Colour and Light Colour is crucial. It makes us happy – when we get it right! Thirty years of experience in putting colour schemes together teaches you that while you can combine them in striking contrast or subtle harmony, they only work when the tonality is right. All of our colours are from the same tonal family because we use the same range of pigments that have been used by artists and craftsmen for literally thousands of years. This makes them easy to combine with the other elements of your interior design schemes. There are several tried and tested interior design styles to consider: Coloured walls and white woodwork This is the age old combination and it works well, one colour for the walls and a complementary white for the woodwork, cornice and ceiling. This style is steeped in history and might be considered traditional but it is smart, crisp and brings extra lightness into a scheme. At the same time the contrast makes the main colour look more intense. It is particularly useful if you have architectural details. If you look at our colours in our paint shop we give you the complementary white and the tonal range for each colour. Our range is specifically designed so there are a number of complementary whites to go with each colour or indeed to work together. One Colour Throughout This is a more modern style, creating a sleek, contemporary look. Walls are painted in emulsion and the woodwork in the same colour in eggshell. The density of colour of the eggshell is always stronger, so although they are the same colour there is often a difference in depth to the discerning eye and this is a very attractive combination. It creates a monochromatic scheme which can help exaggerate the size of a room and gives a sense of calm. This focus on colour as a clean backdrop to furnishings and fabrics. Complementary Shades Our colours work in families and across colour groups. We have carefully created a range of each colour that can work together to create a uniform style which is calm and comfortable. It is very effective to use a number of shades of the same colour. Neutrals work extremely well together, picking out details which create layers and therefore more interest in the room. Lighter Walls and Darker Woodwork Combining light and dark together enhances both colours through the use of contrast. If you use dark colours on doors, woodwork or signature walls it brings a confident touch to a room. The darker colours exaggerate the serentity of the pale colours and their juxtaposition of the gentle white tones heightens the drama of our naturally pigmented colours. How to Make a Room seem Bigger, Taller and Lighter Generally lighter colours make a room look bigger, especially if there is a decent amount of natural light. Keeping the ceiling the lightest element will also help. To make a room seem taller, especially one with irregular shaped ceilings we would recommend that you uses the same colour throughout, so the walls appear not to end. You can further exaggerate this with a pale colour picking out the woodwork, especially if there are beams, but do opt for a subtle variation of the wall colour. If your room has no natural light then you do not necessarily have to paint it a light colour. To create an atmosphere in a cloakroom or downstairs snug try a deep colour to create an atmosphere rather than just trying to give the illusion of light. Whites and neutrals with the depth created by natural pigments will help to magnify whatever light a room has. You don’t need to go too bright as our neutral palette, using gentle earth pigments, will help enhance any natural light and will bring a softness to the whites even when the sun is not shining. The use of contrasting colours can also create the impression of light. Use light painted features or furniture against a coloured backdrop to give interest, reflection and contrast. Consider your house as a whole, how you move from one room to another, from neutral into colour and beyond. The joy of our range is that you would fill your house with all our colours and they would live in harmony with each other as they do in nature. Light When we use colour it responds to light to give the effect we see. We need it to look great in strong light and low light – daylight and lamplight. The way paint is made is key to this. We use only natural pigments not chemical colourants and plant oils rather than acrylics, precisely because they give a surface that looks alive. This gives walls a soft but vibrant finish which is a delight to the eye and a great backdrop for your fabrics and furnishings.