Luke Edward Hall reveals his favourite colour combinations

ARTIST AND DESIGNER LUKE EDWARD HALL REVEALS THE COLOUR COMBINATIONS THAT MAKE HIM TICK

I’ve always loved to be surrounded by colour. It’s the thread that runs through all of my projects, from interiors to fashion, ceramics to murals. All colours have the power, I think, to alter our moods and emotions – to make us feel alive.

Green is my favourite colour because it instantly connects me to nature. It’s also one of the go-to colours I use in my own home. I like all its variations, from acid chartreuse to deepest — almost black – forest green. I particularly like bright greens, such as Edward Bulmer’s Invisible Green and Papers and Paints’ Village Green. Our sitting room in the country is a grassy olive green from Leyland.

I also love yellows and pinks. My favourites are strong Chinese yellows, like Little Greene’s Mister David, and dusty, soft pinks, such as Edward Bulmer’s Jonquil. Our dining room is brownish mustard yellow (Farrow & Ball’s India Yellow) and one of our guest bedrooms is peachy pink (Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster).

Although it wouldn’t be right for every room in every house, I very much love a high-gloss, lacquered finish. It’s so glamorous! I’ve used a glossy egg yolk yellow in my hallway at home in London and it makes for a very warm welcome.

I’m not a fan of grey: I find it cold and uninteresting. (That said, I wouldn’t rule out using it because I’m even less of a fan of rules.) But generally, I much prefer warmer neutrals like tan, honey and chocolate brown.

I also like to contrast softer, more muted tones with strong colours. One of my favourite colour combinations is dusty mauve with telephone box red: some day I want to design a mauve sofa with a red fringe.

Thinking about some of my favourite ranges, Edward Bulmer’s environmentally friendly natural paints are great. I also love the range of colours available from Papers and Paints and the fact that they’re grouped by decade.

When choosing colours, my advice is to go bolder than you think you should. Watereddown colours are useful in some situations but why not push the boundaries a little? Experiment with test pots: the results will depend on light and shadows, so be ready to try out lots of shades. Above all, don’t stress. If you hate a colour, you can paint over it. Choosing colours isn’t worth losing sleep over.

One needs to have the courage to go all the way when working with metallics. If you don’t, I suggest you steer clear of them altogether. For example, I would do an entirely metallic room but I don’t like bits of silver or gold, say, in a wallpaper.

I used to stick to white ceilings and woodwork at home, but in the last few years I have tried a few experiments. I like choosing a colour that works with the walls, and I often use a pale shade, as I find that sometimes dark colours can feel oppressive on ceilings. In my Paris hotel project, though, I painted the bedroom ceilings a burnt toffee colour, which I hope gives a warm, cosseting feeling.