The most memorable homes are rarely the most perfectly styled. They are the places where conversations linger around the dining table, books gather beside a favourite chair and rooms reflect the people who live in them. Colour plays an important part in creating this sense of comfort. It establishes the atmosphere of a room, provides a backdrop for furniture and treasured possessions, and helps bring together the different elements of an interior. At Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, we believe that choosing colour should begin with understanding how a home is lived in, rather than following a particular decorating trend. Hallway in Rose with Etruscan Brown woodwork and Drab Green doorway Lute dining room by Max Rollitt. Photography: Chris Horwood Clove hallway by Bryony Richardson. Photography: Dean Hearne Creating a home with colour and character A comfortable home doesn’t need to be entirely neutral, nor does it need to be filled with bold colour. What matters is finding a palette that feels appropriate to the architecture, natural light and the people who use each space. Edward approaches colour as the backdrop to a room. Rather than competing with furniture, artwork and textiles, a well-chosen wall colour can help these elements sit comfortably together. This was a recurring theme in a discussion at WOW!house, where designers Daniel Slowik, Guy Goodfellow and Joanna Plant reflected on the homes that had stayed with them over time. Their memories centred not on perfectly finished interiors, but on sensory details: the smell of a room, the comfort of worn materials and the character of imperfect surfaces. It is a useful reminder that the most successful interiors are often those that feel personal rather than overly arranged. Clove kitchen by Nicola Turner. Photography: Matt Lincoln Choose colours that work with the way you live Before selecting paint colours, think about how each room is used and the atmosphere you want to create. A sitting room might benefit from a richer, more enveloping colour that feels comfortable in the evening, while a kitchen or dining space may call for something lighter and more uplifting. Consider how natural light changes throughout the day, which pieces of furniture you want to keep and how the room connects with the rest of your home. These practical considerations are often more useful than starting with a particular colour trend. They help you build a palette around the life taking place within your home. Living room with walls in Sang de Boeuf, Pompadour woodwork and Lilac Pink ceiling & fireplace by @studioheroninteriors Living room with Cinnamon walls and Spanish White ceiling by Studio Strachan. Photography: Boz Gagovski Living room in Invisible Green looking through to Dutch Orange by Sean Anthony Pritchard Let natural colour provide the backdrop Our colours are created using carefully selected earth and mineral pigments, drawing on a long tradition of architectural decoration. From the warmth of ochres and earthy reds to the depth of mineral blues and greens, these pigments allow us to create a palette with a distinctive richness and complexity. Colours inspired by the natural world can provide a wonderful backdrop for the materials and objects we live with, whether antique furniture, contemporary artwork, patterned fabrics or natural timber and stone. Rather than decorating an entire room around one particular piece, think about how the wall colour can bring these different elements together. Cinema room painted in Red Ochre Allow your home to evolve A home that feels lived in is rarely finished all at once. Furniture is collected, artwork moves between rooms and the objects we surround ourselves with change over time. A carefully chosen colour scheme can accommodate this evolution without needing to be continually reinvented. Repeating complementary colours throughout the home can create a sense of continuity, while allowing individual rooms to develop their own character. There is also no need for every surface to be immaculate or every detail perfectly coordinated. Often it is the combination of old and new, different textures and personal possessions that makes an interior feel welcoming. Find colours that feel right for your home Our Colour Consultancy service begins with understanding your home and how you use it. Trained by Edward Bulmer, our consultants consider the architecture, natural light, existing furnishings and practical requirements of each space, helping you choose colours that work together and feel personal to you. Whether you’re decorating a single room or developing a palette for your whole home, explore our natural paint colours or book a Colour Consultation for expert advice.
Court of Noke: Edward Bulmer’s historic Herefordshire home Step inside Court of Noke, Edward and Emma Bulmer’s Herefordshire home, and discover how more than 30 years of restoration, colour and considered decoration have shaped the house we see today.
Behind the Chatsworth Collection: 24 exquisite new paint colours Learn the story behind The Chatsworth Collection, a range of 24 new paint colours inspired by the interiors, heritage, and landscapes of one of this country’s most significant country houses.
The Power of Paint – A Date for your Diary Join House & Garden Editor, Hatta Byng, in conversation with three experts in interior decoration as they discuss the role of paint, colour and decorative paint effects in historical interiors and interior design today.
The English Garden Palette with Octavia Dickinson Discover The English Garden Palette, created with interior designer Octavia Dickinson, and the inspiration behind new colours Dahlia Pink, Hedge Mustard and Rambling Rose.
How to Pair Colour with Pattern & Print – the Wicklewood X Edward Bulmer Natural Paint Colour Guide: Edition 2 We’re back with Edition II of our Colour Guide, created in collaboration with our friends Wicklewood, exploring ‘How to Pair Colour with Pattern & Print’ and have created our second, must read guide packed full of hints and tips on how to master mixing and matching in your home.
Kitchen Colourways with Emma Diaz and Jim Lawrence Jim Lawrence has created a superior collection of hand crafted home furnishings including lighting, curtain poles and more, in the most exquisite finishes. We played a small part in their collaboration on finding the perfect finish for your Kitchen, with our colour consultant Emma Diaz.
