Monochromatic Matters

Colour is a great asset to use in any home, whether you’re pulling in bold accents into a room, pairing two colours to make an unusual combination, or even going for a daring monochromatic look. A monochromatic scheme can create a strong, bold look in a room, really giving it some presence. Here’s a few beautiful monochrome rooms to give you some inspiration.

Blue Monochromatic Room from Domino via Pinterest

This dark blue room is a feast for the eyes; everything is soft, deep and dramatic whilst the blue makes it feel sophisticated and contemporary. The key with monochromatic rooms is to make sure you have enough texture in the space to give it depth, like the velvet sofa and of hint of purple from the plant. For a beautiful navy paint colour, Fired Earth’s Carbon Blue is a lovely true blue and would have a dramatic impact on the walls. For a sumptuous navy velvet, take a peek at Osborne & Little’s Mikado Velvet collection, they have a whole range of shades but a perfect one for this look is number 6990-08.

Pink is a great colour to use in a monochromatic look and creating the perfect sophisticated setting is all about finding the right shades of pink. Heavily playing on light and dark tones will help add a contemporary element to the space, too much of one pink and it might become a little marshmallow-y. Below they’ve used a dusky pink for the wall and a maroon-pink for the ceiling and for the furniture which really holds the space together.

Pink Monochromatic Room from Domino via Pinterst

There is a huge range of pink or pink-toned paints around at the moment, just make sure you stick to the same type of pink, for example finding a dark and light blush pink. A beautiful pink is Tuscan Pink from Zoffany, with lovely earthy tones to it. To add a spark of interest to the pink scheme, this Atlas fabric from Zimmer + Rohde has beautiful pink tones as well as an abstract landscape-style pattern that would make a stunning pair of curtains in an all pink look.

Atlas Fabric from Zimmer + Rohde

This beautiful green room creates its depth with the use of white to add structure to the space; the sharp white picture frames pop against the green wall, and the off-white rug has different green embroidery to give floor a strong sense of personality. Green makes a great monochromatic room colour choice as it can be naturally given texture and depth with the use of plants, like below different cacti have been added for points of interest and richer impact.

Green Monochromatic Room from Domino via Pinterest

I love De le Cuona and all their pieces, but they have some beautiful fabrics that would really work with a mossy green monochromatic room, take a look at Mistral in Drizzle and Primitive Linen in Fennel. For a similar green grey paint colour, Farrow & Ball’s Blue Gray and Cromarty would complete the look.

Grey seems to be a never-ending popular colour, so if you love it take it one step further by using deep dark hues in a room, from the paint to the furniture and adding in interesting juxtapositions of light hues against the dark.

Dark Grey Monochromatic Room from Apartment Therapy via Pinterest

When using such a dark colour for a monochromatic space, make sure to select materials that’ll allow light to bounce of them, therefore avoiding a black hole effect. This Cascade wallpaper from Zoffany has an amazing ribbon effect, which will not only add a strong design element but pick up the light as well.

Cascade Wallpaper from Zoffany

For a really luxurious looking monochrome room, you can’t go wrong with an all Teal room. The peacock colour makes a strong statement, and if you love glamorous interiors, it’s perfect for you. Below they used gold accessories to draw out the richness of the teal; with such a strong colour like teal, just using at as feature wall in an attempt to ‘tone it down’ can sometimes have the reserve effect, and actually making the bold move and painting the entire space in the colour will create a simpler, sophisticated look. For a triumphant teal, Farrow & Ball’s Vardo has the impact you’re looking for, and for a beautiful fabric to go alongside, the teal version of Anthology’s Vivid fabric will make the perfect pair.

Teal Monochromatic Room from Apartment Therapy

A monochromatic room can be an amazing, stylish and unexpected way to decorate a room; so you want to create an impactful space, have a think about trying out a monochromatic room using your favourite shade.

 

 

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Glorious Colour

Article by Cate Burren, of Angel + Blume, for Velvet Magazine (June 2018)

This article first appear in Velvet magazine in it’s June 2018 issue

What colours do you like? It should be such a simple question really, shouldn’t it? But when it comes to decorating, even the biggest brained of the population can feel some considerable distance outside of their comfort zones when faced with a paint chart. Of course I know that it is not the most vexatious of situations in the world, but there is a very certain disappointment in discovering that you hate the colour scheme of your freshly decorated room.

My firm belief with most aspects of creating a beautiful interior space is that no one element should be dominant – the overall effect should be what you and others see, with components revealing themselves as the eye examines what it is in front of it. Paint colours may or may not be noticed as part of what makes a space work, but if they shout louder than anything else, they are probably wrong, and certainly the room is out of balance. Therefore the paint selection must be made with the main elements such as flooring, furnishings, fabrics, artwork and so on, in mind.

