House style

From Spice Honey to Jitney – introducing the new paints on the block

A new palette of paints, to brighten your home

SEPTEMBER IS, it appears, a key month for paint. Both Dulux and Farrow & Ball have unveiled new palettes in the past couple of weeks, and these companies are usually highly influential in terms of the colours we’re likely to see crossing over into homeware collections during the coming season.

First was Dulux, which announced its Colour of the Year for 2019 earlier this month: namely Spiced Honey, a warm, sandy beige. Not, you may be thinking, the most inspiring of shades by the sound of it, particularly compared with the bold mustards, greens and terracottas seen elsewhere this autumn. Although beige walls might seem like a step back in decorating terms, according to Dulux’s creative director Marianne Shillingford, this tone works well as a neutral accent to offset other colours: blush pink perhaps, or deep grey, or those aforementioned brighter autumnal hues. It is intended to be a rich, optimistic shade, and looks so when paired with white and natural materials such as wood and rattan.

Among the nine new offerings in its collection, Farrow & Ball also has a sandy neutral – Jitney, named after the similarly coloured bus that takes New Yorkers to the Hamptons. The rest are considerably stronger in tone, from the sage Treron and deep olive Bancha to Paean Black, a red-based shade inspired by the leather of old hymn books. Pink remains in vogue and there are two here: the vibrant Indian-inspired Rangwali and Sulking Room Pink, an apt name for this particularly moody rose shade; while Preference Red is a deep pinky aubergine. De Nimes is, as the name suggests, a denim-toned blue; and there is the obligatory white (Farrow & Ball has 23 in its arsenal): School Room White, a warm take.

Farrow & Ball edits its collection rather than merely adding to it, so nine colours will be removed to make way for the new. Fans of Blue Black and Clunch – two of those on their way out – needn’t despair, however, as all are retained in its archives and still available to buy.

NEW SHADES TO COVET1. Wall in Spiced Honey; doors, from left, in Cobalt Night, Feather Pillow and Angora Blanket, all from £27.56 for 2.5 litres, Dulux (dulux.co.uk). Dusky sage-green Treron (2); Rangwali (3), inspired by the Indian festival of colour, and Sulking Room Pink (4), all from £45 for 2.5 litres, Farrow & Ball (farrow-ball.com)