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Sophie Robinson
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03 Dec 18

Colour crush: Ultramarine

Interior design colour trends including living coral and spiced honey as discussed by colour experts in interior design sophie robinson, michelle ogundehin and marianne shillingford

I’m not just currently crushing on this hue; I’ve been having a yearlong love affair with this all things Ultra marine, Lapis, Lazuli and Cobalt. It was the basis of my bed linen collection for The Secret Linen Store, that I launched earlier this year, it’s popping up everywhere in my home. The good news is I’m now seeing it being touted by the trend forecasters as the colour that will supersede its rather sombre cousin Navy. So be prepared to daub over all those Hague blue walls in favour of a colour with more warmth and vitality. Because that what we all need right now, some warmth and positivity in our homes and this vibrant colour is the ultimate pick me up, whilst also being soothing. How does it do that, I don’t know it really is that clever! Colour experts know that blue is calming but this particular shade also has an energy to it. I’ve just decorated my home in Lazuli by Zoffany and it’s an absolutely off-the-hook marvellous hue! For my hallway it creates just the right amount of ‘Wow!’ that you want the entrance of you home to make, whilst retaining an air of sophistication. (My love of bright colour means I walk the fine line between sheer sophistication and Mr Tumbles house). It’s deep rich and expensive looking and everyone who see’s it adores it. And it absolutely sings with my colourful collection of artwork. I’m so thrilled with how it’s working and is the perfect linking colour to all the other areas in my home. That’s one of the things I love most about this colour, it sits so well with so many other hues. It looks perky with pinks, deep and moody with forest greens, fresh and alive with white, and joyful and vital against its playmate yellow. Consider it a truly versatile colour and something really worth experimenting with. Blue is universally the globes favourite colour, and so it shows no sign of going out of fashion any time soon. One of my favourite pieces of jewellery is a lapis lazuli ring that I inherited from my Grandma. And my school jumper was a very bright cobalt blue. (I loved it and hated the grey skirt we had to wear with it!) Make sure you sign up to my newsletter to be one of the first to see the final hallway reveal in this  particularly delicious shade… But will it be ready by Christmas is the big question in this household right now!

 

Luca bed by 2LG Studio and Love Your Home collaboration. Photography Megan Taylor

The new furniture collection from 2LG studio is absolutely to die for. Always at the forefront of trends the boys have designed their Luca bed in a deep and sexy Electric blue velvet. Velvet is the perfect fabric for this colour as it really saturates the colour and soaks up the light.

Interior Designer Sophie Robinson talks colour crush Cobalt blue - rug and floral wallpaper

A bold plain rug will add a strong focal point to a room, Rossolo cobalt rug, Designers Guild 

For the faint hearted consider packing a punch of colour on the floor instead. I love this deep pile rug from designers Guild that ties in nicely with the patterned wallpaper, helping the room to feel cohesive.

Nara twelve piece dinner set, Made.com

Blue has always been a classic colour for tableware but this colour drenched range from Made.com looks incredible. I think teaming it with gold cutlery is genius. Brass or old gold would be the perfect accent colour to this cool rich colour, so think of using it for lights, furniture and acccessories.

Zoffany boutique Serpentine Malachite carpet, Alternative Flooring.

The new range of Zoffany designed carpets at Alternative flooring had me stop in my tracks at London design week. Amongst all the acres of beige was this incredible colour soaked malachite design. I adore deep and dark coloured carpets for adding real luxey drama to a scheme.

Atlantic scalloped porcelain tiles in Ultramarine by Ca Pietra

These scalloped shaped tiles are so on trend. Imagine diving into a bathroom tiles head to toe in this gorgeous sea deep colour. It might seem a cliche to decorate your bathroom in blue but it brings with it all the soothing feelings of the vastness of the ocean. I think it would work particularly well in a small bathroom on all four walls.

marine blue kitchen by naked kitchens designed by sophie robinson for the ideal home show. gold kitchen splash back, gold kitchen taps and ercol mid century modern table and chairs

Kitchen by Naked Kitchens, finished in Marine Blue by Little Greene. Intenso parquet floor by Quickstep. Gold splash back by Quirky Interiors, table and butterfly chairs by Ercol, Blind fabric by Kitty McCall. Pendant lights by Habitat.

