Set against the spectacular landscape of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, Llanfendigaid Estate is a collection of historic buildings and holiday cottages on the Welsh coast. When owner Lisa Kay began renovating the estate, she wanted to preserve the character of its buildings while creating welcoming spaces for guests. With several properties to consider, she turned to Edward Bulmer Natural Paint’s Colour Consultancy service for expert guidance on creating a cohesive palette. The first project was The Cowshed, one of the estate’s oldest buildings, where colour consultant Emma Bulmer developed a scheme inspired by the surrounding countryside. Kitchen painted in Invisible Green A colour palette inspired by the Welsh landscape During her visit, Emma drew inspiration from the estate’s rolling hills and coastal scenery, selecting green as the foundation for the scheme. As The Cowshed is an open-plan property designed primarily for families and groups, the challenge was to create a sense of continuity while giving different areas their own identity. Rather than choosing a single green throughout, Emma recommended a series of complementary shades, from the stronger Invisible Green to the softer Evie, alongside Granite Green and Pomona. These greens were balanced with lighter colours, including Water Glass, Rose Tinted White, Fine White and Nicaragua. The result is a varied yet harmonious palette that connects the rooms while allowing each space to feel distinct. How the colours work throughout The Cowshed Invisible Green in the kitchen The kitchen features Invisible Green, a vibrant grass green that brings a confident splash of colour to this hardworking space. It’s a striking choice that establishes green as the defining colour of the property, while connecting the interior to the surrounding landscape. Kitchen painted in Invisible Green Water Glass and Evie in the living spaces In the dining and sitting areas, Water Glass provides a light backdrop, complemented by the fresher green of Evie. Together, these colours create a gentle transition between the open-plan spaces, allowing the different areas to feel connected without being identical. Walls painted in Water Glass and Evie with ceiling in Spanish White and ceiling beams in Paris Grey Pomona and Granite Green in the bedrooms The bedrooms introduce further variations on the green palette. Pomona brings a fresh apple green to one bedroom, while Granite Green offers a more grounded alternative in another. Using different greens in individual bedrooms gives each room its own personality while maintaining a connection to the wider scheme. Bedroom in Pomona with ceiling in Spanish White and skirting in Pearl Colour Bedroom in Granite Green 40% with ceiling in Spanish White and skirting in Pearl Colour Complementary colours in the bathrooms and hallway In one bathroom, Pomona is paired with Fine White, creating a fresh contrast between green and white. Elsewhere, Fine White provides a simple backdrop, while the hallway combines Rose Tinted White with Invisible Green. These lighter colours are an important part of the scheme, balancing the stronger greens and helping the palette flow naturally from one room to another. Bathroom with walls in Fine White, panelling in Pomona and bathtub in Nicaragua Fine White bathroom with Spanish White ceiling Why choose a colour consultancy for a whole-property renovation? For Lisa, the Colour Consultancy offered the right balance between professional guidance and the freedom to make her own design decisions. As she explains: “Having recently taken over Llanfendigaid Estate and having multiple properties including the main house with 9 bedrooms to renovate I wanted to make sure that I got it right. We thought about using an interior designer but it felt too exciting to not do it myself, so a colour consultation was the right balance of getting expert guidance yet still having control of styling. It’s worked out completely.” Following the consultation, Lisa received a detailed decoration schedule, with recommendations for walls, ceilings and woodwork, alongside A5 colour swatches to help finalise the selections. For larger projects, this approach can be particularly useful. Rather than choosing colours room by room in isolation, a consultant can consider how spaces connect, how natural light affects each colour and where to introduce contrast. The success of the scheme was reflected in Lisa’s feedback: “All the colours work so harmoniously together! The decorator also said they were easy to work with and went on well.” Hallway painted in Rose Tinted White and Invisible Green with Spanish White on the ceiling and Pearl Colour on the skirting A considered approach to renovating historic buildings The transformation of The Cowshed is part of a wider programme of renovation at Llanfendigaid Estate. Alongside preserving the character of its historic buildings, the estate has introduced measures including ground-source heat pumps and works with suppliers chosen with environmental considerations in mind. The project demonstrates how a carefully planned colour palette can bring individuality to a property while respecting its architecture and surroundings. Find your perfect colour palette Whether you’re renovating an entire property or refreshing a single room, our Colour Consultancy service can help you create a scheme that works for your home. We offer consultations in your home, virtually or at our London showroom, with expert recommendations tailored to your rooms, natural light and personal preferences. Discover our Colour Consultancy services or explore our natural paint colours to begin planning your scheme.
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