Discover again this month more about the natural earth and mineral pigments we use to create our colours which are far more sophisticated and subtle than synthetic AZO dyes used by most paint companies. Introducing the show stopping ‘Violet Carmine’ Carmine has become a generic term for deep purplish reds and has been in use since antiquity. It was originally derived from organic sources, such as the roots of trees like Indian Madder or plants like Dyer’s Bugloss (Alkanet) or even from crushed Cochineal beetles . The dye produced was not very opaque and the resultant colours were often known as ‘Lakes’. There was and still is, a significant trade in Cochineal for food, makeup and pharmaceutical colouring, but it comes at a high cost for the female beetles as 70,000 are required to make 1lb of pigment! An illustration of cochineal collection below shows how early Mesoamericans discovered that pinching an insect found on cacti yielded a blood red dye, seen a Mexican priest and scientist José Antonio de Alzate y Ramírez, 1777 (Newberry Library, Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection). Edward has selected a Violet Carmine that is a Spinel pigment from the latin for thorn, referring to its crystaline structure, processed from oxides of magnesium aluminate. It is a more reliable and happier outcome for beetles and vegans. It is also a useful addition to colours where Red Ochre or Vermilion do not impart enough blue in colours like ‘Rose‘ and in ‘Navy Blue’ it imparts more red to the shade. Navy Blue Rose Violet Carmine gives its all in the new deep red ‘Pompadour’ in this dining room and the lovely ‘Lavender’ on the cabinets and island of this family kitchen. If you would like to try some of these we now have A5 painted swatches available as well as the sample pots in each colour. We really recommend that you test our colours in situ before you make a final decision and observing how the time of day, type of light and different aspects of the room affect the colour. Our natural paints are packed full of these earth and mineral pigments and have an extraordinary and unrivalled response to light with a super soft finish so we know you will be pleased with the result. Pompadour Lavender For more colour inspiration please follow us on Instagram @edwardbulmerpaint and @edward_bulmer and if you love Pinterest @Edwardbulmerpaint Our social network has never been more important. A safe place where we can all support and inspire one another. We will continue to share our colours in your wonderful homes. Watch this space for more design tips from Edward and brilliant creative ideas for your home. Please keep in touch and keep sharing all your paint projects and rooms #edwardbulmerpaint
7 Hallway Designs to Make a Great First Impression Read our advice on how to create a welcoming and harmonious hallway. Here we take a look at seven ways you can transform your space with natural colour and make an impact on entrance.
7 reasons to invest in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint When you decide to invest in natural paint, you are making more than a colour choice, a paint choice, a fashion choice or even a lifestyle choice – you too are choosing to make a difference. Read more to discover why you should invest in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint!
Put a spring in your step with Edward Bulmer Natural Paint There’s nothing better than the feeling of Spring. Brighter evenings, warmer days, flowers blooming, and there’s plenty of Spring inspired colours at Edward Bulmer Natural Paint to help you brighten your interiors. One of the easiest ways to refresh your home for the season is by incorporating fresh and vibrant Spring colour palettes. In this blog, we will explore five spring paint colours that will bring a sense of warmth, brightness, and renewal to your living space.
Colour Inspiration from Nature As we move into one of our favourite seasons, it seemed timely to share some wise words from editor extraordinaire, Kerryn Harper-Cuss. Kerryn loves to use our natural plant based paints in her own home and like us when she is choosing colours for s scheme she turns unequivocally to nature.
Greenwashing – How big a problem is it? Greenwashing – is it a big problem? As more people are aware of the need to be “eco friendly” has it opened the door to greenwashing? Who better to write about this than our founder, Edward Bulmer himself, read on to hear more about the struggle in navigating a world and industry full of greenwashing.
Sustainable and Plastic-Free Children’s Toys We are delighted that the design curators of PomPom found our natural paints to use on the latest edition to their collection of sustainable and plastic-free toys.
Cult Colours & How to Style Them – Wicklewood X Edward Bulmer Natural Paint Colour Guide: Edition 1 We have teamed up with the doyennes of bright & colourful artisan homewares, Wicklewood, to bring you a series of inspirational and informative colour guides. A celebration of colour and timeless, beautiful interiors. Each guide will be packed full of really useful hints and tips on how to create your dream interior, along with beautiful room ideas to inspire you.
Edward Reinvents his Smallest Room into a Space Full of Colour and Wonder When Inigo suggested coming to the Herefordshire home of our founder Edward Bulmer we thought we had to come up with something unique and never seen before for them! Edward’s home has been through many transformations, nowhere is this clearer today – perhaps surprisingly – than in the current ground-floor WC.