When embarking on a custom-home project with Mid-Atlantic Builders, the owners hired Marika Meyer to mastermind the interiors. Though the plans called for a Craftsman-style exterior, the clients envisioned something more modern and sophisticated inside—embodied by a palette of chic purple and blue hues ranging from eggplant to plum to lavender, with navy thrown in.

“When you work in purple, think about how to make it rich, interesting and modern,” Meyer observes. “I leaned into the eggplant family of purples and set the backdrop with those tones.” She leavened their impact with silver-gray fabrics and rugs, then layered in yellow, teal and green accessories. Says the designer, “It was a deep dive into color.”

EXPERT INSIGHTS: Advice from designer Marika Meyer

• Establish your backdrop color and then lean into the expressive moments created by accents for pops of color and interest.
• The ceiling is the most overlooked surface for color. The backs of doors also can offer the unexpected.
• Creating a balance is the key with strong colors. Where do you pause or mute? No one wants a room that’s going to yell at them.

Interior Design: Marika Meyer, Marika Meyer Interiors, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. Architecture & Construction: Mid-Atlantic Builders, Rockville, Maryland.