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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The Rug Company and Farrow & Ball Collaboration

The Rug Company has teamed up with Farrow & Ball to launch a collection of twelve fantastic rugs. If you know Farrow & Ball you’ll already be aware that they have grouped some their neutrals into six families, and so The Rug Company has designed two rugs to go with each family; a complementary neutral and an accent, with each colour available in three finishes, Plain Wool, Cut and Loop Stripe and Wool with a Silk Border. With two such wonderful companies, the collection is undoubtedly fabulous, so we had to share it with you.

The Lots Blue rug with Old White on the wall

The Traditional Neutrals family were some of the first colours created at Farrow & Ball, all with a gorgeous classic green-grey undertone; they’re timeless and effortless. The rug Lots Blue is the perfect accent piece to pair with the traditional family, with hints of sea greens and sky blues. Holland Stone was also made with the Traditional Neutrals in mind, but they’re not limited to just the families; here the warmth of the Holland Stone is contrasted with the deep classic look of Railings, making a sophisticated industrial style scheme.

The Holland rug with Railings on the wall

The Yellow-Based Neutrals are another set of traditional colours, perfect for a period property and pairing with antiques. There’s a relaxed regal nature to them, and the warm yellows are drawn out when paired with a red, like the Keepers Red rug from the collection. It’s a warm, welcoming deep crimson red, and has that classic cosy, sitting by the fire, countryside feel to it.

The Keeper’s Red rug with String on the wall

The neutral rug colour to pair with the yellow-based family is the Clarendon rug; a warm and relaxing tone that’ll comfort you in cold lights. The Clarendon and the yellow-based neutral make the ideal backdrop for some exciting pieces of furniture, particularly in darker woods.

The Clarendon rug with White Tie on the walls

The warm red undertones of Joa’s White, Dimity, Pointing and Oxford Stone are a match made in heaven for a traditional interior. The accent colour for the Red-Based Neutral family of course has to be a green, and Kent Green has a lovely dusty, sage tone to it.

The Kent Green rug with Dimity and Joa’s White oon the wall

Moving on to the more modern family colours, the neutral rug hues are lovely pinks and greys; on-trend and perfect for modern life and style. The Sam’s Stone rug is a contemporary tone with a natural and warm base; making it ideal if you want to keep a fresh interior feeling inviting as well. It’s created for the Contemporary Neutrals, keeping clean white spaces feeling livable like in the image below, or if you want a soft bedroom colour scheme, pair Elephant’s Breath and Sam’s Stone for a peaceful setting.

The Sam’s Stone rug with All White on the walls

The accent rug in this collection is the sweetest, blush Portland Pink. Blush pink and green is a personal favourite combination of mine, and here the Portland Pink rug is paired with Card Room Green, an absolutely divine smoky green from Farrow & Ball.

The Portland Pink rug with Card room Green on the wall

Punchy and vibrant yellows are having quite a moment currently, and this Melrose Yellow rug has just the right amount of acid and sunny tones. The Easy Neutrals family, Wevet, Ammonite, Cornforth White and Purbeck Stone, are so named the easy family because they can be paired with almost any colour; and they look fantastic with some bold yellows.

The Melrose Yellow rug with Wevet on the wall and Lamp Room Gray on the floor and skirting

The Order Grey rug is a cool, steel-like colour, a great foundation for a room if you want to get a little playful with the paintwork, like this image below where the lovely combination of Calamine and Black Blue has been used, with the Order Grey rug used to balance out the look.

The Order Grey Rug with Calamine on the walls and Black Blue on the door

The last family from Farrow & Ball is the Architectural Neutrals, made up of Blackened, Dimpse, Pavilion Gray and Manor House Gray; all greys with hints of blue undertones for that fresh, modern, and as the name suggests, architectural feeling. Both the rugs for this family follow the same blue-grey aesthetic, with Wizlet and Wooster being the ultimate pieces for a cool, contemporary, minimalist setting.

The Wooster rug with Pavilion Gray on the wall

The Wizlet rug with Pavilion Gray on the walls

 The Farrow & Ball collection at The Rug Company, is a thoughtful and well-crafted assembly of colours and finishes, and a lovely way to help with the design of your home. The range of colours for both traditional and modern interiors means that this is a timeless collection, that’s here to stay.

For a closer look at the collection, head to www.therugcompany.com

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Book Club: How to Decorate

Back in May 2016, Farrow & Ball released a book called How to Decorate, something of a bible on using paint and wallpaper in your home to create flawless interiors. Written by Joa Studholme, the company’s international colour consultant, and Charlotte Cosby, the Head of Creative at Farrow & Ball, the two are unrivalled in their knowledge of colour and using it in homes. The book itself is filled with examples, tips and suggestions on how to make the most out of your home, alongside are some gorgeous examples that will not only inspire you, but make you a little jealous as well.

