate traditional craftsmanship. A removable glass insert makes this vessel a vase or wine holder depending on your mood. kazigoods.com $39
5. Catbird Chair
Nobody does updated classic quite like Highland House. The whimsical pattern keeps this beautifully scaled and impeccably tailored chair from seeming the least bit old-fashioned. highlandhousefurniture.com starting at $2535
6. Lapiz Table Lamp
Wooden African beads bring a touch of earthiness to this deep lapiz glaze. gallerydesignslighing.com $399
7. Classic Garden Stool
This chinoiserie garden stool was inspired by the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla but would be perfectly at home in a modern living room. legendofasia.com $299
Cache & Company wants shoppers “to discover a world where classic style has a free spirit.” These picks can be found at the Westone boutique or you can source them online at the companies’ websites listed above.
