New Colours for Autumn

I mentioned on Monday that I recently visited the Farrow & Ball factory to see their new colours. This is always an event as they only release new colours every three years but, of course the pandemic threw everything off and these are the first new shades since 2018. In addition to these 11 new shades, Paint and Paper Library have launched a massive 32 new shades and, of course, it’s the annual Colour of the Year from Dulux.

And then into this sea of warm neutrals and Autumnal colours – these colours really are all very me, comes Mylands. And talk about bucking a trend. This hot pink is from their Film, Television and Theatre range (FTT006 to be exact) which long term readers will remember I used for the gold ceiling in my office at the old Mad House (FTT002).

Dominic Myland said: “FTT-006™ is an unfailingly cheerful and bold pink that’s proving not only to be incredibly popular, but also more enduring than just another trend or fad. It’s a confident shade with the power to completely transform a space, and its intensity makes it hard to forget. Hot pink is playful and eye-catching, and though it’s the colour of the moment, it’s a stylish shade you won’t get tired of any time soon.”

That remains to be seen but I bet it woke you up didn’t it! Let’s return to the stronger trend of Autumnal colours and I wonder if they would have been different if released in high summer because while this is very much my palette there’s no doubt that it fits the changing season perfectly.

At the Farrow & Ball launch, Joa Studholme, the creative director, spoke of how the way we use our homes has changed during the pandemic and the new earthy warm colours reflect that. Stirabout, a lovely warm oatmeal inspired by Irish porridge, joins their range of neutrals but it’s one of those colours that’s very hard to photograph so do get a tester if you’re interested.

The other new shades include Tailor Tack and Templeton Pink with Beverley and Whirlybird greens and three new blues – Wine Dark, Selvedge and Kittiwake. And they’re not done with grey yet either as Hopper Head sits between Downpipe and Railings. The 21yo, who has been angling for a terracotta for his new bedroom and has flatly refused everything I show him that I would call terracotta has decided that the dark orange of Bamboozle is the one for him. I’m fully on board -it will sit on the lower half of the walls with, we think, Stirabout above and Hopper Head on the window. I will, of course, keep you posted.

Onto Dulux and this year the colour is Wild Wonder, a sort of pale straw-like yellow. I rather like it although whether I would have the courage to actually use it is another matter. It’s not a million miles away from the Devol kitchen I posted on Monday. You might have to trust me on the colour though as I’m not sure this picture does it justice.

Finally, Paint and Paper Library with a massive 32 new colours and I’ve put them all together here because, for me, everyone’s a winner (baby). At the moment we have decided only on the colours for the 21yo’s bedroom so the sitting room and our bedroom (and everything else) is up for debate.

All I know, at the moment, is that this house doesn’t feel like it wants to go dark. The old house was bigger and we tended to only use the sitting room in the evenings. Here the back half is to be my office so I will be in here for much of the daylight and I think warm neutrals is where we will be focused. Watch this plan change!

Now, if you want to know more about these colours and my thoughts along with Sophie’s we will be discussing them at length on the podcast. You can be sure we will disagree so let me know your thoughts either on the colours as you see them here or when you have listened.