I keep banging on about it but it’s true – colourful kitchens are going to be the next big thing. I was thrilled to work with Naked Kitchens earlier this year to design this kitchen and what I loved about the process is that I got to choose whatever colour I wanted! If I was designing this kitchen again, I’d pump up the colour even more! I just love the way it sings against the gold accessories.

Dazzling blue 100% linen bedlinen in cobalt blue bedroom designed by sophie robinson for the secret linen store

The 100% linen range in Dazzling blue that I designed for my collection at The Secret Linen Store

This is the bedding I have on my own bed. Its called dazzling blue by Secret linen and isn’t it just that! Like taking a deep dive into sleep every night. The powers of blue to relax and calm are not to be underestimated, but go for this rich tone and it never feels cold, just purely luxurious.

 

Beth has created a limited-edition print for COS, which you can buy there for a short time only.

I’m deeply moved by artist Beth Partridge‘s work. She has an incredible depth and movement to her work and is a master of colour. Her love of deep indigos and marine blues often pop up in her work and I think choosing a bold piece of artwork for your walls is one of the best ways to add colour and personality. Beth has a show on at COS in the achingly cool Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross, London at the moment which is really worth a visit. Work remains until February 2019. You can find out more here.

TOP IMAGE CREDIT:  Walls in Smalt by Little Greene. Pom Pom coral bedlinen and 100% Dazzling blue linen sheet, Coral frilled linen cushions, all by Sophie Robinson at The Secret Linen Store. Kubrick cushion by Kit Miles.

 

 

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Christmas gift guide for colour lovers Quick and easy Kitchen updates that make an impact

comments

Niki on 19.09.19

I have a bathroom decorated in the discontinued Klein Blue that Paint & Paper Library used to sell. I’ve been so sad to think of having to use a different colour as it needs redoing, but now hoping Lazuli might be the answer!

Reply
Sophie Robinson on 30.09.19

Maybe first check and find out of P&P Library can still mix it for you. Often paint brands drop the colour off their card but they keep the codes and can still mix it for you

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DAY 18 of #easywininteriors and I’m getting the DAY 18 of #easywininteriors and I’m getting the paintbrush out! Giving old and unappreciated brown furniture of coat of colour is not just easy but quick too and you get ooodles of satisfaction giving something a new lease of life. Since the sun is starting to poke it’s head out it’s the perfect opportunity to fling open the windows, roll out the dust sheet, and calm your senses with the therapeutic strokes of a paint brush. I transformed these battered old Ercol chairs that I found at a car boot sale with an undercoat of Zinsser and a top coat of eggshell so they really can withstand the knocks. ( here’s a tip, use a sag brush for spindly furniture) I love how the pink legs pick up on the pink in the wallpaper. I’ve got a couple of pots of chalk paint waiting in the wings. This just might be the weekend to tackle the bedside tables at last! Have a wonderful weekend  and I hope the sun shines on you wherever you are! 

CREDITS Reclaimed terracotta tiles @ca_pietra_  Borastapeter Rubarber wallpaper @wallpaperdirect Clock @newgateclocks Doors painted in Rose Ash Light @sanderson1860 Everything else is vintage 

