Walls: French Gray in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Walls: Pink Ground in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
When Alison Kenworthy, founder and CEO of Homeworthy, and her husband Michael first stepped into their Upper East Side apartment, they could see the potential immediately. The pre-war home had beautiful proportions, views of Central Park and the rare bonus of private outdoor space.
“When I walked into the empty living room, I could imagine what Christmas morning would look and feel like and knew that was a good sign,” says Alison. They loved the apartment’s charm and natural light, but its plain white walls lacked personality.
They wanted colours that would bring warmth and a sense of belonging to the space, so they turned to Farrow & Ball Senior Colour Consultant Kathleen Brennan for help. Together, they set out to create the perfect backdrop for a joyful family home.
Creating a colourful environment
Walls: Pink Ground in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Walls: Sizing in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
The palette started with Alison’s absolute certainty that she wanted a pink living room, and grew from there. “What surprised me most was how intuitive the process felt,” she explains. “The guidance felt incredibly personal – almost like a conversation about how we wanted to feel in our home, rather than just what we wanted it to look like.”
Alison and Kathleen picked colours that flowed from one room to the next, keeping them connected while giving each its own character.
Let’s take a closer look at some of our favourite spaces.
Living Room
Walls: Pink Ground in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Walls: Pink Ground in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Finding the right shade of pink for the living room took careful consideration of the room’s north-east light. After exploring several options, Kathleen found the perfect shade in Pink Ground , a dusty pink that sits beautifully between cooler and warmer tones.
“It has this soft, enveloping warmth,” says Alison. “It’s inviting without being precious, and it makes the space feel instantly lived-in.”
The colour countered the lack of direct warm light, and worked perfectly with Alison’s fabrics and furnishings. To balance the scheme, the woodwork was painted in Au Lait , a warm white that gives the room quiet elegance.
Dining Room
Walls: Pink Ground in Dead Flat | Trim : Au Lait | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Because the dining room opens directly off the living room, the transition between spaces needed to feel effortless. Kathleen recommended Dimity , a soft neutral with a subtle pink undertone that echoes the warmth of Pink Ground without repeating it. The sense of continuity was enhanced by using Au Lait on the trim in here as well.
The room has a slightly lower ceiling, so to maximise the sense of space the colour was taken up onto the ceiling. “When there’s no contrast between walls and ceiling, the lines are blurred and the space can feel bigger,” says Kathleen.
Kitchen
Walls: Blanc De Chine in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
Walls: Blanc De Chine in Dead Flat | Shelves: Light Blue | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
For the kitchen, Alison wanted to create a space that truly felt like the heart of the home. As the room faces east, Kathleen chose a shade that would make the most of the gentle morning light.
Blanc De Chine brings a soft blue-green freshness to the room, creating a space that feels calm and uplifting at the start of the day, and stays bright and welcoming into the evening. Floating shelves painted in Light Blue add a subtle pop of colour.
“The kitchen feels crisp and confident,” says Alison. “Full of energy but still timeless.”
Bedroom
Walls: Sizing in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
After busy days in the city, Alison and Michael wanted their bedroom to feel peaceful and restorative. Kathleen chose Sizing , a delicate pale blue that creates a gentle, cocooning atmosphere. “The colour is almost like a lullaby,” she says.
For Alison, the transformation has been immediate. “The blue bedroom is calming in the truest sense; it’s become this sanctuary where everything slows down.”
Designed for family life
While the palette was chosen with feeling and atmosphere in mind, practicality was equally important. With two young children in the home, Kathleen recommended washable, ultra-matte Dead Flat for the walls throughout the apartment.
Beautifully soft yet designed for real life, Dead Flat allows families to enjoy their homes without worrying about everyday marks and scuffs. It means colours remain as beautiful as the day they were painted, for a home that looks elegant but can be truly lived in — exactly as Alison and Michael imagined.
Walls: Sizing in Dead Flat | Photographer credit: Macey Young, Homeworthy
The power of paint
Thoughtfully chosen colours have transformed Alison and Michael’s apartment into a welcoming space that feels calm, connected and full of life. It’s no longer just a beautiful building — it’s a home filled with warmth, character and memories in the making.
“Living with these colours has transformed how the apartment feels,” says Alison. “Each room has its own identity, yet they all flow beautifully together. It finally feels like our home.”
Get the Look
If you’d like to recreate the gentle palette of Alison’s apartment, take a look at the colours she picked with Kathleen.