The quantity of colour that you want is also something to be aware of. Some of us love colour and lust after layers and depths of colour that others couldn’t live with. Some of us want very little at all and there is nothing wrong with either but once you know what you want, it is important to keep an eye on the amount of colour in a scheme and therefore the combinations and contrasts of colour that you feel happy with.

So how on earth do you create the right paint scheme for you? Well, there are some easy tricks that I would strongly recommend as a basis for getting started.

1. Firstly, forget trends. It’s good design advice generally – why be dictated to by those who don’t know your personal taste? If you don’t like grey but you do like yellow right at the moment, good for you – yellow isn’t currently fashionable but it is used to perfection in some of the smartest houses I know and it is my firm belief that all colours can look current if used properly.
2. Use decent paint. There is a reason that some paints are twice the price of others and it is to do with the quality of the ingredients and the time and effort that has gone into producing a beautiful range of colours. Finding a range of paints that you like will save you time in selecting your preferred colours and will also help you to find hues that work well together. Don’t even consider having a colour of paint mixed up in a cheaper range – the cost saving that you make (which is small because most of the cost involved in decorating is labour – either paying someone or doing it yourself which is time you could have spent in other ways) is small compared to having to redecorate when you realise that the mix is just wrong enough to not work.
3. Invest in sample pots. The colour of paint on a chart is deceptively different to what the actual paint will look like in your room as colours next to each other alter what you see, so don’t ever decide on a paint colour until you have purchased a small sample pot and viewed the actual paint on the actual surface it is intended for. I would start with putting the paint on a piece of paper as lots of splodges of paint on the wall will not only be annoying to paint over but the colours will also affect each other as they do on the colour chart. Only paint on the intended surface when you are pretty sure you have got the right colour.
4. Consider the light. Both changes to the light during the day and the difference between daylight and artificial light will have an impact on the colour of the paint. If you have put your sample of paint on very sunny wall, you may find you feel differently about it when you see it on a poorly lit wall or at night. An added benefit of starting off with your sample paint on a piece of paper is that you can move it around the room to see how it alters.
5. It’s not just about the walls. A wall colour will look very different depending on what colour you put on the woodwork (skirting boards, door frame etc.) and the ceiling. So for example, if you choose a darker wall colour and you have a darker wooden floor, a white skirting board will create a strong stripe effect between the two that you may not want. Do not simply assume that ceilings and woodwork will be in white. That approach can work but often a blend of colours works better. The eye tends to go to where colours change so if you want to draw attention to say, a beautiful cornicing at the top of the wall, you may well want to put it in a contrasting colour. If a ceiling feels low in a room, painting it in an obviously contrasting colour will draw attention to this where a blend or even painting the walls and ceiling the same colour would help to disguise this. Remember also that there may be a host of other areas in the room that you might want to consider paint colours for – the outside of bath, the inside of a cupboard, a fireplace, furniture – all the colours will make an impact on each other and are best considered as a whole.

 I know that it all sounds like very hard work and it is, at the outset, but a well decorated room makes such a huge difference that I think all the initial effort pays off, and will hopefully avoid having to repaint anything, which is a depressing job at the best of times.

A strong paint colour on the wall blends with the rich furnishing fabrics and dark wood floor and provides a strong contrast with the crisp white woodwork of the door and frame. The wall colour is Teal and the woodwork is Glacier Grey. Both by Zoffany.

 

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Floors for Effect

Floor are an extremely important part of any home, and can often dominate a design scheme without you even realising. The right floor can do wonders for your home’s look, and there are so many choices to think about. If you’re renovating, and are in the midst of picking out a floor, with just a few tweaks and twists your floors can be given a unique personality, which sets you aside from the rest. Or, you’re not in the position to be installing new floors in your home, you can think about different ways of updating your existing floors to give them your own stamp of style. From big ideas, or DIY projects, here are a few ways to get creative with your floors.

Painting your floors is an easy way to get the ball rolling. If you’re looking to update a room, changing the floor colour can add a whole new dimension to the space. Take this room below; clean, crisp white walls and ceiling are paired with this minty green floor, giving the room a jolt of vibrancy that still makes the room feel light and spacious.

Painted Floor from Pinterest

Everyone loves a good bit of herringbone, and the floor is of course a great place to have the pattern. Adding in a further aspect like this two-toned design gives your floor, and room something extra. The detailing of the wood and the herringbone pattern gives those close up something to awe over, while the bigger consignment of stripes creates that first impactful impression.

