Farrow and Ball colour card

Over the last 18 months, interior design hasn’t really been a priority for many people – it can be considered a bit of a luxury item.

Whilst the economy has been struggling people have taken a different approach and rather than chuck everything out and re-do entire rooms, they have tried to improve what they already have and added new bits here and there.

This ‘make do & mend’ mentality has filtered through to the paper and textile designers and we are starting to see a mixture of old school colours mixed with bold flashes of pattern & colour here and there.  Farrow & Ball’s predictions for colour trends in 2012 reference nostalgic, subdued tones like Pigeon, Brassica and Railings but with pops of colour like the vibrant yellow Babouche and the warm red tones of Incarnadine .

This suggests that whilst we are yearning for the comfort, safety and the nostalgia of our childhoods, there is also a hint of positivity & fun, a light at the end of the tunnel. The interior design equivalent of comfort food.

Osborne & Little released a new collection at the end of last year called Kinloch, which is a group of warm cosy wools in tartans and stripes in all the soft gentle shades that Farrow & Ball talk about. Imagine a really cosy log cabin with roaring log fire and this collection works a treat. In contrast, they also released Komodo wallpapers which, although retaining the slightly subdued palette also has glamour and glitz with sparkling lizards and holographic patterns. It’s definitely a bit tongue in cheek. Just one small wall in any of these would cheer up any space. Likewise, one or two cushions or a small roman blind in the wool would feel like a warm hug just when you need it.

Sanderson wall paper, inspired by Bloomsbury

Sanderson have also followed this new trend with Bloomsbury Prints – a throwback to the 80’s with bright flashes of colour, large patterns and a general ‘up’ feeling throughout. If you wanted to use these, then only the brave hearted would try and match the paint colours. I would strongly suggest sticking to a neutral paint palette and letting the fabric do the talking. Paint & Paper Library have wonderful soft shades in Sand, Stone, Leather and Clay which all make rooms feel bright and warm without being obvious. If you really can’t resist, then maybe just a small wall, a fireplace or nook in one of the new shades would look fabulous and then enhance it with cushions, pictures (or even framed wallpaper) and throws. Or one or two walls  (a whole room maybe?) in one of their wallpapers, and some low key plain fabrics everywhere else.

Ultimately, home is where the heart is, and regardless of your budget try and show who you are. Your home reflects your personality and won’t (and shouldn’t) be something that never changes. Have a look around you and dig out those paint brushes.

As for me, I’m looking to find something that I can paint in Babouche – summer is coming early.

Holly.

PS Don’t forget Paint and Paper are on Twitter and Facebook.

Professional interior designer

We are delighted to announce that Holly Pagani of Salt Interiors, a Norfolk based interior designer will be blogging for us in 2012.

Holly has nearly 15 years of interior design experience, having trained in London before moving to Norwich in 2003.

Holly does not use prescribed formulas for her work. Each project is treated as unique and approached with a fresh, open mind because every client has different needs and desires. Holly aims to make the finished project a true reflection of the clients own tastes and personality. A gorgeous home should indeed reflect your character.

Her work covers all aspects of interior design including wallpapers, paint colours, soft furnishing, fabrics, poles and a curtain and blind making service.

Holly set up Salt Interiors in 2010 and has worked on many high profile projects including the interior design for new Abel Homes and the Animal Inn’s chain of restaurants. But her work is very flexible, ranging from a single window blind to a complete design project. Each project starts with a full appraisal and assessment of the space and importantly, by listening carefully to what you want to achieve.

For examples of her work, please visit her website at www.saltinteriors.co.uk or visit our Facebook Fan page gallery at www.facebook.com/PaintandPaper

Welcome on-board Holly!

You are no doubt aware just how many different theories and thoughts exist about colour scheming and about how colours influence us and our senses.

But try not to place too much emphasise on the rules and instead use your own ideas and preferences.

The most important thing is to choose what appeals to you and then dare to give it a go!

