ACCENT SHADES

This month, our colour consultants share their views on using paint to highlight or zone areas for a beautiful home

- SOPHIE BAYLIS

Lower wall painted in Oxford Navy; chairs in Barcelona Orange, both chalk paint, £21.95 for 1ltr, Annie Sloan

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY...

Colour consultants share their views

‘Grey is a versatile colour and very easy to live with,’ says Helen Shaw, director, Benjamin Moore. ‘In order to change the pace, use additional shades of grey to highlight features. For instance, if you have fitted bookshelves you can paint the walls behind them in a darker tone to emphasise this area of the room.’

‘A painted ceiling is a fabulous way to introduce an accent colour,’ says chalk paint expert Annie Sloan. ‘Choose a pale tea-rose pink to bring a blush-tinted hue to the light in the room – a design trick used since the 18th century – then paint the walls a modern pure white to emphasise the pink and make the space feel airy.’

‘Orange can look really smart when used with a deep blue-purple and blue-green,’ says Clare Tilbrook, joint founder and colour consultant at Fenwick & Tilbrook. ‘This colour combination works well in a dining room: think dark, inky walls and vibrant orange woodwork or furniture.’