Two-toned Herringbone from Tobias Rocks Tumblr via Pinterest

If you’re installing a new floor and a thinking about tiles, I rather fell in love with this porch-area with white and neutral chequered tiles. It’s an alternative look to the classic black and white chequered style, and acts as the perfect base to the greenery of the outside; the combination of the potted plants on top of the tiles makes a fun but elegant look. A neutral chequered floor is a great way of adding glamour to a space whilst still keeping the theme understated. This would look great in an outdoor space, utility area or garden room.

Chequered Stones from X Surfaces via Pinterest

If you have an open-planned space, dividing up the area in more formal sections, for example seating and dining etc., can help give the space structure. An easy way to divide up the space is by utilising the floor. Sometimes this can be done by using rugs, but if you want to try something different, painting patterned areas can be a fun and creative way to use the floor in a practical sense. In the house below, they’ve created individual kitchen and dining sections by painting a rug-style pattern on the floor, which divides the areas but keeps them connected at the same time.

Painted Patterns from Apartment Therapy via Pinterest

If you don’t have the budget to replace a floor for your dream one, there is always the chance to get creative and take an alternative route to the style you want. I really like the way that this kitchen doesn’t have black and white chequered tiles, but rather painted chequered floorboards, its turned the idea into a whole new look, adding a sense of intrigue.

Painted Chequered Floor from Hello Tiger via Pinterest

Alternative Directions from Jean Fi Vintage Tumblr via Pinterest

I love how these floorboards are laid in alternating directions, creating a strong statement in this room. The different tones of the boards also add an interesting element to the look as well, showing that you don’t need matching pieces to create a cohesive look; in fact this concept could be carried out using collected reclaimed wood or scaffolding boards.

For a sleek and contemporary look, and a way to spice up a concrete floor, staining or painting the surface can immediately change the feel of the floor and room. Painting the concrete floor of your garage, or outdoor room that’s particularly functional (like a utility or storage area) will help to give the utilitarian space some personality. Equally staining concrete floors gives an almost luminous outcome. This simple concrete floor has been given a moody sea-like effect, making an unusual but dramatic statement.

Stained Concrete from Cute Decor via Pinterest

If you’re feeling a little extra creative, I like the idea of using stencils on old floorboards, or as I’m considering, my bland concrete slab patio. Buying a stencil, or making your own is a great way to give a room some personality. It could be a fun way to spruce up a bedroom or bathroom, and the pattern could be big or small depending on your style and the look of the room. Below someone dressed up this living space with this large pattern, really adding an interesting element to the overall look of the home; perfect for a relaxed, bohemian aesthetic.

Stenciled Floors from Pinterest

Finally, an outdoor rug can really make an outside area feel connected, but if you want to be a little more experimental, why not try a painted rug, a perfect way to jazz up some tired, old decking or veranda. This one below is a little wild, but really makes an eye-catching effect.

Painted Rug from Bella-Tucker via Pinterest

Making the most out of your floors, be it when putting in new ones, or updating your old, is a great way to insert extra style and design into you interiors and explore new ways of making your home feel special and one of a kind.

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Colour Me Happy

The interior world has been dominated by neutrals for a long time, but now we are beginning to see colour come back into our homes, on the walls, floors, furniture and accessories. People are becoming a little gutsier with their choices, and we are singing their praises. While there is nothing wrong if you like a simple palette for your home, but by adding in accents of colour it’s a way to add life into the scheme as well; and we’re not just talking about electric, bright colours necessarily, but the involvement of deeper, darker tones that can complement a neutral backdrop while giving your home warmth and a welcoming sense. That being said, with our fear of colour slowly lifting, and the experimental phase creeping through, there are some fantastic colour combinations out there that’ll add a sense of individuality and just the right amount of quirkiness to your home, and give it an exciting atmospheric feel; I’ve picked five of my favourite colour combinations to show you that keeping your home classic and stylish doesn’t mean shying away from bright and beautiful.

Orange and Blue Combination, Image from Cote de Texas via Pinterest

An absolute favourite combination of mine if orange and blue, but it’s all about finding the right shade of each. The perfect blue in my eyes to combine with an orange is a dusky one with a hint of green grey in it; the best accompanying orange, a pastel-toned, soft orange. Imagine a crumpled, vintage orange velvet that’s become a little faded from the sun and has a few dust marks on it, that’s the perfect orange. The key to combining colours in your interior is to be open to the wide spectrum of tones, hues and shades; blunt orange and a primary blue will look harsh together, constantly fighting for attention and eventually giving you a headache, but the soft tones of the two shades in the photo above, show that the right shade can create a serene and relaxing space. For a beautiful shade of blue, try Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue and for that dusty orange, Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s Brick is a great choice.

