Tips From Our Colour Consultants

Walls and Woodwork: Sloe Blue No.87

Our Colour Consultants are bursting with bright ideas – and a fair few neutral-toned ones, too. When we asked them for their favourite tried-and-tested ways to use our paint colours and wallpapers, the response was overwhelming, giving us more insider tips than we could fit into a single blog.

One theme that popped up time and time again was that of trim colours. Sara Blythe, a Colour Consultant for Sunningdale and Windsor in the UK, is a great believer that woodwork needn’t always be white:

“Go against the grain by taking a colour over the skirtings and architrave to contrast with the wall,” she says. “If you’re using a deeper neutral on the wall, then applying a stronger tone over the woodwork can add a warming depth to the scheme, while still allowing it to feel bright and airy.”

Pasadena Colour Consultant Lawrence Salazar brings a very different approach to the table – that of blending in, rather than standing out.

“I find that many clients think that all the trim need to be lighter than the walls,” he says, “but sometimes that isn't the best option, particularly if rooms have a lot of patterns or textures happening already.

“I like to recommend a monochromatic scheme where all the trim is painted the same colour as the walls. Doors can blend into the walls along with the other trim, and the space feels more modern, more open, and less cluttered.”

When we asked Lyon Colour Consultant Michael Durand for his favourite ways to add colour, his answer encouraged us to think more inside the box – but not in the way you might expect.

“A good tip for using colour is to add it to a wardrobe or display cabinet,” he says. “Instead of leaving the inside of your wardrobe white, off-white or neutral, this pop of colour can highlight the features in front of it or act as an extension of your room.

“With a dark hue in the room or on the cabinet, I like to suggest a vivid colour like Rangwali in the wardrobe or inside the cupboards. You can even use one of our handcrafted wallpapers to enhance these tiny spaces with a hint of pattern and subtle texture.”

Also a fan of bright colours is Düsseldorf Colour Consultant Ulrike Jai, whose favourite way to use our more vivid shades is in daring combinations.

"The secret of design is courage,” says Ulrike. “Painting a room consistently in one colour tone is like an embrace and gives support and security, while combining unexpected shades can bring so much joy and lightness. You just have to dare to do it!”