What is the UK’s Favourite Colour?

It turns out that while we may be a nation of grey lovers, behind our sensible neutral façades lurks a beating heart of colour that is dying to get out. New research by DFS, who sell one out of every four sofas in the UK, found that while 39 per cent of us choose shades of grey for our homes, 46 per cent would like to inject more colour but are afraid of getting it wrong.

Last week, I styled a room set for the brand alongside television presenter Sophie Robinson and we both took part in a panel discussion with Marianne Shillingford, the creative director of Dulux,  and Jean Brixey, merchandise director at DFS, to discuss the findings. In many ways I’m not surprised, Sophie’s instagram feed, which is full of bright clashing colours and patterns is hugely popular, my own, featuring darker and moodier shades equally so, but when it comes to actually buying furniture for our homes or paint for our walls, it’s the neutrals that win every time. It seems we love to look at colour but are afraid to live with it.

Years ago I wrote a feature on coloured glass splashbacks and worktops for The Independent. “We can make them in any colour you like,” said the manufacturer proudly. “Raspberry, orange, lime, you name it.”

And what, I inquired, was the most popular? White came the, slightly glum, response. Only yesterday while watching someone’s instagram stories about a design trip round Copenhagen came the information that some fabulous powder coated red shelves were available in a myriad of colours, but what was the most popular? You guessed it. White.

So what are we to do? The first issue to address is the fear of getting it wrong. Furniture is expensive and painting takes time. Most of us don’t want to be doing it every couple of years. Marianne revealed that we redecorate our houses every seven years now. Jean, that we buy a new sofa every four. So we have to live with any mistakes for a while. So we play it safe.

Here’s how to get it right. First – look inside your wardrobe – and this is something I have written a whole chapter on in my book – if you are comfortable wearing it you will be comfortable living in it. My house is basically dark shades of grey and chocolate with splashes of pink and so is my wardrobe. The key is getting the proportions right, so if you wear a lot of black with an accent colour in earrings, scarf or socks then replicate that in neutral walls but with a bold choice of sofa colour or cushions. Think about it – it works.

The next thing to consider – and this is Sophie’s advice – is to think about how you want to feel in the room. Look at some colours and take note of what your emotions are when you see them. And then think about how you want to feel in the room you are decorating or buying furniture for. If you want a sitting room that is restful and calming then you need to pick colours that make you feel that way. And that isn’t always grey – some people find grey draining and depressing (not me but Sophie does). Others, like Sophie, feel that a bright blue pop of cobalt blue lifts the spirits and makes her think of happy times, so she instantly relaxes. Not for nothing was her DFS room painted in that colour with a matching sofa while I feel a little edgy if there are too many colours in a space. I like two or three maximum and no bright ones.

And look at what we are wearing in the pictures. I realised when I got there that I had picked a top to match my sofa and two days later, at the panel discussion, I wore a different version of the same colours but it was cold and I grabbed my leather jacket as I ran out out of the door – the colour? Chocolate brown. Coincidence? Or instinctively wearing your walls? You decide.

The survey found that people were keen to use more blush pink, sage green and teal but that these were also the colours they felt least confident in buying. So see if there is any of this in your wardrobe, find the one that makes you feel happy and add just a small amount to start with. A cushion, a rug, a painting. Then, if that works consider a sofa, which you can always set against more neutral walls. Or paint half the wall as I did with an accent stripe and match it to the sofa. Or don’t – contrast it. Once you have decided on the colours, you can play around with the proportions to find something that makes you happy.

Don’t forget the 60, 30, 10 rule – the latter being the accent colour that you use least of, the first being the main shade – walls, floor, possibly the sofa – and the 30 is half as much of the main colour – an accent chair, window dressings for example. It’s all in the book and it’s not a hard and fast rule but it’s a good way to start if you’re nervous. It’s like getting dressed – one colour for trousers and coat, one for the shirt and one for the accessories. Or a dress, jacket and shoes. You get the idea.

DFS have also noticed that the statement sofa is gaining popularity. One of their best sellers is a yellow velvet chesterfield. Who would have thought? But put it against a dark grey wall and it’s elegant and grown-up. Or, if you like a more playful scheme, try Sophie’s cobalt. I used a chair in gold velvet and put it as an accent with blush pink and chocolate while the top half of the walls were pale to balance the intensity of the colours used.

Sales of that DFS yellow sofa have doubled in the last year, blush pink is up 16 per cent and green by nine per cent. We can do this. Dressing your house is like dressing yourself and we can all do that. And, as I  said in the book – dressing your house is easier because it doesn’t have fat days, or hangover days. Or days when it wants to lie on the sofa wearing trackie bottoms and eating biscuits.

So stop eating the chocolate and think about putting it on your walls instead. And if you’re still not sure then have a look at the DFS colour inspiration site – did you know they have collaborated with French Connection, Sofa Workshop, Joules and Country Living?

Oh and the nations’s favourite colour? Blue. It’s the world’s favourite colour too. Marianne says it’s because it’s the color of the sea and the sky and it’s calming and restful. There’s very little of it in my house though – just a navy blue sofa bed.

All images by Chris Snook, the rooms that are not mine or Sophie’s were styled by Pippa Jameson. Obviously DFS paid me for this styling work and to take part in the panel. It made sense to report on the findings.