Wevet on the walls with Strong White on the woodwork

With a multitude of whites in their palette, Farrow & Ball are keen to show that there is a perfect shade for every home, room and style. Keeping a room feeling light and clean by using white, doesn’t mean having to be boring; here the walls are painted in Wevet, which is old Dorset slang for cobwebs, and Strong White on the woodwork. Both whites have a contemporary grey undertone, and are a beautiful backdrop against which to display your furniture.

One of the main problem we face when using colours in the home is what kind of light the room gets; north, south, east and west, the wrong light with the wrong paint can turn a warm and inviting home into a cold and depressing sight. How to Decorate takes you through which colours and undertones suit which light the best, and with this under your belt you can make inroads into creating a gorgeous home. Below, Card Room Green is used in a garden room, helping to connect the inside and out, and by using such a rich colour the northern light is disparaged away and a warm room is left victorious.

Card Room Green on the walls

I love this image below, it uses on of my favourite Farrow & Ball colours Black Blue which gives this hallway a dramatic and regal effect. The touch of the pale underbelly of both the staircase and gallery break up the darkness, giving the room perspective, whilst also getting pops of colour from the accessories to really give the hallway some life. A quick tip from Joa and Charlotte is by having a dark hallway the rooms leading off it will automatically feel larger and lighter by contrast.

Black Blue on the walls

If you have particular style of furniture in your home, it’s important to translate this onto your walls; pieces of contemporary furniture located in a room with a dated or traditional colour will through the whole arrangement off, so finding a complimentary colour scheme for your furniture is vital. A collection of mid-century furniture is displayed beautifully against the Easy Neutral family of greys, Strong White in the first room and through the divine interior window is Purbeck Stone, while the woodwork is given the dramatic look of Pitch Black, the darkest of Farrow & Ball’s blacks.

Pitch Black on the woodwork, Strong White on the walls in the first room and Purbeck Stone on the walls in the second room

When it comes to big colours, there’s often a resistance to paint a whole room with them, and instead many people opt for a feature wall. But in How to Decorate there are hordes of examples that show how different rooms can take on four walls of strong colour. This bedroom is painted in Nancy’s Blushes, named after Joa’s daughter’s rosy cheeks as a little girl, all the way through, even the woodwork, and by doing this is actually makes the very bold colour seem less intense. The pink is cut off at the picture rail, with the white taking over and continuing to the ceiling, giving the room an interesting balance.

Nancy’s Blushes on the walls and woodwork

These days if you want a dramatic look, the easiest solution is to go for a popular dark shade like a deep blue or grey. If you want to create a theatrical look, but still bring a bright colour in to the mix, this book can give you a few solutions. The now archived Straw colour, is a bold, deep yellow, it gives a nod to traditional interiors, and perfectly bounces off the rich tones of the woodwork.

Straw (archived) on the walls

This room below is just a beautiful space, and fills me with the utmost jealousy. The large doors leading to the garden fill the room with light, so Pavilion Gray has been used to increase this, bar the recess above the doors which has been painted in the beautiful Calamine, highlighting the architectural feature and the collection of pottery.

Pavilion Gray on the walls and Calamine in the recess

How to Decorate is a wonderful book full of wonderful advice and photographs to inspire you to get creative with your own home.

How to Decorate is available to buy at www.farrow-ball.com or in the Farrow & Ball Showrooms.

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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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Coming Soon… New Farrow & Ball Colours!

Farrow & Ball are releasing 9 new colours on 1st February, we’ve seen them and they are lovely!

Stay Tuned!

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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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Colour Me Happy

This week at Angel + Blume we’re in love with big, bright and beautiful colours, and we want you to fall in love as well, so we’ve put together some of our favourite collections of the best and brightest designs you’ll see this season. Fortune favours the brave and you won’t be disappointed if you decide take the leap of faith and go all out with these outstanding designs.

What first inspired us to write this blog was seeing the beautiful advert for the new Diane von Furstenberg collection for Kravet.

Although this might be a little full-on for some people and their homes, the colours and patterns are exquisite and would each make an outstanding statement piece individually.

For a less bright, but equally dynamic look, see the Funky Zebra pattern from the DVF collection. The cool blue tones allow for a more understated style, whilst the pattern keeps the fun flowing.

This season Kravet has also teamed up with Jonathan Adler for another dazzling collection, and it’s just the thing if you’re looking for a little retro boost for your home.