Dark Green and gold is a rich combination, it’s has an historical, timeless yet completely current sense to it. The strong stature of a dark green wall placed together with an iridescent gold counter, table or lighting fixture gives an interior a grand sense of glamour. The natural forest foliage and natures prize procession blend together to create the most sophisticated of combinations; both in traditional and contemporary settings. A dark green kitchen with aged gold hardware, taps and accessories, is a look that’ll forever be timeless. The kitchen below uses contemporary details to keep the space feeling current, while the dark tones are contrasted against the pale wood floor, showing off the depth and tones of the colours. For a beautifully dark green, you’re spoilt for choice, try Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green, Fired Earth’s Malachite or Sanderson’s Amsterdam Green.

Green and Gold Combination, Image from Apartment Therapy via Pinterest

Pink has been a big interior trend for a few years now, and I can’t help but to have been suckered in by it; it’s turned the idea of pink from being innately girly and babyish, to a shade that is quite sophisticated, current and cool. From deep pinks to blush to pastel, there are plenty of ways to involve the colour into your interior, and a winning combination for me is to pair it with blue. Pink and blue will look fantastic together in a whole range of depths and shades, but the key fact to remember is to match the weight of both colours; a deep blue with a deep pink, or a pastel blue and pink, so that one doesn’t get lost against the other and appear a little wishy-washy. The image below beautifully shows off how colour blocking the two shades in the same space gives a modern and playful feeling. Take a look at Paint & Paper Library’s Temple and Blue Pearl for a beautiful pink and blue look.

Pink and Blue Combination, Image from House & Garden via Pinterest

A thick, deep grey mixed with a golden, rich yellow is an interesting way to create a contemporary, alternative-glamour styled room. By avoiding the lighter, pastel yellows and heading for the deep and dark there is a vibrancy that becomes even more apparent when paired with a deep grey. The combination offers a modern approach to using yellow; a bold, strong look as opposed to a nervous neutral tone veers far from the magnolia and straight into the eye-catching and characterful. Below, the grey surroundings could have been easily paired with a classic blue or green, but yellow gives the bathroom a fun and playful presence that are still balanced out by the sombre nature of the grey and the traditional features in the room.  For a spicy yellow, take a look at Farrow & Ball’s or Babouche, paired with Purbeck Stone or Worsted.

Yellow and Grey Combination, Image from Miles to go Before I Fall Asleep via Pinterest

My final colour combination is one that I think has received a bad rep over the years, purple and green. For a long time all I could picture when it came to this mixture was the garishness of royal purple and lime green; a noughties interior design ghost that was desperately in need of an exorcism. However, just like with very brave colour combination, it’s all about finding the right shade. For the green think forest or olive, and for the purple head in the direction of deep violet or lavender, more natural hues of both colours help to create softer, more romantic interiors. In the image below, the colours are soften by the use of velvet, adding texture to the palette. For a dusty lavender, Fired Earth’s Cleopatra’s Nose has an atmospheric hue. For the green’s think about Card Room Green, or Calke Green from Farrow & Ball.

Purple and Green Combination, Image from Hum Ideas via Pinterest

Learning not to be afraid of colour is the first step to creating beautiful and interesting interiors; the second step is finding out what works for you and your home. Once you’ve found your perfect combinations your interiors will be filled with life, colour and happiness.

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It Was All Yellow

As with all colours, there are hundreds of shades in the yellow family, and sometimes the thought of using the bolder, brighter shades can be intimidating due to their strong look. But if you’re looking for an alternative to the neutral, or darker palettes that are around these days, yellow may be the perfect colour for you, especially if you want to show off a strong, confident style in your interiors. Though the colour has always been popular in the design world, in recent years yellow interiors, furniture and accessories have been making quite an impact, especially in those brighter shades. There are lots of exciting ways to incorporate yellow into your home, that can really showcase a particular style; whether it’s contemporary, glamorous, bohemian, traditional, or a combination. Adding a dash of yellow could be the way to bring a refreshing, exciting look to your home.

Using a bright yellow on the walls of your home may be a touch overwhelming if you’re a yellow novice, but if you’re already a fan, it’s a fantastic way to create a statement. The trick is finding your perfect shade to suit your home, and choosing the right complementary accents to create a well-rounded, flawless look. To keep your wall looking fresh opt for a rich shade that won’t shy away into the background. For a contemporary look, I love the dramatic but playful nature of Farrow & Ball’s Babouche shade.

‘Babouche’ from Farrow & Ball

And if you’re in need of a more traditional shade, the Sudbury Yellow has an elegant and regal nature that will give a room a strong sense of character, without overshadowing any other wonderful features you may want to put in there.