#easywininteriors #kitchen #countrykitchen #upcycle #upcycledfurniture #countryliving #countrylivingmodernrustic #countrykitchen #greenkitchen #greenandpink #interiorinspo #interiordesign
DAY 17 of #easywininteriors is all about making do DAY 17 of #easywininteriors is all about making do with what you’ve got and making it work. For most of us, decorating our home and choosing all the things we want to go with it is a long if not a life time journey and there are plenty of compromises along the way. One of the ways I make do with things I’m less happy about is with distraction. You can use colour to draw the eye and highlight the bits you do like and similarly blend away the areas that need to fade into the back ground. For me joinery, radiators and my unattractive windows all get painted in the same colour so they fall to the background and then the cushions and artwork can come to the fore and catch your eye. I painted these lovely old solid wood doors bright yellow on a whim with some left over paint. It was a quick and easy way to inject a burst of  colour joy. So don’t discount doors and architraves as a fun way to play with colour, but only if you have nice ones. 
On the PODCAST today @mad_about_the_house and I discuss more ways you can make do. I interview leading interior designer and queen of colour and pattern @nicolahardingandco who has amazing insights on how to go about planning your schemes, conjure mouthwatering colour palettes and work with what you’ve got. And our style surgery is from Callum who finds himself stuck with a shiny blue green sofa which he doesn’t love and doesn’t know what to put with. Obviously cover it with cushions and distract the eye with A bright yellow door Callum! 

If you have a question for our style surgery do please send it in as we are lining them up for the next series and we’d love to hear from you! Drop us an email to thegreatindoorspod@gmail.com.You can here all our ramblings and insights on today’s show The Great Indoors and thankyou to @katetaylorldn for producing the show. 

#thegreatindoors #bluesofa #yellowdoor #banthebeige #interiorspodcast #podcast #interiordesign #interiorinspo
DAY 16 of #easywininteriors and I’m extolling th DAY 16 of #easywininteriors and I’m extolling the benefits of an occasional chair. I’ve always loved occasional chairs primarily for their decorative function. I’m a patterned fabric addict and so an occasional chair I’d another opportunity to add more pattern, more colour and another cushion to boot! But during these extended periods of lock down and staying at home I’ve appreciated the quiet little corners they offer. I’m lucky enough to find a space for one here on my landing but they can also find a home in a bedroom, a home office, under the stairs or indeed #lifegoals in the bathroom. So rather than playing second fiddle to THE SOFA put your occasional chair in pride of place and grab yourself 5 minutes solitude! Most of mine are junk shop funds bought back to live with my hoarded stash of remnant fabrics. So it’s time to raid grannies attic and  create a seat that makes you smile . 🥰  use the hashtags #easywininteriors to share your favourite corners of escape.

#easywininteriors #vintagearmchair #armchair #occassionalchair #colourlover #banthebiege
DAY 15 of #easywininteriors and I’m having a re DAY 15 of #easywininteriors  and I’m having a reshuffle on the bookcase to celebrate the happy Back To School vibes! 🙌 YES! This one is a work in progress because sorting your books as to the spine colour can be really meditative! I’m excited for you guys to share your colour coded bookcases using the hashtag #easywininteriors because I’ve seen some amazing examples on here! This idea can also include colour coding your ornaments or glassware collection too. Somehow grouping them in blocks  just intensifies the colour and I love the 🌈 effect. Happy faffing! 

#interiorinspo #interiorstyling #colourlover #banthebeige #faffthegaff #bookshelf #shelfie #shelfiestyling #rainbow #rainbowstyle #mycolourfulinterior #colourfulhomevibe
DAY 13 of #easywininteriors and Sundays here are o DAY 13 of #easywininteriors and Sundays here are often the day I get the house in order before the week starts again. It’s laundry day, the on-line shop gets done and if I can be bothered I might do some batch cooking. 💪 But the garden is also pulling our attention at this time of year and I spent yesterday picking up twigs that have littered the garden after the high winds and piled it all up for kindling. Satisfying! I’m not a naturally tidy or organised person  but I do feel like I’m winning at life once chores have been done and everything is in it’s place. And here lies the easy win. If you have systems in place it makes it so much easier! This shoe storage was game changing. Before the hall was littered with shoes and bags that I was always tripping over. So planning your storage and then using it is key to creating order and an element of calm. And once the storage is fit to bursting, it’s time to have a declutter. How do you keep the house feeling orderly and calm and do you use Sunday as a Sort It day too? #sortitsunday 

CREDITS walls in Lazuli and woodwork in Perfect white @zoffanyfw . Havana Bauta cement Tiles @claybrookstudio . Fabrics are vintage and @thestripescompany . Stair runner @roger_oates 

