WHAT EXPERTS THE SAY...
Designers and stylists share their views
■ ‘IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A COLOUR TO USE WITH POWDER BLUE, THEN A FRESH WHITE WILL NEVER GO
OUT OF STYLE,’ says Abby Hesketh, paint specialist at Graham & Brown. ‘I’D ADD IN MUTED BLUSH TONES FOR A SOFT FEMININE TOUCH OR PEACH FOR SOME VIBRANCY.’
■ ‘POWDER BLUE WORKS BEST IN AN EAST-FACING
ROOM WHERE THE MORNING LIGHT (WHICH IS COOLER) WOULD FLATTER THE COLOUR,’ says Patrick O’donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball. ‘THIS SHADE WOULD ALSO WORK BRILLIANTLY IN A SOUTH-FACING ROOM, WHERE THE NUANCED UNDERTONES WILL BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED AS THE SUN STREAMS IN.’
■ ‘TRY PAIRING POWDER BLUE SHADES WITH A DEEP, DARK SMOKY BLUE FOR A DRAMATIC SCHEME,’ says
Clare Tilbrook, joint founder and colour consultant at Fenwick & Tilbrook. ‘THIS WOULD LOOK PARTICULARLY GOOD IN A KITCHEN, WHERE THE DEPTH OF THE DARKER SHADE COULD BE USED TO GROUND THE LOWER CABINETS WITH THE LIGHTER BLUE USED ON THE WALL UNITS.’
■ ‘CHALKY WHITES, SANDY TONES AND SOFT TERRACOTTAS BLEND AND HARMONISE WITH POWDER BLUE TONES – THEY GIVE IT ADDITIONAL WARMTH WHILE MAINTAINING ITS RESTFUL CHARACTER,’ says Judy Smith, Crown colour consultant.
■ ‘POWDER BLUE HAS A GREAT VERSATILITY, SO YOU COULD KEEP IT RELAXED, AS A BACKDROP TO A DEEP SLOUCHY CHESTERFIELD SOFA IN INKY BLUE VELVET,’ says Patrick O’donnell at Farrow & Ball.
■ ‘METALLIC FIXTURES BRING OUT THE SILVERY UNDERTONES IN POWDER BLUE TO CREATE A GLAMOROUS AND SUBTLE FINISH, ESPECIALLY IN BEDROOMS,’ says Sue Kim, senior colour designer at Valspar. ‘FOR A HIGHER CONTRAST, GOLD AND BRASS FURNITURE AND FIXTURES TRANSFORM THIS BARELY-THERE NEUTRAL SHADE INTO A REAL STATEMENT COLOUR.’
■ ‘IT CAN BE A BOLD DECISION TO CHOOSE TO PAINT A CEILING IN ANY OTHER COLOUR THAN WHITE,’ says Jason Hines, director of decorative at Homebase. ‘HOWEVER, WE NATURALLY RESPOND TO A BLUE CEILING BECAUSE THE SKY IS BLUE. REDUCING THE SATURATION TO A POWDERY BLUE HUE WILL ADD AN ELEMENT OF SOPHISTICATION TO THE SPACE.’
“You can bring the scheme into focus and give it an edgy, unexpected element by adding touches of charcoal for definition ”
JUDY SMITH, CROWN COLOUR CONSULTANT