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Interiors Need a refresh? Try one of these on-trend paint colours
Before you pick up a paintbrush, discover what colours the most stylish walls are wearing. By Jessica Doyle
With bank-holiday season in full swing, now is the time to decorate. Paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to transform a room and it’s been in more demand than ever during the lockdowns, as we’ve saved on holidays and high heels and spent on our homes; so much so, some brands reported increases in sales of 300 per cent last spring and summer. If you’re planning on giving your walls a new coat of colour, here are six on-trend shades to have on your radar.
THE FRIENDLY GREEN
Green has been the paint colour of lockdown as we’ve sought to bring the outside in via the shades of nature. Sales of green paint were up 32 per cent at B&Q last year and brands across the board are reporting strong demand for grassy greens.
Invisible Green, beloved by designers such as Rita Konig and Luke Edward Hall, is Edward Bulmer’s most in-demand shade. ‘When I first saw it, I realised I’d never seen a green room I didn’t love,’ says Konig (ritakonig.com), who has used it to decorate the drawing room at her farmhouse in County Durham (above). ‘It’s so cheerful, and it works so well with everything else. When I came to decorate North Farm, I wanted maximum friendliness as soon as possible and I find this a very inviting colour.’ Her advice is to mix a bold tone such as this with other colours and patterns: ‘It’s a neutral really, in the way that the grass and trees work with all the other colours in nature. A bold colour like this needs to have other things interrupting it, otherwise it’s just a great green room. It shouldn’t be the only mood in the room.’
THE GLAMOROUS NAVY
Inky blue has overtaken charcoal grey as the chic way to do dark interiors. Hague Blue is Farrow & Ball’s most-searched colour online and, according to recent research by DIYS. com, it’s also the most popular paint on Instagram. ‘It has a terrific low-key glamour, particularly in the gloss finish,’ says interior designer Joanna Plant ( joannaplantinteriors.com), who chose it for this sitting room (below) at the home of model and actor Poppy Delevingne. ‘The shiny surface throws light about and is wonderful in candlelight, so it makes for the ultimate night-time room.’
It’s also the colour chosen by fashion and interiors influencer Lydia Millen for her sitting room (left) where, paired with white furniture, it has a more daytime look.
THE PERFECT PINK
Pink is a colour associated with optimism, so it’s no surprise that it has gone from strength to strength over the past year: so much so that blush pink has become the new neutral for walls. Finding the right, nottoo-sickly shade can be a struggle, however, which explains why Threadneedle by Mylands, a pale puttyish colour that looks just the right side of pretty when the light hits it, has become a favourite with interior designers and one of the brand’s bestsellers.
‘It’s such a great colour to live with, warm and calming,’ say designers Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio (2lgstudio.com), who used the colour in their own kitchen (above). ‘It changes throughout the day with the light and it’s also a great foil for bolder colours; a beautiful connecting tone that works well with brighter pinks and greens.’ Used across the walls and ceiling, as it has been in this room by Herringbone Kitchens (below, herringbonekitchens.com), it gives a welcoming rosy glow that contrasts with the strong blue of the island (Bond Street, also by Mylands).
THE RICH RED
Deep burgundy and red tones have been on the rise of late, particularly when paired with pale pink and off-whites. New on the scene is Arras, a warm dark red from Little Greene, which is set to become a coveted colour.
‘I fell head over heels for it,’ says interiors author and journalist Kate Watson-smyth (madaboutthehouse.com), who chose it for her office (above). ‘It’s a tiny room and I wanted to make it cosy, but also for it to fit in with the rest of the house, which tends to have a shade of pink in every room. It’s warm and dramatic and pairs beautifully with Ferdinand [a rich cream from the same collection], which I’ve used above the panelling and over the ceiling. This is now my favourite room, which is lucky as it’s the one I’m spending most time in.’
THE GO-TO WHITE
Choosing a white paint from the thousands on offer can be a bewildering task, so take a tip from interior designer Beata Heuman (left, beataheuman.com). ‘I always use Strong White from Farrow & Ball,’ she says. ‘It’s quite a cold white. When I was training, the interior designer Jena Quinn told me you can never go wrong with it, and I’ve just held on to that ever since. I like using warm paint colours, but if everything is warm it can make you feel quite weighed down, so Strong White is really good for balancing it off. I often use it on woodwork and a lot of the walls to tie everything together, then add warmth with colour and wooden furniture.’
For a warmer white that would work with a more neutral palette, try Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White, a creamy shade with a hint of yellow, or Dulux’s Egyptian Cotton, which is the brand’s current most-searched for colour.
THE VERSATILE TEAL
Teal is a perennially popular colour for homedecorating schemes, combining both calming and warm tones. The chic choice right now is Bleu Sarah, a vibrant shade created by interior designer Sarah Lavoine, the It girl of the Parisian interior-design scene (which has to be shipped from France).
More readily available in the UK is Benjamin Moore’s colour of the year, the soft and sunny Aegean Teal, sales of which are up 56 per cent year on year. ‘The recent spike comes as mid-tone hues have become the go-to colour choice, above more neutral, pastel hues,’ says the brand’s UK director, Helen White. ‘As our homes have come to serve multiple purposes over the past year, the atmosphere we are looking to create must be adaptable. Mid-tone teals can create a cosy feeling with ambient lighting, but they’re versatile enough to also feel fresh and bright when we need to be productive and motivated.’