#easywininteriors #colourlover #banthebeige #hallwaydecor #hallway #interiorinspo #declutter #storageideas #shoestorage
DAY 12 of #easywininteriors and I’m back in the DAY 12 of #easywininteriors and I’m back in the bedroom and enjoying a well earned lie in this morning! My morning routine has been really important to me during lock down. In  his brilliant book ‘think like a monk’ @jayshetty talks about how a positive morning ritual sets you up for the day. Similarly a good night time ritual sets you up for a good nights sleep. Styling up your bedroom  to support these ideas really helps! I’ve taken to setting my wake up alarm an hour before the rest of the house so I can enjoy some quiet solitude before the day gets going. I make my coffee in my favourite mug and spend a while reading or exercising. But no phone scrolling! My bedside is laid out with everything I need including a big pile of books and a dish for my watch and specs. I charge my phone in the kitchen to keep it away from temptation! Admittedly I’ve never had a problem sleeping but I was hardly what you’d call a morning person. Now it’s my favourite time of the day! Have a gorgeous lazy weekend folks x

CREDITS wallpaper @mollymahonblockprinting bedside table is vintage. Lamp @pookylights Vases and dishes all vintage. Pillows and duvet @cocoandwolf Flat sheet and bedthrow @societyofwanderers 

#easywininteriors #bedroomdecor #countrybedroom #colourfiedhomes #colourstylehome #colourlover #banthebeige #patternclash #interiorstyling #interiordesign #interiorinspo #faffthegaff
DAY 11 of #easywininteriors and we are over half w DAY 11 of #easywininteriors and we are over half way there! Whoop whoop, March is  just nine short days away! And I can feel the Spring vibes! It’s getting lighter, the bluebells are coming and the birds are singing! But back to it, we’ve got work to do! Today I’m sharing how I switch my home from working day to home time, without leaving the house. It’s so important for our mental health that we can make that transition. I’ve worked from home for years so I’ve always done this, but I find it essential to tidy my desk/kitchen table at the end of everyday and get it out of sight. This often means piling up all my paper work, laptop, pen pot and putting it all into a tray. And if you don’t have a deep tray a cardboard box does the job. Then hide it in the cupboard, pop it on a shelf or slide it under the table. The key is that you can’t see it and it doesn’t encroach on your non-work life. Out of sight out of mind kind of thing. 
And you might notice in the back of this shot is my 2021 vision board. I keep this in my view everyday as it helps keep me focused, uplifted and motivated. Im hosting a live webinar next Tuesday on how and why I create vision boards for every aspect of my life, including my interiors. If you’d like to join me it’s 7pm 23/02/21 and I can promise a fun, creative and enlightening evening! Link to book is up in my bio if you fancy getting a boost of inspiration towards creating your dream home. 

Happy Friday and have a lovely weekend 😍

#workingfromhome #myhomeoffice #interiorstyling #visionboard #interiorinspo #interiorinspiration #homeoffice #creativeworkspace #colourlover #colourcolorlovers #banthebeige
DAY 9 of #easywininteriors and I’m going to make DAY 9 of #easywininteriors and I’m going to make it super easy after yesterday’s kitchen cupboard love, which I’ll be honest, felt a bit strenuous! So today is all about creating as simple but effective styling moment; a trio of vases. Three seems to be the magic number when it comes to styling your objects and I have a few tips . I like to make sure there is a mixture of sizes, colour and textures but all held together with a theme. These three work because they’re  all vintage, Picked up from various car boot sales over the years! You can create little trios all over your home from the sideboards, book shelves, worktops, bathrooms and side tables. Push the tall one to the back and bring the small one to the fore but it’s the lack of symmetry that makes it pleasing. And you don’t have to stop with just vases, a trio of objects works with picture frames, ornaments and candle sticks too. 

#easywininteriors #vintagestyle #howivintage #myvintagehome #interiorstyling #interiorstyle #interiorinspo #colourlover #banthebeige
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