‘Sudbury Yellow’ from Farrow & Ball

Another way to add yellow into the core foundations of the home’s design scheme is with some creative tiling. Fired Earth always have a strong collection of interesting colours and patterns, and some of their yellow tiles are to die for. For a bold, exciting look, these vibrant mustard coloured tiles are the perfect background against a crisp, white bathroom set. There’s a combination of luxuriousness and quirkiness about the colour that creates an overall refreshing look.

‘Carnival Oro’ from Fired Earth

If a solid block colour is a little too much for your taste, or your home, going for something a little sweeter and more minimal might do the trick. This Atlas design by Neisha Crosland for Fired Earth has a rustic, farmhouse vibe, but with a little exotic twist to keep things interesting. It’s an ideal design if you want to have a traditional looking kitchen, but with a touch artistic individuality to it.

‘Atlas by Neisha Crosland’ from Fired Earth

To make an interesting statement in your home, you don’t just have to save yellow for the larger features, in fact adding small accents of the colour to a room can give it some vitality, or reinvent an interior without changing too much. Contemporary interiors are often neutral walls with the inclusion of furniture pieces in modern wood types, and adding a dash of yellow into the mix can create an up-to-date look without taking away the original essence of the room. Margaret Howell created some fantastic designs for Anglepoise, and though I’d happily have any of the three colours in my home, the Yellow Ochre edition is stunning.

‘Type 75 Desk Lamp by Margret Howell in Yellow Ochre’ from Anglepoise

This chair with a yellow seat from Gubi is rather special, it’s an ultra-contemporary design that’ll look gracious and cool in a modern home. The design also comes with a white seat, so you could mix-match the two colours around the dining table, or save the yellow for the head of the table to give the whole look a pop of colour.

‘Mategot Nagasaki Chair’ from Gubi

A striking yellow rug can really transform a room in one fell swoop, to keep things feeling light and not making the room look too dense, a patterned rug is a great way to add some yellow without swamping the room. The Sellarsbrook design created by Suzanna Sharp for The Rug Company, has a sophisticated geometric pattern that adds a timeless depth to the rug.

‘Sellarsbrook in Yellow by Suzanne Sharp’ from The Rug Company

This rich, crisp yellow velvet sofa really packs a punch, that’ll give your living room some vivacious character. The chesterfield design is given an alternative look, creating a piece that can be mixed into both contemporary and traditional interiors.

‘Balmoral 2 Seater Sofa in Varese Velvet Alchemilla fabric’ from Heal’s

For a sweet touch to a traditional bedroom, these rustic, French style bedside tables in a dusty yellow could be a great way to frame a bed in a similar style. The piece from Out There Interiors has some fetching ironwork detailing, which will give a room some extra style in a simple way.

‘Two Drawer Beside in Yellow’ from Out There Interiors

These lemony plates and dishes from Habitat are a refreshing way to give your dining table an updated look, the ombre effect means that they aren’t too outlandish, and will gently show off the zesty colour. Place them on a blue tablecloth or next to some coloured glassware for a really stylish look.

‘Atkinson 12 Piece Yellow Dinnerware Set’ from Habitat

Lastly, this gorgeous glass pendant from Rockett St George is an absolute beauty! The moody yellow shade combined with the irregular shape gives the whole look an understated, glamourous feel. This pendant would be the perfect addition to a dark, moody room, giving it that hint of colour it needs to keep it from looking drab and dingy.

‘Hand Blown Glass Pendant Lighting in Yellow Ochre by Curiousa & Curiousa’ from Rockett St George

Though it can be quite a daring and brave decision to add a bold shade of yellow into your interior (and may take a little more persuading for some), it’s a decision that will result in some fabulous and sophisticated homes! Whether you’re already in love with colour, or prefer your interiors more neutral, you’ll see how diverse a colour like yellow can be and how easily it will suit all kinds of styles.

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New Farrow and Ball Colours!

The wait is over and Farrow and Ball have finally released their nine new colours. The new collection ranges from dusty pastels to warm neutrals and bolder colours, some bright and some dark. The colours are designed to integrate with Farrow and Ball’s existing collection as well as stand on their own, and just as you would expect from the company the colours are rather lovely and have that same English heritage feel about them but with a contemporary twist. So without further ado here are the nine gorgeous colours in all their glory!

‘Drop Cloth’

‘Shadow White’

There are three elegant neutrals in the new collection, Drop Cloth, Shadow White and Cromarty, each with their own distinct set of shades and hues. Shadow White is a wonderful soft white and Drop Cloth its slightly darker mate. The two colours work perfectly in sync with one another and are a suitable palette for those wanting a contemporary look in their home. The colours are a modern alternative to the already existing neutrals in Farrow and Ball’s collection as they have less yellowy tones in them, but also avoid grey tones, the ‘of-the-moment’ colour, making Shadow White and Drop Cloth contemporary classics.