A useful tip is to think in terms of the overall picture when colour scheming. You can often see from one room into another room and in some cases even into a third room. By choosing colours that work well together, a more uniform and harmonic impression is achieved.

If you like brightly coloured rooms, then a good trick is to have a neutral coloured room in between two colourful ones. It acts as break for the eye.

Colours differ from room to room

The exact same colour can look completely different in different rooms. This is because so many factors determine how a colour is experienced: the sunlight, a room’s lighting, a room’s size, the surface’s structure to name but a few. But there are also some simple rules of thumb which should be considered when choosing a colour.

• Colours from the yellow-red scale are warm colours and often give a warm and cosy impression. A north facing room can therefore be ‘warmed up’ with the help of yellow and red colours

• In the same way, a ‘warm’ south facing room is cooled down when painted in cold blue or green tones. Rooms painted in cold colours can be experienced as larger and roomier.

• A window wall which is painted in a different darker colour (feature wall) will be experienced as even darker when looked at in direct light.

• Colours seen together influence each other. A green room with white furnishings gives a different experience than if the furnishings were red. (The red activates the green, making it more powerful).

• Consider that colours ‘grow’ with size, in other words, the larger the surface you paint on, the stronger the colour will be experienced.

Transform a room with colour

A room has a floor, walls and a ceiling. Painting one or more of the surfaces in a different colour or shade can influence the feel of the whole room.

• Rooms that are painted throughout in pale colours are experienced as large and spacious. Whilst darker colours have a diminishing effect.

• If you want to ‘lower’ the ceiling, then use a darker shade on the ceiling. On the other hand, use a pale shade if you want to ‘raise’ the ceiling.

• Stripes can also play tricks on the eye. Vertical stripes give the room a tall and narrow character whilst horizontal stripes make the room appear wider and lower.

• Using dark walls with a pale floor and ceiling makes a room feel higher but smaller.

• A dark floor together with a dark ceiling ‘lowers’ the ceiling height and makes the room feel wider.

• A feature wall can change the balance in a room. Position the feature wall at the short end of a rectangular room to give the room the impression of being ‘shorter’ and more square.

• You do not always need to think in terms of the whole wall in order to create a good looking effect. Horizontal stripes, a large colourful spot or a word can be just as exciting. Dare to give it a go!

Consider that the result can only be judged once the room is completely finished. Furniture, textiles and lighting usually work to soften the colour impression.

Good luck!

Text courtesy of Alcro-Beckers

Back To Alcro Paints. Click here.   Alcro Colour Cards. Click here

Posted in Useful Advice Edit

Fasad Täcklasyr is an environmentally friendly, waterborne, alkyd/linseed oil opaque woodstain intended for wooden facades, fences, garden structures and exterior garden furniture where a long lasting easy to apply solution is required. The system consists of a base oil –

1. many years protection against the elements
2. holds it’s colour well 
3. does not chalk
4. highlights the wood’s natural texture.
   

System Grundolja (base oil) is used on bare timber as a basecoat and to protect against rot and mildew and System Grundfärg (primer) is used on poor substrates or previously painted timber in poor condition. Fasad Tacklasyr can be applied directly to coatings in good condition with just a light sanding as the preparation. Click here to buy

COLOURED WALLS AND WHITE WOODWORK. The most traditional style is to use a colour on the walls and white gloss on woodwork, often the same white as that on the ceiling. This is a very clean, but sometimes hard look. To soften the contrast, select a white which is more sympathetic to the colour on the walls; this will make the contrast more gradual and you become less aware of where things stop and start, so the confines of the room disappear and it will feel bigger. Suggested complementary neutrals for each of our colours appear online next to your chosen paint colour

LIGHTER WALLS AND DARKER WOODWORK. A good way to create light and space is to use the lightest colour on the largest surface area, such as the walls and the darker tone on woodwork. This works particularly well if you are using a neutral scheme and gives a more ‘decorated’ feel. The use of a dark colour on skirting boards not only makes the walls appear lighter in contrast, it also creates a strong contemporary look making everything above it feel lighter in contrast, and therefore the overall feel of the room is lighter too.

