The air is getting crisper, the days shorter, and a deep blue haze is settling around us. It may technically still be autumn, but something about that first frosty drop in temperature has a chilling impact — it's almost electrifying. Perfect timing, you could say, for Livingetc's latest color crush: Ultra Azure.
As a shade of blue, Ultra Azure is intense; it begs to be used boldly, which is why it's joined the ranks as one of our more daring color crushes. Livingetc's color expert, Amy Moorea Wong, says, "It feels like pure pigment, almost pulsing with life and a sense of undiluted, unrestrained freedom. Confident and exciting, it’s fresh and playful while declaring design prowess."
Ultra Azure sits closely with colors like cobalt and ultramarine, which have been popular in the design world for quite some time. Still, decorating with blue in this extreme saturation doesn't come without its challenges. But as they say: the higher the risk, the higher the reward. So, are you up for bringing Ultra Azure into your home? Here's how to do it.
What Color is Ultra Azure?
Though these Ultra Azure cabinets are a true statement, when placed within an otherwise minimal design, the bright blue doesn't feel as overwhelming.
"To me, it’ll always hark back to color master Yves Klein and one of the world’s most famous hues, International Yves Klein Blue," says Amy Moorea Wong.
It's an energetic color, she adds. "Ultra Azure is similarly almost luminous with an intensity that makes the eyes feel like they might start vibrating. It feels a bit like if you dove into it, you’d eventually emerge into another world entirely."
But can such otherworldly allure translate to practical interior design? Of course. Simply put, Ultra Azure sits on the cool side of the color wheel. "It hangs near true blue, ultramarine, royal blue, and blue violet — which is what gives it its glow-y, high energy presence," explains Amy.
It is also a slightly chameleon color, meaning the intensity and proximity to purple can make Ultra Azure appear purplish-red in some lights and true, enchanting blue in others. Its shape-shifting nature makes it a little more flexible (and a little less daunting) when it comes to decorating with this color trend.
This electric shade from YesColours is definitely the most color-accurate to Ultra Azure. Use this if you are feeling bold in your blue pursuit.
For something a little tamer, yet still bright, Kasbah Blue from Graham & Brown is an excellent alternative.
Little Greene's Smalt is a slightly darker, moodier variation for those who want more color in their space, but need to ease into the electricity of Ultra Azure.
Don't be intimidated by Ultra Azure's bold pigment; a color-drench suits this daring shade perfectly.
With more personalized interiors on the rise, it should come as no surprise that we are crushing on some of the most vibrant hues and rich colors for our interior plans. But rather than reserving Ultra Azure for a pop of color here and there, it's best to dive into this color as if it were the very ocean it mimics.
"For 2026 interiors, I see Ultra Azure moving from an accent shade into more of a feature focus; adorning walls, ceilings, and large pieces of furniture as much as it does as accessories," says Amy.
Hooking into the color-drenching movement, Ultra Azure is increasingly taking over huge swathes of surfaces in the home, for a dramatic, immersive, and maximalist feel — whatever you do, you don't want to be particularly shy with this shade. Let it stand out; that's what it was meant for.
So, How Should You Style Ultra Azure?
"This color has held a place in my heart for a long time — it’s speckled through my home in the form of ceramics, cushions, bed linen, and large artworks, and what it brings is a sense of rich energy and vividity," says Amy.
And that's exactly how Ultra Azure is meant to be used and enjoyed. It somehow manages to be both a color that energizes and a color that calms. Therefore, Ultra Azure works well in rooms meant for conversation and focused energy (kitchens and home offices), or in less-obvious spaces where the intensity can translate more effortlessly, like in powder rooms, hallways, and entryways.
As for colors that go with blue, Amy says, "White works nicely with Ultra Azure, amplifying its brightness and keeping it sharp and sleek, putting Ultra Azure in the spotlight as well as giving it some breathing space."
Black pushes it forward, adding depth and high-contrast edge, or for something calmer, warm or 'dirty' neutral colors like oat, sand, or camel offset the blue’s chill, making it more inviting.
For color-on-color, "try a blue or green jewel tone like teal, turquoise, or emerald — shades which are near Ultra Azure on the color wheel, so they work with it, as well as providing richness and visual clout," adds Amy.
Shake up your light blue and brown color combination by upgrading baby blues for a high-intensity Ultra Azure.
Though slightly intimidating upon first glance, there are so many ways to lean into this month's color crush and make it your own. Perhaps start with a few Ultra Azure decor moments and slowly build your way up to a color-drenching moment.
Shop Ultra Azure Decor
A throw is always a stylish, low-commitment way to test run a new color in your home. This faux mohair throw from M&S is simple in design, but an exciting pop of color.
I will always die on the hill that an impractical, yet gorgeous, accent chair is the best part of a well-designed home. And if you are still unsure of the color, Oliver Bonas has a fabric swatch you can test before you buy.
You can never have too many lamps, and this electric blue lamp from La Redoute mimics the futuristic aesthetic of Ultra Azure.
A side table takes a little more commitment than a throw blanket, but it's not an Ultra Azure sofa (which, now that I think about it, would be fabulous as well).
Bubble plates are one of the hottest table setting trends of the year, and why not double up on style by grabbing one in our swoon-worthy Ultra Azure?
The coffee fanatic in me couldn't resist this stunning Ultra Azure coffee mug and saucer set. I love that the saucer hits on the deflated decor trend as well.
If there was ever a time to bring Ultra Azure into your home, it's now, as sister shade, Luminous Blue, has already been slated for 2027's color of the year.
