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

Read Full Post »

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!

 

 

Read Full Post »

Farrow and Ball’s new colours revealed!

We’ve been good and waited but we can now reveal the nine fantastic new colours from Farrow and Ball!

Here they are – from the left: Mole’s Breath, Ammonite, Purbeck Stone, Yellowcake, Wevet, Stiffkey Blue, St Giles Blue, Nancy’s Blushes and framed in Dimpse.

There are some great additions to the current palette including five beautiful shades of grey, a really punchy yellow, a beautiful true pink, a strong warm blue and an exquisite deep dark blue which will be adorning the walls of Chateau Burren very shortly!

The walls of this room are in Wevet, which is a greyer, lighter version of the ever popular pointing and the woodwork is in Purbeck Stone

Glorious Stiffkey Blue, named after the colour of the mud found at Stiffkey beach in Norfolk

Walls here are in the classy Purbeck Stone which is a very usable warm grey and could be equally happy in a traditional or contemporary home. The chair is in Yellowcake which looks fabulous against all the greys in the new palette or can be used all by itself as shown below (sunglasses on).

This is an amazing colour and is as bright as they come – if you are fearless, use it everywhere, otherwise mix it with other colours and it will give you an accent to die for.

Showing off two of the new greys, this image shows the walls in Dimpse and the fire surround in Mole’s Breath, two truly beautiful new colours.

Wonderful St Giles Blue which is a rich warm blue with real depth of colour.

Bringing out a feminine side in all of us, lovely Nancy’s Blushes can be used to create a retro vintage feel but also works really well used in very grown up schemes – we know, we’ve been experimenting!

And finally, Ammonite which is a beautiful warm light grey, really classy and ethereal and looks amazing against this deep red carpet.

That’s your lot, the tester pots are available from today – go, go, go!

Read Full Post »

Lush new colours from Paint Library

There is nothing that pleases us more in the Angel and Blume office than brand new paint colours and as we adore Paint Library paints, the arrival of their new chart in the office today caused more than a flutter of excitement.

Blue Vein

The Long Room

Four more colours have been added to the fantastic Architectural Colours collection  – Canvas, Salt, Felt and Cotton – this range are not only exquisite colours but are also incredibly useful being produced in shades 1 to 5.

Beetlenut

Hornblende

Amongst the Original Colours collection, there are also some lovely new additions – Caravan is a gorgeous deep orange-red, Acqua Viva is an ultra smart charcoal, and Opus is a delicious grey -brown with just a hint of purple.

Fowlers Olive

Teal

And then there are a few colours that you have to love if for no other reason than that they have a great name – Between Dog and Wolf, Apple Smiles, Quench the Gloom (an oldie but a goodie) and wait for it, Divine Brown.

Read Full Post »

A splash of colour

By Julie Wishart, this blog first appeared on the Cambridge Evening News website

Choosing a paint colour when decorating, can often be the most difficult decision.  Going for neutrals may seem like a safe bet, but even then, there is a world of options to choose from.

However, as the following beautiful pictures show, with a little courage, colour can be used carefully and thoughtfully throughout your house, and if you get it right, good paint colours are always a winner.

 

The walls in this dining room are painted in Farrow & Ball Blue Gray No.91 Modern Emulsion.  The most gorgeous soft blue which contrasts beautifully with white woodwork and the bright pink and red floral fabric covering the dining chairs.

Walls Fired Earth Storm from The Paint Collection

A darker shade, of blue/green tempered with pale coloured shutters and warm wooden furniture creates a wonderful atmosphere of calm in a more casual dining room.

Fired Earth Flow Bath painted in paint colour Mercury

If you aren’t brave enough to paint your whole bathroom in a strong colour, then opt to paint the side of the bath and you can create a striking focal point in a safely neutral/muted room.

Walls Farrow and Ball Pavilion Blue No.252 Estate Emulsion

Soft blues, greens and greys are the gentle colours most prevalent in nature and used in a bedroom they can create a lovely peaceful atmosphere which will induce calm and restful sleep.

Walls: Farrow and Ball Shaded White No.201 Modern Emulsion
Woodwork: Farrow and Ball London Stone No.6 Estate Eggshell
Ceiling: Farrow and Ball Strong White No.2001 Modern Emulsion

The kitchen is nowadays often the busiest room in the house, used for cooking, eating, working and entertaining and so it is important when choosing colours to think about the mood you would most like to create.  This kitchen is painted using several neutrals from the same colour group and it has a lovely sense of cohesion.

Walls painted in Fired Earth Pier Point

Grey neutrals are incredibly popular at the moment – I love this colour from Fired Earth, which is inspired by the colour of sand on a Dorset beach, as it is warm as well as sophisticated. The daring use of strong purple on the skirting boards works beautifully with the quirky accessories in the room.

There is a myth in decorating that blue is a cool colour but as you can see from these glorious walls, it doesn’t have to be! This colour is on the warm part of the spectrum and coupled with fresh white woodwork, it look fabulous and inviting in this Victorian property.

Wall: Farrow and Ball Stone Blue No.86 Estate Emulsion
Woodwork: Farrow and Ball All White No.2005 Estate Eggshell

Read Full Post »

We love colour!

Walls in Stone Blue, woodwork in All White, both Farrow and Ball

As we are all currently decorating our houses, there has been an awful lot of talk here at the Angel and Blume office about paint colours that we personally love and although we could probably give you a hundred, here are ten colours that you will find in one or other of our homes and that we think you just can’t go wrong with.

1. Farrow and Ball String.

A beautiful golden colour with just enough brown in it to look classy but enough yellow to be cheerful. (fyi, Kate loves, loves, loves this colour)

2. Fired Earth Orchid Leaf.

One of my personal favourites, this is a warm fresh green with yellow undertones that blends perfectly with the trees seen through a window.

3. Paint Library Stone III

A fantastic neutral that manages to be both warm and contemporary. From the amazingly useful and beautiful architectural colours range from Paint Library.

Masonry in Wimborne white, door in Skimming Stone and railing in Pitch Black, all Farrow and Ball

4. Zoffany Victorian Purple

A really dark moody brown/purple that is absolutely delicious. The office loo is painted in this colour and has gone from being a boring space to a fabulous one!

5. Marston and Langinger Pearl Grey

A gorgeous bluey grey that is masculine and smart but soft and classy enough to use anywhere.

6. Farrow and Ball Elephants Breath.

A gorgeous grey that is warm to the eye but gives a cool neutral flavour to any room scheme. Really classy. (ask Jenny about this colour and watch her go all weird)

7. Paint Library Quench the Gloom

A glorious bluey turquoise which although is quite a strong colour, manages to be subtle and soft at the same time – and a really great name!

Walls painted in Shaded White and
woodwork in London Stone, both
from Farrow and Ball

8. Fired Earth Andaman Sea

This is a really jolly deep blue colour with enough green in it to keep the colour soft. It is aptly named because is conjures up images of a tropical paradise.

 9. Zoffany Beauvais Lilac

This colour starts off looking like a lovely but simple neutral but it has really beautiful undertones of pinky lilac that make it really special.

10. Designers Guild Mother of Pearl

The softest pinky pearl that is subtle and warm and perfect for grown-up girls (and boys too, if there is any left).

Happy decorating from all of us at Angel and Blume!

Read Full Post »