The Little Greene Blog

We’re introducing a beautiful new paint collection to complement our existing range of 128 paint shades.

The aptly-titled Colour Scales® collection is exactly that: the card combines 12 of the best-loved colours from the Little Greene ‘Colours of England’ card with lighter or darker tones of each. The result is a delightfully soft palette that offers subtle variations of shade and an incredibly easy-to-use system for harmonising and combining colours in a room: an essential card for professional designers and home-decorators alike.

Livingroom in French Grey

Hallway in Bone China Blue Paint

David, our Managing Director commented that ‘Our customers repeatedly ask for varied strengths of our colours and this comes as no surprise – the practice of using scales of tone actually has its origins firmly rooted in age-old decorating techniques.’

Contrary to popular assumption there were, historically, no such things as set colour standards, so the designers & craftsmen of yesteryear would create paint shades ‘off the cuff’ by blending raw pigments themselves. Each artisan would subsequently reduce a particular shade with white, in order to produce a personalised collection, using these ‘scaled down’ colours either as individual shades or in harmonious groups to celebrate the architectural integrity of an individual room or entire building.

Little Greene’s Colour Scales® card has been designed to make the colour selection process very straightforward. The layout of overlapping paint chips overcomes the problem of viewing a colour surrounded by bright white (often the reason a shade appears to be lighter or darker on a colour chart than when painted on a larger expanse of wall). The Colour Scales® card enables the client to choose variations in colour strength in the same way the original designers, did but without the associated hassle of ‘mixing your own’.

In keeping with our quality-assurance, all colours are available in the full range of traditional and modern paint finishes, and the chips on the Colour Scales® card are accurate samples of both colour and finish, being made from actual paint direct from a tin of environmentally-friendly Acrylic Matt Emulsion rather than in a factory-matched ink.

From the beginning of April, Colour Scales® will be available nationally and internationally through Little Greene’s network of distributors. It can also be bought via mail & phone order and online.

With the New Year well underway you may be thinking about breathing new life into your home. As the economic gloom of 2009 slowly begins to lift, trends for 2010 focus on a brighter more eclectic style of interior decor. Here are a few of the key trends to look out for in the coming year.

A socially-minded focus on the environment and sustainability will see the use of natural materials, such as woods and metals, become a popular choice for furniture. Alongside this try using an earthy colour palette mixing greens, browns and beiges to create a calming atmosphere.

In 2010 Grey will emerge as a staple colour to compliment any room of your house. When teamed with vibrant colours such as purple or yellow it creates an unexpected and stylish effect. Identified by colour forecasting specialists Pantone as a must have colour for this year, Turquoise can be used in many different ways. Try it as an accent colour to brighten up a room filled with muted beiges and natural tones, or use it alongside other shades of blue to achieve a cool and tranquil space.

Texture will be a trend that affects all aspects of interior decor.  Look out for furniture items such as rugs, carpets and cushions that have interesting textures or have been developed from unusual materials. This trend can be extended to your choice of paints and wallpaper as well. Try combining matte and gloss paint colours to achieve a textured effect, or use a textured wallpaper to create a cosy atmosphere.

Whether it’s a unique piece of furniture or just a souvenir from your last holiday, inject a bit of personality into your home this year. Items that display evidence of craftsmanship or individuality can make your home feel more personal and welcoming. Look out for sustainable ethical items that will last you a lifetime.

Finally, 2010 will see the wallpapered ceiling emerge as a forward-thinking take on the wallpapered accent wall.  A wallpaper that compliments the colour scheme of your room can create even more of a design statement when applied to the ceiling. It can work to draw attention to architectural features and unusually shaped rooms. It can work equally as well to add a touch of eccentricity to a more conventional four-walled room.

If using wallpaper throughout the room, try to choose different patterns for the walls and ceiling and make sure they are broken up by other elements such as wooden panelling. This will avoid making the room feel boxed in, and will make sure your home is on trend for 2010.