NEW SEASON’S PALETTE

With the promise of longer days ahead, now is the time to think about refreshing the colours in your home, says Charlo e Packer. Take inspiration from the following key trends for 2019

Refresh the paintwork in your home as we explore 2019’s key colour trends

NEW COLOUR POP: CORAL

Coral is a tricky colour to pin down. Is it pink, orange, terraco! a or red? For colour expert company Pantone, which has declared it as its colour of the year, it’s a rosy orange with a golden undertone. Called Living Coral (PANTONE 16-1546), the shade evokes the vibrant reefs from which it takes its name, and Pantone predicts we’ll see the colour used boldly, on largescale schemes such as The Coral Room (above) where the hue provides a brilliant backdrop for accessories in shades of blue.

If painting an entire room bright orange feels too alarming, coral in all its forms, from neon to pastel, is an excellent accent colour: add a stripe along skirtings or dado rails to li " an otherwise sober scheme.

TRUE BLUE

Graham & Brown has unveiled a deep teal as its colour of the year. Teal, like coral, sometimes divides opinion. Is it blue or green? Graham & Brown’s take, Tiru, places it rmly in the blue camp, where deep, dark blues continue to be a strong trend. Match with clean whites for a cool, classic look or use alongside shades of plum and green in the same tone to deliver a dose of luxury.

EVER GREEN

Green is set to be a big colour story all year long and beyond. It has broad appeal, ranging from soothing sage and olive tones through to dramatic forest hues, with zesty shades of lime and pea green in between.

Let the situation dictate the shade. In a si ing room, used mostly in the evenings, choose a deep emerald and add textiles in velvet or heavy linen for an extra level of luxe. In a bathroom or bedroom, choose a restful shade with grey undertones. For kitchens and dining rooms the choices are limitless so let the light guide you. Green looks as good alongside kitchen classics such as Agas and butler’s sinks as it does when teamed with chrome and brushed steel. Easily combined with other colours, it is a natural neutral too.

THE NEW BLACK

Bold and beautiful, black has been increasing in popularity for some years now and our love a !air with the colour shows no sign of waning. Last season saw the release of a number of new shades, each with the tiniest hint of something else going on. Li"le Greene’s Obsidian Green appears to be black but is really an intense forest green. Likewise, Farrow &

Ball’s Paean Black has a red base that lends the colour a slightly purple hue in certain lights, making it an excellent partner for a wide range of reds, pinks and purples. Vintro’s Nightfall is, as its name suggests, a deep, midnight blue that reads as black. Use these colours on their own or team with a much paler version of whichever colour they contain to create a contrast that doesn’t feel too severe.

NEW NEUTRAL: SPICED HONEY

A warm, biscuity hue with shades of amber, Spiced Honey, Dulux’s colour of the year, is a fresh alternative to taupes and greys where a warm, neutral tone is required. The colour takes on a timeless elegance when used with black and shades of cream or white – in fashion terms, the equivalent of a classic camel coat, crisp white shirt and smart black heels. But team this shade with a deep greeny-blue or plum and the vibe is emphatically retro; add accessories in hot orange, bright yellow or even pastel pink and the look is transformed again, becoming more youthful and fun. In short, Spiced Honey is an endlessly adaptable base colour that can be updated year a er year with the addition of so furnishings in new colours or a repaint of the woodwork.

With shades from orange to pink, there’s a coral to suit all tastes. Kingston sofa, £5,760 from Lorfords, in Broad Jajim fabric by Soane.

The vibrant orange walls of The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury hotel, London are painted in reflective gloss for maximum impact. Paired with soft blue-grey sofas, the overall vibe is one of out-and-out glamour. INSET A bold accent stripe along the dado rail will update a pre-existing colour scheme. Here, burnt orange Heat is paired with Pompeian Ash, from £22 per litre, both Little Greene.

ABOVE Team a rich, dark blue in the bedroom with fresh, shellpink accessories for a scheme that looks as good by day as it does by night. Night Swim, £28 for 2.5l, Valspar. INSET Kitchen cabinets painted a deep teal create a dramatic contrast to gilded walls. Aubusson Blue Chalk Paint, £19.95 per litre, Annie Sloan.

LEFT Cool blue walls and white woodwork echo details in the floor tiles. Blue’s Blue, £23.75 for 750ml, Paint & Paper Library.

For a really flamboyant look, choose a bold wallpaper in deep forest green and match upholstery and curtains for added drama. Crane Fonda wallpaper in Emerald, £140 per roll, Crane Fonda velvet cushion in Coral, £95, both Divine Savages.

ABOVE When using dark colours on walls, paint the woodwork to match for a sense of space. Poison, from £33 per litre, Zoffany.

LEFT In this period kitchen, Paean Black looks sleek teamed with Sulking Room Pink, from £26 for 750ml, both Farrow & Ball.

LEFT Black and white might be the classic combination but substitute gold for white to create a more opulent look. Walls painted in Tigers Eye and Bone Black Elite Emulsion, £46 for 2.5l, both Zoffany.

Don’t limit your use of Spiced Honey to paint: try this unusual toile wallpaper that comes in a similar soft brown colour with golden highlights. Elephant Grove in Coffee, from the Arthouse Journeys Wallpaper Collection, £16.99 per roll, Wallpaper Direct. INSET This neutral is an excellent backdrop to pastel colours. Large Dixie sofa in Smoke Blue brushed cotton, £1,875 from Loaf.