Nell Hill’s Paint Line: Missouri Bluestem

There is so much to say when it comes to color.  Every time I turn around it seems there is a new shade that I can’t get enough of or something new to learn about an old favorite. This last year I stumbled upon one of USA Todays “100 Book to Read While Stuck at Home During the Coronavirus Crisis” books (very helpful list!) called The Secret Lives of Color. Diving into this book made me realize that color is constant and that if we pay attention we are surrounded by unique and beautiful hues that would otherwise go unnoticed.  The stories behind some of our favorite colors are most times just as vivid as the hues themselves!

In the spirit of digging deeper into my surroundings while creating our paint line, I wanted to discover colors that would be both classic and exciting.  What better place to find inspiration than in our own Missouri backyard? In my search I stumbled upon a native grass called Andropogon Gerardii that once covered large parts of our beloved Midwest that, when blooming, was a rainbow of gray and blue green with maturing hints of lavender and bronze. This native prairie plant is also known more commonly as Missouri Bluestem and no matter how hot our summers get here, the Bluestem always endures (and we all know it gets HOT).  Once I saw this vibrant blue-green hue I had to bottle it for my own! Missouri Bluestem creates a restful and relaxed atmosphere and with a dash of black, it has a slightly mature and aged feel. It pairs perfectly with our grey (Northland Greige) and taupe (Atchison) paints for a moody and balanced hall or a cozy living space.

Nell Hill’s designer, Liz, played up the calming energy of this paint color for her creation of a classic and comfortable living room.  With plenty of browns, tans and taupe, this look brings to mind soothing sky and land.  Accented with earthy forest fabrics to bring out the green in our paint color, this timeless combination is stunning.  All together her palette enhances the beauty of Missouri Bluestem and will make the perfect upholstered environment to kick back in and relax!

While this color has antiqued undertones, it can still mingle with a variety of patterns and hues for a bold and beautiful space.  Our designer, Jenna, used pops of pink and coral for a bedroom design that brings out the fun and flirty side of Missouri Bluestem.  Taking a traditional wall color and adding funky fresh patterns is what New Traditional design is all about! I love how fun and young this mix of textiles turned out without turning too campy.

Our final Missouri Bluestem collection comes from our designer, Kim.  Her grouping of textiles is here to bring a bit of sunshine to your space.  She used one of our hottest fall fabrics (we just created some online pillows with this wonderful fabric!) to bring a shot of golden texture into the mix and prove that blue is a versatile wall color that can be transitioned from season to season effortlessly. With a soft greige rug and contrasting black and white Greek key fabric, this balanced look keeps your eye interested without being overwhelming, which is no small feat!

I adore seeing all the fun projects that are inspired by our paints, it truly makes me happy to know that we are creating colors that speak to you!  I am excited to bring you our next color that I must admit, can be polarizing, but we LOVE to decorate with it: beautiful black! Much like the multitude of white options (Alabaster and Cloud and Snow, oh my!), finding the perfect sophisticated black was no easy task.  I can’t wait to show you what we’ve created! Until next time – happy decorating!