‘Cromarty’

Cromarty is a great colour choice if your room is in need of a neutral tone but you enjoy a subtle hint of blue as well. As the light changes throughout the day so will the colour of Cromarty giving you a quietly diverse paint colour.

The pastels in the collection have a sophisticated and muted tone about them, making each of them suitable canvas colours for a room, as they work in the same way a neutral does but with a fresh hint of additional of colour.

‘Peignoir’

Peignoir is a dusty pink full of romance, but in a way that doesn’t overload and become sickly. It carefully maintains a dusty cool ambience and avoids the fatal ‘dated’ look, allowing Peignoir to settle in the contemporary category.

‘Worsted’

Farrow and Ball have carefully curated their new collection of colours not to be completely different from their existing set but to be the perfect companions and counterparts to one another. Each new colour has been created with older colours in mind to create a wonderful balance between the old and the new. Worsted is the middle-ground shade between Purbeck Stone and Mole’s Breath, and the subtle distinction between the shades can make all the difference in your interiors.

‘Yeabridge Green’

The discovery of the Yeabridge Green has a rather sweet backstory, the colour was found at the 18^th century Georgian farmhouse when the house’s original gun cupboard was removed. Its avocado tones make the colour very ‘now’ while its backstory gives it that heritage vibe, creating a seamless balance between past and present.

The remaining three colours from the new collection are beautiful, bold colours. Vardo is a bouncy blue that has its spirit levels up in the skies. It’ll be great for giving a room that extra bit of oomph it may be lacking and rebooting a tired interior.

‘Vardo’

For a slightly deeper shade, the Inchyra Blue is glorious. It dips into many different colour families, blue, green, grey and whatever way you want to interpret it the outcome will always be a wonderful, strong colour that will make a statement if you want it to.

‘Inchyra Blue’

The final colour from the collection is a dark and moody chocolate brown, Salon Drab. It’s a beautifully rich, thick colour that is well suited for the all-four walls dark colour trend, it will create a wonderful cosy atmosphere without compromising on elegance, well suited for both heritage and contemporary properties.

‘Salon Drab’

So there you have it the nine new colours from Farrow and Ball, their timeless nature will allow them to combine with the existing colours effortlessly and we have a feeling the some of them may fast become your favourites!

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Paint a Perfect Picture

When it comes to redecorating a home perhaps the most important decision you’ll make is what colour your walls should be, make the wrong choice and you’re stuck with a peculiar colour until you can summon the strength to do it all over again, but make the right choice and your home will transform before your eyes.

The paint company most of us jump straight to for beautiful colours is the paint master themselves Farrow and Ball, and it’s true they do produce fantastic, timeless colours, but with so many other fabulous companies producing amazing paints I thought I’d put Farrow and Ball on the backburner for today and introduce to you some of the best paint companies around.

Designers Guild are known for their bold patterns and their colour palette in their paint department is no different, from beautiful pastel pinks, to zingy lime greens if you’re walls are in need of the ultimate sprucing up then Designers Guild should be your first port of call.

First Blush by Designer’s Guild

Mimosa Leaf by Designers Guild

I absolutely love this Mimosa Leaf colour, it’s a bold move that certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted but if you’ve got the guts it’s definitely a way to make an impression. If you want to introduce a wild colour into your interiors it’s best to opt for a room that has either a lot of windows or features that will break up a wall so that you can avoid one giant block of colour that might end up looking a little scary and intimidating.

If bright, colourful hues aren’t really your taste there are some absolutely drool-worthy tall, dark and handsome colours around if you’re looking to add a little mystery and romance to your interiors. The Little Greene Paint Company is a lovely company that create a super high quality paint collection and they have some outrageously glamourous dark shades in their range.

Obsidian Green by The Little Greene Paint Company

This bluey green reminds me of the depths of the ocean and creates an amazing modern presence in a room especially when mixed with the richness of a dark wood like in the photo above.

Invisible Green by The Little Greene Paint Company

The smokiness of this green creates a beautiful earthy, organic ambience and with the splash of hot pink, or another bright colour, there is a real contemporary vibe to the atmosphere. When using such a dark colour it’s always important to have a lot of natural light so that the colour doesn’t overpower the room but instead will be showed-off in the light.

One company that has really found its stride in its paint department is Fired Earth, they are producing some wonderful colours. Their most recent spring collection was created around the theme of birds, my personal favourite was the Peafowl green, a wonderful colour that is bold enough to make a statement but not so bright as to make a room too intense.

