THE COUNTRY DECORATOR

GET CREATIVE WITH COLOUR AND DETAIL IN THE SEASON’S BEAUTIFUL NEW SHADES

Brush up on the latest paint shades and clever tricks

zone your space

‘The kitchen is the perfect place to express yourself with paint,’ says Mike Howes, Director of Paint by Conran. ‘A sunny, upbeat yellow frames the entrance, creating a welcoming, positive mood; earthy terracotta makes the stove alcove the heart of the home; while a steely blue on the other walls feels relaxed and sociable by day or night.’

go for gradation

A cloakroom is an ideal backdrop for experimenting with gradated paint effects as it is usually a compact area and easy to repaint if necessary. Create a beautiful watery ombréstyle splashback with three shades of blue.

make your bath sing

‘Bathrooms have come a long way since the white-tiled, utilitarian look, and are now a place where design flair can be exhibited,’ says David Mottershead, Managing Director, Little Greene. ‘Whereas in other rooms you may not feel brave enough to use bolder ideas and colours, bathrooms can be a showcase for more daring choices. If using wallpaper, its design could inspire paint shades for the woodwork and bath. Aim for strong hues to punctuate the scheme – a cast-iron bath in a bright colour is the final flash of inspiration.’

combine the unexpected

Create impact in a living room by pairing rich brown with cool green. ‘Salon Drab conjures up a classic 19th-century feel, while remaining the perfect chocolate brown for modern homes,’ says Charlotte Cosby, Head of Creative at Farrow & Ball. ‘Combine it with clean, fresh Yeabridge Green and the result is a room that oozes a confident and sophisticated feel that is very easy to live with.’

paint a blackboard

if you want a playful, draw-on space for children or to create a noticeboard in a home office or the kitchen, try a matt blackboard paint. it can be applied to a variety of surfaces and, once dry, you can draw and write on it in chalk. to clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth. the opaque finish works well in a modern country home combined with wood and natural textures.

two-tone Wall

Make a statement in a hallway by using practical, easy-on-the-eye colours. ‘to add interest, try combining shades in a colourblocking formation to create definition and the illusion of architectural features, such as a dado rail,’ says Judy smith, colour consultant, crown. ‘snowfall and toasted Almond are beautiful neutral tones that are very comfortable to live with, while still being full of character.’

stairway to heaven

create a unique focal point in your hallway by painting the spindles of a staircase in different shades from the same palette against a white backdrop. starting with the lightest colour at the bottom of the stairs, gradually stagger the shade from spindle to spindle as you ascend until you reach the deepest – this draws the eye upwards.

Frame prints on matching painted mounts for pops of colour on the wall. Tricks of the trade

Walls, painted in Salon Drab; woodwork, Yeabridge Green, both £39.50 for 2.5L Estate Emulsion, Farrow & Ball.

Woodwork, painted in Livid, £28 for 1L Oil Gloss; bath, Mister David, £54.50 for 2.5L Intelligent Eggshell; wallpaper, Stitch Highland, £71 a roll, all Little Greene.

Wall, painted in (from top), Smidgen, £36 for 2.5L Claypaint, Earthborn. Bridge Blue 222; Eaton Square 232, both £42 for 2.5L Marble Matt Emulsion, Mylands.

Walls, painted in Copse; stove alcove, Terracotta Pot; architrave, Dandelion Puff, all £36 for 2L emulsion, Paint by Conran.

Wall, painted in (from top), Snowfall; Toasted Almond, both £19.49 for 2.5L matt or silk emulsion, Crown.

Wall, painted in Colours Black Matt chalkboard paint, £11.73 for 1L, B&Q.