Once upon a time, we all thought neutral paint colours consisted of a bright white, a grey and a magnolia (that yellowy cream colour that every Tom, Dick and Harry were painting their walls in the 80s). This is the belief until you find yourself surrounded by 14 open testers and your wall is starting to look less like plain white and more like a piece of abstract art.
Now if you say you want a white wall the response is ‘do you want All White? Bright White? Off-White? New White? James White?’ And you might think ‘why is that white new and who is James?’
You might know the colours of the rainbow, thanks Richard of York, but do you know your Eating Room Reds from your Book Room Reds? You’re suddenly so lost you have ended up in Card Room Green.
We understand that the paint aisle can feel like a minefield and a colour swatch leaflet can be a little overwhelming, so we thought we would try and make your life that little bit easier by sticking to just a couple of brands, (because who doesn’t love Farrow & Ball and Little Greene?) and sharing with you interior designers’ top picks for paint colours.
Looking to transform your home or need an expert second opinion? Book in a FREE, no-obligation call with one of our advisors to find out how we could help with your project.
1. Shadow White
Soft white with a hint of grey
Shadow White looks great in any home with any style interior. It’s brilliant for both walls and woodwork, brightening a room with only the slightest hint of grey. It’s warm without yellow tones and, therefore, brilliant if you want to introduce grey to your colour scheme but don’t want the room to feel too cold.
2. Sulking Room Pink
A romantic and muted rose
Blush is everywhere right now, and rightly so. It’s a gorgeous, delicate colour that has just enough pink to be pretty but not too much that it’s sickly. Pair with brass accents in the room and you’re on to a winner.
“Sulking Room Pink is one of Farrow & Ball’s new colours, and it’s the blush that we’ve all been waiting for. It’s warm and comforting without being too ‘sugary.’ It’s also incredibly versatile: mustard yellow, deep emerald green, royal navy as well as a simple monochrome scheme all complement Sulking Room Pink beautifully. ” – Rosie, Interior Designer at My Bespoke Room
3. Green 13
Refreshing sage green
We couldn’t possibly miss out green from this blog post could we?! Our designers are big fans of a soft sage green. Green is such a calming colour because it connects us with nature. Lick’s Green 13 has plenty of yellow and white undertones which brighten it and give it a more playful, refreshing feel than ‘sludgier’ (technical term) greens.
Looking for the perfect colour to paint your home office for productivity? Read our guide here.
4. Hague Blue
A deep & dark blue
If you like blue, and feature walls are your thing, then you will LOVE Hague Blue. It’s dark and dramatic and therefore makes the ultimate statement. Top tip: It’s great as the backdrop of a gallery wall to make your artwork pop.
Want to transform yout home? Get started today and get matched with one of our amazing designers!
5. Railings
A soft black with blue undertones
Another go-to colour for feature walls. In some lights the blue tones are less visible and can sometimes look like an extremely dark grey, however, the colour is more blue than black. This colour can completely revamp a space by adding depth and that WOW-factor!
“Railings is great for those wanting to make a statement, but don’t want to commit to a blue colour scheme. Unlike Hague Blue, Railings doesn’t bind you to blue hues. You can use it with pinks, greens, blues, reds and so many more colours and shades. We have Railings in our open plan kitchen.” – Lucy, Head of Design at My Bespoke Room
6. Low Salt
Soft white with a hint of grey
Low Salt is such a versatile white, especially in large open plan spaces. Use it on both walls and woodwork to brighten a room with only the slightest hint of grey. It’s warm without yellow tones therefore, brilliant in south facing rooms that already get a lot of direct sun.
Side note – Coat paints are super sustainable so they’re good for the planet and they also don’t have that horrible lingering chemical smell!
7. Pigeon
A strong blue grey
We know that pigeon’s don’t tend to be everyone’s favourite bird, or anyone’s (but we could be wrong), nevertheless, next time you shoo away the scavengers on your lunch break, pause to take a look at their beautifully coloured feathers. Pigeon by Farrow & Ball have admired the beauty of the every day and taken the cosy and nostalgic blue grey from the colour of the bird and made this gorgeous paint colour. It’s soft and can look slightly green in certain rooms and lights.
“Pigeon is a sophisticated way to add colour as it has a dusky grey undertone that is versatile and complements so many schemes. The colour naturally suits country homes but we have found that it’s a great accent in a contemporary, monochrome bathroom which is a hot trend right now.” – Claire, Interior Designer at My Bespoke Room
Looking to transform your home or need an expert second opinion? Book in a FREE, no obligation call with one of our advisors to find out how we could help with your project.
8. Peignoir
A romantic grey pink
Who said romance was dead? Whether it’s a traditional or contemporary interior, Peignoir brings an enchanting depth to your home. It blends a gentle and elegant pink with a soft grey – a dreamy combination.
“I love Peignoir as it’s not like any paint colour I have seen before. When it comes to interiors I’m a self-confessed grey addict, so this colour allows me to add colour whilst sticking to my strict, grey colour scheme. This is the colour in my daughter’s room and the interior is pretty in pink without being sickly, and she won’t grow out of it any time soon!” – Laura, Co-Founder at My Bespoke Room
9. Nomad
A dramatic olive green
Nomad by Coat is a firm favourite of our designer Ria…so much so that she painted the feature wall in her own bedroom in this gorgeous smoky olive green.
“I knew I wanted a dark feature wall behind the bed and ‘Nomad’ was an easy choice for me. I love the fact that it has olive green undertones – in the day with the natural light bouncing off it, you can see the green come through. In the evenings in artificial light it’s very moody, deep and calming.” Ria, Interior Designer at My Bespoke Room
