I’m often asked what my favourite project I’ve worked on is and surprisingly it’s not a building project but is actually the creation of a paint range. In 2013 I was approached by Dulux to create a new palette of paint colours for a brand new collection ‘Signature Collection’. The range has been extremely successful for Dulux and this year we added a new selection of colours to the collection.
I specifically chose these colours to work with Irish light, so I can honestly say they always look great. I get so many questions about what colours to use, I thought I’d share my top five favourite shades from the collection. I promise these colours will look fantastic no matter where you use them.
The perfect woodwork colour
A new addition of paint colours to the collection is a trio of whites. This brings a smile to most peoples faces when I tell them because architects are notorious for only using white in their buildings. But believe it or not finding the right white is not easy as all whites have underlying shades of other colours from blue to green and red to yellow.
White is the paint colour that will make or break your scheme as it is typically used for your doors, skirtings and architraves – it is what brings your chosen wall colour to life.
When choosing white you don’t want it to be too stark and at the same time it’s best to steer away from anything too cream or yellow. My go-to white is Signature White. It’s the perfect balance of bright white with a subtle hint of warmth to it, making it a really versatile shade.
The perfect grey
Grey is a tricky shade to get right. This is because many shades have blue or red undertones making them appear purple in hue which is not great when it reacts with the kind of light we get in Ireland.
Mid Cinder is an absolutely beautiful grey. It’s a warm shade so you don’t have to worry about your room feeling cold or dull. It is one of the paint colours that works really well in a bedroom and equally well in a living room. Every time we post a picture on Instagram with this colour on the walls we get asked what it is.
Because the shades work in complementary trios you can play around with the lighter and darker shades. Subtle Cinder is a fantastic alternative to white for example and a gorgeous colour in an open plan space where you are looking to keep things light and bright but still want to contrast with your woodwork for example.
The use-it-anywhere shade
I might actually go as far as to say Mid Fallow is the best paint colours in the whole collection. It’s a warm sand shade that looks great in a north or south facing room so you don’t have to worry about the amount of light in your room.
It appeals to men and women, young and old. It is a definite shade without being too dark and pairs especially well with Signature White. I’ve been using this colour for years and never tire of it.
All of the Matt paint colours in the collection come in a Diamond Matt finish which is a super durable, scrubbable finish. It’s the ideal choice if you are worried about scuffing or wear and tear as you won’t have to worry about having to repaint.
A versatile dark neutral
Another new addition to the collection are the Dark Neutrals. Really dark tones can actually fall into the category of neutral. Rather than standing out, they blend away and work as a backdrop. They are the perfect colours for displaying art for example.
Don’t be afraid to use dark paint colours. There is a misconception that painting a room dark will make it feel small but it actually can have the opposite effect. The trick when choosing a dark colour is your choice of shade. We’ve narrowed down the choice to a handful of rich deep hues to take the fear out of picking a dark colour.
Fine Line is one of my favourites from this section of the collection. It’s the perfect chalky deep navy, an ideal feature-wall colour in a kids or teenagers bedroom, gorgeous in a guest WC and we’ve used it in a sitting room too.
The alternative to grey
Finding a shade that offers the same versatility as grey is something I see people struggle with. Greys remain really popular but trends are moving slowly away from these ashy shades towards warmer sandy tones.
Pure Muslin is a gorgeous neutral shade and is ideal if you’re looking for a non-grey tone. It’s a soft sandy shade that works in any setting. We’ve used it in traditional and contemporary homes in formal and informal spaces and on walls and woodwork.
It’s a beautiful colour and has a really calming effect on any room it’s used in. Like Mid Fallow it works equally well in a north or south facing room so you don’t have to worry about the amount of natural light that your room gets.