There are very few people who do bold and beautiful better than Dominic Crinson. His wallpaper and tile designs are everything you’ll need to channel your flamboyant style, and if you’ve got the moxie, your home will shine with originality and flair.

Although not for the faint hearted, Crinson’s designs are gloriously avant-garde, perfect for a modern day home or even to spice up an old period house.

If you’re in the market for some beautiful tiles, but are finding Dominic Crinson’s style a little overwhelming, Emery and Cie may be just the ticket. They’re style is still bold and beautiful, but with more of a classic edge, the collection ranging from Iznik influences to Art Nouveau, here are just a few of my favourites.

The Faux Iznik tiles from Emery and Cie are perfect for adding some exotic, heritage style into your home, ideal for a fireplace or bathroom.

These Fez Pottery designs, which come in these wonderfully tranquil turquoise hues, would make a lovely feature in any room, and are a timeless piece that will interact with most styles seamlessly.

Another beautiful design from Emery and Cie are these sweet Mirror Scale tiles.

They’d make a stunning frame around a mirror or cabinet but if you really want to go for something eye-catching then be brave and cover an entire wall in the tiles.

Going a little more low-key but still sticking to some exciting block colours, you can dress up the front of your cabinets with these lovely designs from Superfront, a company that creates fronts, handles, tops and legs for popular IKEA cabinets.

Available in a variety of colours and patterns, they’re a great way to reboot your kitchen or any cabinet pieces without remodelling, and are great for updating your home as your style or colour preference changes.

If you are a fan of wild colours for your interior why not dive in at the deep end and paint your walls with some bold colour choices, no one ever said that a blank canvas needed to be white. Designers Guild has some wonderful paints, and this TG Green is amazing with just the right amount of outrageousness.

If you want to treat your walls (and your eyes) to some daring wallpaper, look no further than the king of patterns and prints Matthew Williamson. His Cuban influenced collection for Osborne & Little combines retro glamour with contemporary colours and will have you spoilt for choice.

I love this palm tree wallpaper; it’ll turn any room into a little paradise, and the same can be said for this flamingo and flower print, shown here as a fabric.

My absolute favourite design in the collection though is this wonderful Arini wallpaper.

The contrast between the metallic background and the colourful parrots is playfully elegant; it’ll exhibit your style whilst also showing that you don’t take life too seriously.

Though you need your home to be liveable and functional it doesn’t mean that you need to steer clear from the element of fun, these designs and collections are perfect for keeping your spirits up and putting a smile on your face.

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A Passion for Panelling

Panelling is a wonderful and practical way to add character to a room and can transform a plain wall into a beautiful backdrop for your furnishings.

Some homes have the great advantage of still having their original panelling but if you haven’t inherited any with the house, there is no reason that it can’t be added. If you choose the right style of panelling for your home and get the colour and the execution right, it will look as if it has always been there.

The wonderful wooden panelling at Sawston Hall would have originally been installed to help insulate rooms from the cold stone walls. It also adds a lovely depth of colour to the rooms.

Painted panelling makes a room lighter which can be easier to live with. It also offers endless colour options so you aren’t restricted by a backdrop of wood. This lovely room is painted in Farrow and Ball French Grey and the colour has been applied to the walls, cornicing, skirting boards, door and door frame – everywhere other than floor and ceiling – which creates a calm, unified look.

This beautiful hallway in a Victorian country house was given some detail with simple panelling framing the wall areas below the picture rails, which were painted in with the colour of the walls.

Bathrooms can benefit hugely from panelling and is especially useful when incorporating a roll top bath as a simple ledge can be created on the top of the panelling for your soap dish, shampoo and cup of tea.

The style that you choose for your panelling is really important and will alter the feeling of the room. This lovely panelling from the Painted Wall Panelling Company has a distinct Arts and Crafts feel to it and creates a wonderful ledge to display accessories.

You can make a really bold statement if you choose contrasting colours above and below your panelling. Your eye is naturally drawn to where the colour changes so the height of your panelling needs to be considered carefully. If you choose a dark colour for your panelling, make sure your skirting boards are in the same colour as the panelling or you will end up with a white stripe at the base of your panels.

It is fine to panel around your windows if they fall below the height of the panelling that you choose. This delightful bathroom makes a feature out of a pretty window by painting it the same colour as the panelling. Panelling by The English Panelling Company.

Finally artwork looks great on panelling and if your pictures are larger than the panels , it can still work to hang them across the panels. These pictures work really well against the panelling as they have been centred across the panels. Panelling by The Wall Panelling Company.

All the rooms featured here have a traditional feel. However, panelling can look just as wonderful in contemporary settings – we will be bringing you a feature on this soon, watch this space!

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