ONE COLOUR USED ON WALLS AND WOODWORK. Using one colour on both the walls and woodwork is very popular in contemporary settings as it creates a very strong, clean look. Yet this look can also feel extremely calm and make a room feel much bigger, as there are no contrasts to draw the eye.

CEILINGS. Ceilings don’t have to be white! The height of a ceiling is determined – not just by the colour – but by the contrast between the wall colour and the ceiling colour. Therefore, if you have a coloured wall and you paint the ceiling a bright white, your eye will be drawn to the strong contrast between the two colours. You become very aware of where the walls end and the ceiling begins, thus the perceived ceiling height drops. If however you use a white which is sympathetic to your wall colour, the change from wall to ceiling will seem more organic and you will be less aware of where the wall ends – and then the ceiling feels higher.

To heighten low ceilings choose a light cool white like Farrow & Ball James White No.2010 or Farrow & Ball All White No.2005 and to make a high ceiling appear lower choose deeper and warmer off-whites like Farrow & Ball String No.8. 

Colours with a grey, green or blue base try Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin No.2004 on the ceiling. For those with a more yellow base Farrow & Ball New White No.59 works well and for browns and for reds, try Farrow & Ball Dimity No.2008.

To View all the Farrow & Ball Colours Click Here

Remember you can test paint colours in the room to be decorated using our sample pots, available in all 132 colours.

Farrow & Ball sample pots are available from Paint & Paper – First for Premium Paints!

“It’s worth remembering that no colour works in isolation and finding a new, successful combination can be rewarding and exciting.”
David Oliver, Design Director of Paint & Paper Library

Understanding colour is one of the most difficult aspects of decoration to get right because there are no absolutes. It has as much to do with light as pigments and neither is constant. When selecting a colour it is important to decide:

• where to make definitions and where to create sufficient emphasis to catch the eye in terms of the transition from light to dark and warm to cool.
• Although the possibilities are unlimited when it comes to combining colour schemes, these typically fall into three general groups: monochromatic, related or contrasting.

The monochromatic Colour Scheme

These are based on one colour, which is adjusted by adding white to lighten the hue or black to darken it, producing a graduated tint or shade that works theoretically through the whole room. Colour schemes using this approach tend to be tranquil, stylish and easy to update. In fact a monochromatic scheme is regarded as one of the easiest to achieve or revive without fuss. It is perfect for minimalist décor and provides a fantastic backdrop for displaying fine painting, a favourite object or eclectic collection.

The related or analogous colour scheme

This consists of three colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. The middle colour is referred to as the ruling or key colour -one dominant with two supporting colours. The harmonious aspect of the related threesome is frequently seen in natural flora or fauna.

The contrasting colour scheme

This is based on colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel, creating a complementary opposite (red/green, orange/blue, yellow/violet). When the complementary pair is placed side by side, the maximum amount of contrast is created and the colours enliven each other, so they can look brighter and more intense than usual. This is particularly effective when used in a ying yang style approach – to accentuate or highlight a favourite object, painting, or architectural focal point.

You are no doubt aware just how many different theories and thoughts exist about colour scheming and about how colours influence us and our senses.

But try not to place too much emphasise on the rules and instead use your own ideas and preferences.

The most important thing is to choose what appeals to you and then dare to give it a go!

A useful tip is to think in terms of the overall picture when colour scheming. You can often see from one room into another room and in some cases even into a third room. By choosing colours that work well together, a more uniform and harmonic impression is achieved.

If you like brightly coloured rooms, then a good trick is to have a neutral coloured room in between two colourful ones. It acts as break for the eye.

Colours differ from room to room

The exact same colour can look completely different in different rooms. This is because so many factors determine how a colour is experienced: the sunlight, a room’s lighting, a room’s size, the surface’s structure to name but a few. But there are also some simple rules of thumb which should be considered when choosing a colour.