Peafowl by Fired Earth

Just like some people, some homes have a natural flair for the dramatics and finding the right theatrical colour is crucial. There’s a devilishly exciting feeling about using black or near-black in a home, it’s a little off-key and against the grain but if done well and in the right home it can look absolutely terrific. Charcoal from Fired Earth is oh so tempting and is an extremely brave and original way to reinvent an interior.

Charcoal by Fired Earth

For something just as rich but a little mellower, a deep plum purple is a great way to add drama to a home but still maintain a scheme that works in the everyday.

Carragheen by Fired Earth

For a diverse range of tones and hues Sanderson and Zoffany have wonderful collections ranging from pale pastels to moody blues. Companies that make the paint, fabric and wallpaper trio have a natural knack at creating the perfect symmetry between each material. So if you have a sofa upholstered in a fabric by a beloved designer or a feature wall in a wallpaper, looking into the same companies paint range may be the best way to find the most complementary schemes.

Ming Gold by Sanderson

Tuscan Pink by Zoffany

Prussian by Zoffany

There is so much fun to be had when choosing paint colours for your home, it’s the perfect opportunity to explore and experiment with your taste and your comfort zone and create the most wonderfully personalised walls for you, and with so many collections and companies out there you truly are spoilt for choice!

 

For contact information and further details on these companies and many others check out Angel + Blume’s Address Book: http://www.angelandblume.com/addressbook.php

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Book Club: Conran on Colour

With a new line of paints, Paint by Conran, it seems only fitting that the design legend Terence Conran write a book about the art of using colours in an interior. This beautifully illustrated book is a masterclass in how to conquer colour in any shape or form, big or small.

Image from Conran on Colour

As Terence Conran says, “there’s nothing like colour to add spice to life and soul to your surroundings”, and this book is an open invitation to become inspired by colour and fear it no more. Conran treats colour like a science with rules and philosophies he has honed throughout his career, sharing his wisdom with the reader by way of examples and advice.

Image from Conran on Colour

The book takes you on a guide with colour by colour steps and shows you how to perfect your home’s colour palette. With hundreds of beautiful photographs to admire you won’t be short of inspiration.

Terrence Conran shows the reader how to use colour in a sophisticated and stylish manner. When it comes to colour, many people are met with the certain hesitation that too much colour, especially in interiors, can become garish and overwhelming, but whether you want to add bold colours inch by inch, or go the whole nine yards and shower your home in colour, Conran on Colour is the perfect guide on how to do colour in the home correctly.

Image from Conran on Colour

This beautiful bathroom is the perfect example of how to play around with colour and how to have fun with it. From the hot pink bath tub, to the contemporary stained glass panelling nothing about this bathroom is ordinary. In fact, it’s the kind of design that would look all wrong on paper, but in reality and with Conran’s Midas touch everything seems to fall effortlessly into place.

Image from Conran on Colour

If bold splashes of colour in an interior isn’t your thing, the book also shows you how to use colour in a subtle way that will complement your interior. For example the photograph above shows how to make colour the focal point whilst still maintaining a neutral setting. The contrast between the bright flowers and vases and the soothingly calm grey hues of the interior is a display of how minimalism and colour can work in sync.

Image from Conran on Colour

An amazing photograph from the book advertising one of the most popular colours from the Paint by Conran collection, Cornflower Blue. The all blue mirage is simple and effective and the hint of retro glamour is the only addition needed to accompany the stylish colour.

Image from Conran on Colour

 

Image from Conran on Colour

Whether you’re thinking of re-decorating your home, or are simple looking for inspiration then purchasing a copy of Conran on Colour is the best decision you can make as it truly is the bible of interior colour.

Buy Conran on Colour from Conran Octopus Publications.

Paint by Conran available from The Conran Shop.

 

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New from Farrow and Ball

Farrow and Ball launched three delightful new wallpaper designs yesterday, each one in a range of their own colour combinations, and the results are stunning. The designs are inspired by French fashion designs and they seem to me to conjure up a charming taste of the past.  To celebrate the launch, we have created schemes combining the new wallpapers with paint colours, fabrics, trims and flooring. They are on display in the Farrow and Ball Cambridge showroom but if you can’t make, here is a look at our work.

The wallpaper above is the beautifully delicate Feuille and we have combined it with warmer greys and delicious bluey purple hues to create a fresh, inviting and feminine scheme. The schemes uses Ammonite, Purbeck Stone, Brassica and Charleston Gray.

This amazing Paisley wallpaper is a wonderfully traditional print that also manages to seem very modern. We have created two schemes to show how contrasting looks can be created using the same design in very different colour combinations. The scheme above uses a background colour of Railings which is a deep inky blue black with a dash of Charlotte’s Locks orange and the light touch of Dimpse and Strong White. This scheme is deep and mysterious and only works if the dark colours are in the significant majority with just a confident dash of orange and light greys.

