Spring colours

Fresh paint is the economical way to breathe new life into your home, writes EOIN LYONS

FARROW & BALL, whose wacky colour names (Elephant’s Breath et al) are almost as celebrated as its paint, has just launched nine new shades, its first new colours in three years. There are beige-y neutrals (such as a lovely warm shade called Oxford Stone), a couple of smart greys (including an 18th-century- inspired colour called Manor House Grey), some blue-greens (check out Mizzle) and even a surprise fiery orange (the Hermes-like Charlotte’s Locks).

My favourite is Brassica – a grey with a dash of mauve. It’s unlike any other grey on the market and would be great to use in an internal hallway. In naturally dark spaces, think about using a dark colour. A light shade will never make the space seem brighter or larger, so embrace the darkness. Apart from the quirky names and purity of colour, the price of Farrow & Ball paint also causes much comment – five litres costs €75. But quality has a price – these paints use more pigment that most – and any good painter will tell you that although it is hard to work with, less paint is required to achieve a rich finish. I suggest spending what money you can on good quality paint. Colortrend’s Historic Collection, Sanderson and The Little Green Paint Company are also all top class.

Comparatively, paint is still the most inexpensive way one can rejuvenate a home and the cost of these brands is often not terribly much more than others. Having said that, costs do mount when painting an entire house, so be clever and consider using some inexpensive paint alongside “designer” brands. For example, MRCB Paints has an offer of 10 litres of Crown’s Cover-matt White Emulsion for €29.99.

In general, I believe in keeping main rooms quite light, simply because it’s pleasant to come back to a home that causes no strain on the eyes. For other rooms, think about what colours you look good against. This should be particularly considered when it comes to bedrooms – no one looks good against muddy beige. Pale pink is an underrated colour so try Calamine by Farrow & Ball because it’s not too sweet. The right shade of green can also be lovely in bedrooms.

Choosing colour isn’t just about what shade you like – think too about the architecture of your home. I live in a modern apartment and it’s not a vast space so white allows pictures and objects to shine. Before choosing colour, try emptying your room and only putting back in things that you will keep. In other words, declutter. You’ll start to see the room in a different way.

Most importantly, remember in modern homes to always paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls (even if using a dark colour) – white ceilings don’t make a room look higher and all you’ll see is the line between the wall colour and the ceiling. Keep white ceilings in period homes, however, as there’s usually some form of moulding that breaks the line between walls and ceiling. Do paint radiators, fuse boxes and so on in the same colour as your walls. In an old house, where there is cornicing or decorative moulding, use subtle colour changes between the walls, cornice and ceiling. Light and simple is a good rule of thumb for large spaces while the opposite can be said for small spaces where rich, unusual or dark colours are best.

Farrow & Ball, Cornmarket, Thomas Street, Dublin 8 (farrow-ball.com); all other brands mentioned are available at branches of MRCB Paints (mrcbpaints.ie)