• Colours from the yellow-red scale are warm colours and often give a warm and cosy impression. A north facing room can therefore be ‘warmed up’ with the help of yellow and red colours

• In the same way, a ‘warm’ south facing room is cooled down when painted in cold blue or green tones. Rooms painted in cold colours can be experienced as larger and roomier.

• A window wall which is painted in a different darker colour (feature wall) will be experienced as even darker when looked at in direct light.

• Colours seen together influence each other. A green room with white furnishings gives a different experience than if the furnishings were red. (The red activates the green, making it more powerful).

• Consider that colours ‘grow’ with size, in other words, the larger the surface you paint on, the stronger the colour will be experienced.

Transform a room with colour

A room has a floor, walls and a ceiling. Painting one or more of the surfaces in a different colour or shade can influence the feel of the whole room.

• Rooms that are painted throughout in pale colours are experienced as large and spacious. Whilst darker colours have a diminishing effect.

• If you want to ‘lower’ the ceiling, then use a darker shade on the ceiling. On the other hand, use a pale shade if you want to ‘raise’ the ceiling.

• Stripes can also play tricks on the eye. Vertical stripes give the room a tall and narrow character whilst horizontal stripes make the room appear wider and lower.

• Using dark walls with a pale floor and ceiling makes a room feel higher but smaller.

• A dark floor together with a dark ceiling ‘lowers’ the ceiling height and makes the room feel wider.

• A feature wall can change the balance in a room. Position the feature wall at the short end of a rectangular room to give the room the impression of being ‘shorter’ and more square.

• You do not always need to think in terms of the whole wall in order to create a good looking effect. Horizontal stripes, a large colourful spot or a word can be just as exciting. Dare to give it a go!

Consider that the result can only be judged once the room is completely finished. Furniture, textiles and lighting usually work to soften the colour impression.

Good luck!

Text courtesy of Beckers Paints

Paint & Paper are currently offering 25% off Beckers Paints. Click here

Using a spectrophotometer ensures an exact colour match as opposed to the closest existing shade on a computer database.  Paint & Paper are giving their customers the freedom to be more creative.  They have reduced the limitations faced when working with ready-made colours giving people the option to really stamp their individuality on a room.

“With manufacturers regularly updating and changing their colour cards we find that a lot of people can no longer find the colour they want.   For example Fired Earth discontinued their gloss, floor and masonry paints earlier this year, as a result we’ve had a lot of people come to us to get a specific Fired Earth colour mixed up in say a gloss finish.  The customers who have opted to do this have all been more than satisfied with the results.

– Stephen Dix, Director at Paint & Paper Ltd.

The paint that Paint & Paper are using for colour matching comes from a Swedish manufacturer called Beckers and is equal to the leading designer paint manufacturers in Britain.  “I’ve been selling quality paints and stains for 25 years” says Stephen Dix “and I’m very impressed with Beckers.  Not only are their products extremely hard wearing but many of them have been awarded the prestigious eco-flower.  Our customers can go away knowing they’ve got something special without compromising the environment.” See  www.paint-paper.co.uk/eco-label/info_6.html for further information regarding the eco-flower.

The Bespoke service opens up a new range of possibilities to the general public and trades people alike.  It allows people to create their own colours, find discontinued colours and replicate existing colours (those that are not subject to copyright).  The service is easy, it’s fast and the end product is of the highest quality.  Just follow these simple steps:

1. Send them a sample of the colour you would like.  This could be a piece of wallpaper, a fabric swatch, a discontinued colour from an old colour card etc.
2. Specify the quantity of paint you would like and the finish you want it in.
3. Give your colour a name.  You can choose any name you like and it will be stored on their database enabling you to order more whenever you need to.

If you are considering redecorating or have a professional interest in interior design then the Paint & Paper website is definitely worth your time.

www.paint-paper.co.uk/colour-matching/info_9.html