The second scheme using the Paisley wallpaper seems reminiscent of summer tennis parties and a gin and tonic on the terrace. The background is Pavilion Blue and is combined with Green Blue, Nancy’s Blushes, Calamine and Blackened. The key with this scheme is to keep away from creams – use Pavilion Blue or Blackened on woodwork or ceilings, cream or off white seems to destroy the beauty of the delicate colours in the wallpaper.

Finally the wonderful paper Tourbillon. I think it has just a hint of Art Deco about it, but I could be wrong. Either way, I chose the divine Calamine colourway and combined it with the very grown up (and close to my heart) Brinjal in a gloss finish, plus Smoked Trout, Calamine and Raddicio.

If you would like any other details of the schemes, please let us know.

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The colours of 2014

Whilst we are just still in the season of rounding up 2014, can I add one last offering of my own which is some great paint colours we have used, discovered and reacquainted ourselves with during the last year. Here are 10 of my favourites.

1. Fired Earth, Elizabeth’s Parrot

This is a fantastic shade of green which reminds of the colour of fresh green basil. However, the inspiration for the shade is far more glamorous as it is inspired by the beautiful Helmut Newton photograph of Elizabeth Taylor in her swimming pool with, you guessed it, her parrot.

www.firedearth.com

 

2. Abigail Ahern Bleeker

Dark colours in interiors are oh so in at the moment which is giving us lots of lovely shades to choose from. No one does dark colours better than Abigail Ahern and of her very tempting range I have chosen Bleeker because it is sophisticated and elegant but also warm and inviting. Be brave and use it liberally.

Direct from Abigail Ahern www.abigailahern.com or from Rockett St George www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk

 

3. Gold

I’m serious. Lovely lovely gold, particularly on the ceiling. Getting the look right is almost entirely dependant on using the right product and I would highly recommend specialists Gold Leaf Supplies who know what they are talking about. This beautiful room, with its lovely gold ceiling by Leslie Hayes Interiors and is taken from Decoist.com with thanks

http://www.decoist.com/2013-07-31/golden-accent-leafing-modern-interiors/

www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/

 

4. Farrow and Ball Railings

I rediscovered this beautiful colour when looking for a black for a monochromatic scheme (so easy to get this look wrong). This black is deep inky blue and so is softer than pure black and if you use one of Farrow and Balls lighter neutral greens (such as Hardwick White or Old White) you get the lovely black and white monochrome effect with lots of class and softness.

www.farrowandball.com

 

5. Zoffany Fig Grey

An ever useful colour because it is so beautiful. It looks quite purple in the picture shown and indeed it does have those warm base notes but it is also a very modern grey so can be used in both contemporary and traditional settings.

www.zoffany.com

 

6  Marston and Langinger Peacock Blue

I treated myself to a tester of this paint when I was placing an order just because it looked so luscious and it was everything I hoped for. It has just a tinge of Teal in the blue and it is perfectly named because it absolutely could be found in the feather of a peacock. I haven’t used it in a project yet but I live in hope.

www.marstonandlanginger.com

 

7  Farrow and Ball Setting Plaster

This is one of my all time favourite pinks and so there are few years when I don’t use it somewhere. This picture is from a grown up girl’s bathroom that we did a few years ago but I am shamelessly using it in my round up for 2014. What is so lovely about this colour is that it manages to be both feminine and classy at the same time, because I think, it has no hint of bubblegum about it at all

   

www.farrowandball.com

8 Marston and Langinger Bayswater

I refuse to put together a list of 10 paint colours without including a glorious yellow – greys may be the colour du jour but I would personally never turn my back on a joyful rich mustardy yellow (there’s no primrose about Bayswater, thank goodness) which can be coupled with an off white woodwork colour and gilt picture frames – heaven.

www.marstonandlanginger.com

 

9  Sanderson Graphite

Go on then, I’ll give you just one contemporary, urban, fashionable deep grey because they are rather fabulous. Sanderson Graphite is for grown up grey lovers and it is super smart. Use it bravely and it won’t let you down.

www.sanderson-uk.com

 

10 Paint Library Paper 3

Finally, the architectural colours from Paint Library proved another winner this year – my job would be so much harder without this range. An old favourite that is still wonderful and fresh is Paper 3 which has understated class and great versatility. Use Paper 2 if your room is gloomy or Paper 4 if you are flooded with light. Often I find Paper 1 on the woodwork works brilliantly with Paper 3 on the walls – you see how useful this range is?

www.paintlibrary.co.uk

Wishing you all a wonderful colour filled 2015!

 

 

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