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13 Dec 18

The Great Indoors Podcast S1 Episode 6 show notes

The Great Indoors podcast presenters Kate Watson Smyth and Sophie Robinson discuss if designer paint is worth the money

In episode 6 of Series one of The Great Indoors Podcast we discuss if we think designer paint is worth the money, we share our pick of new book launches to inspire you and finally how to plan the hallway. You can find out where to listen to the Great Indoors here.

Is designer paint worth the money?

First of all what does it cost…

Designer paint like Farrow & Ball and Little Greene: 2.5 litres of emulsion paint £40-45

Mass manufactured paint like Dulux and Crown: 2.5ltrs of emulsion paint from around £15- £18

India Yellow, Green Smoke and Wimborne White emulsion, Farrow & Ball

Key points:

  • Paint is the one of most transformative things you can do to a room so worth investing in.
  • We agreed that picking the right colour is key to the success of a room
  • Designer paint brands give you a great edit. UK designer paint brands are great at palettes that suit the Northern hemisphere and our blue light. Dulux has over 3,000 colours on offer
  • Designer paints have natural pigments that increase the quality and depth of colour
  • Designer paint has a softer chalkier feel, although this can mark more easily and needs repainting more frequently so consider the traffic in the room before picking the paint finish.
  • Use a large piece of paper to paint your tester pot onto – check out my video here
  • Mylands have a finish called marble matt, which has a matt finish, and scrubbable. Crushed Italian Carrara marble is added making it the most durable premium paint on the market (class 1 scrub test).
Sophie Robinson and Kate Watson Smyth discuss if designer paint is worth the money. this blue living room with geometric floor and deep blue walls is by Eco paint brand Earth born

Consider eco paint brands like Earthborn paints too

  • Decorators are generally happy with the performance of Dulux
  • It’s often hard to successfully match designer paints to the Dulux mixing system, as they can only match a Dulux colour closest on their 3,000 swatch list
  • Valspar claim that they will colour match to a colour you bring in however, again the pigments used and finish will be different.
  • Farrow & Ball is reputably (word from professional decorators I’ve spoken to)  thinner than many other paint brands and therefore requires more coats, which should be taken into account when budgeting time and money.
  • In summary use more affordable paint where the wall colour isn’t so important to the overall scheme and invest in designer paint when a particular colour nuance is critically important.
  • If you are on a very tight budget, then it’s not necessary, as the colour choice and performance from the trade brands is good.

Como Blue and Musk Pink, Elite emulsion by Zoffany

 

Our book launch recommendations

Love Colour: Choosing colours to live with by Anna Starmer.

Beautiful musings on colour, great pictures and inspirational colour palettes to kick-start your room schemes.

Sophie says “ The book that I wished I’d written”

Instagram @luminary_colour Website luminarycolour.com Buy the book here

Be Bold: Interiors for the brave at heart by Emily Henson.

Interior stylist Emily Henson shares practical ideas and advises how to use bold colour and maximalist styling in your home. How to mix pattern and colour as well as plenty of unusual styling ideas.

Instagram @lifeunstyled Website emilyhensonstudio.com Buy the book here

Conscience creativity: Look. Connect. Create by Philippa Stanton

Inspirational and practical guide on how to untap your creativity by big hit instagrammer 5ftinf. An essential book to have in your library for anyone needing to remotely tap into their creativity.

Instagram @5ftinf  Website 5ftinf.com Buy the book here

Design Crimes

Sophie declares an armistice on design crimes this month, as Christmas is the one time of year to embrace all the design crimes. Tinsel, flashing Santas and poinsettias are all allowed in wild abandon. Bring on the naff-ness!

 

How to plan the hallway

The ever so smart hallway of Kate Watson-Smyth . Stair runner in Quirky B Dotty in Damson by alternative flooring. Walls painted in Winbourne white by Farrow and Ball. Bookcase wallpaper by Young & Battaglia at mineheart design.

  • Make a big statement in your hallway with bold design statements to create an impactful first impression
  • Paint your hallway a dark colour to make the rooms off it appear lighter
  • Consider a bright or bold patterned stair runner to draw your eye up the stairs.
  • Go bolder than you dare in the hallway as you only have to walk through it
  • When renovating your home, decorate the hallway last when all the builders have left
  • Hallways are a great place to display artwork
  • Consider feature wallpaper up the double height wall and accentuate the height of this wall
  • Hang a stunning piece of artwork or wallpaper on the landing at the top of the stairs to draw the light up
  • In dark hallways hang a large mirror. If it can be positioned opposite an open doorway this can increase the sense of light and space.
  • Don’t store all your coats in a small hallway if it chokes up the space
  • Consider shoe storage. A basket and/or a shoe bench works well
  • Plenty of sturdy hooks at heights for bags, and coats. You can even give each member of the family their own hook.
  • Chose practical finishes like hard flooring and scrubbable paint.
  • The inside of your front door is an opportunity to add an accent colour, don’t just leave it white!
interopr designer Sophie Robinsons hallway is painted in Zoffanys Lazuli blue and has a bright pink stair runner. The cement tiles are by Claybrook studio

My hallway is painted in Lazuli by Zoffany. Henley bright rose stair runner by Roger Oates. Havana cement tiles by Claybrook Studio. Pictures yet to be hung!

Thanks so much to Dfs for sponsoring the series and to Kate Taylor our producer. This is the end of series 1 of the Great Indoors. We will be back in the new year on January 10th with series 2! Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss out. All the available places to listen and subscribe are linked on my Podcast page here.

 

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Relaxed wild flowers are having their moment. The Relaxed wild flowers are having their moment. The award winning gardens at the recent Chelsea flower show all showcased wild style flower gardens, celebrating the diversity of nature, supporting wildlife.  Their soft willowy randomness is a lovely antidote to the strict structures of life. I love to see wild flowers ( and a fair fee weeds!) in my garden and in the motifs I choose to decorate my house in. But partnered with a tight geometric creates the tension I enjoy. A little bit of structure, a little bit dishevelled, it is the perfect balance for me, shown here in the patterned tiled floor and botanical print chest. Helps me go with the flow without losing my way. ❤️ are you up for taking it to the wild side?!
Ban the beige hey?! Popping the colour as usual l Ban the beige hey?!

Popping the colour as usual lols. I’m lusting after this green and purple combo right now. What colours are lifting your vibe today?

Tap for credits 😉x 
#bantgebeige #colourlover 
#dopaminedressing
Who else is absolutely struggling today after the Who else is absolutely struggling today after the four day party weekend! I’ve abandoned my desk and resorted to tidying the house instead. Here is a rare glimpse of my sons tidy room! 
While Arthur chose this colour scheme 5 years ago, it’s still going strong but I’ve updated it with a large area rug from @alternativeflooring designed by @margoselbystudio . I’m a BIG FAN of big rugs and what I like about this one is you can order it in a specific size. I recommend 30-50cm clear of the skirting boards all round, tucked under the bed and armchair it feels luxurious and fills the room with more colour and pattern. Floors often go unthought of but is another place to add impact to your schemes. ✅

CREDITS [ad: press product]
Walls painted Atomic red, ceiling gentle sky @littlegreenepaintcompany 
Made to measure rug in Margo Selby loop @alternativeflooring Pouffe in Aluro green @evasonaike 
Blind made in textile Hawai by Joseph Franks @svenskttenn 
Bed linen in liberty Margaret Annie @cocoandwolf 
Kantha bed throw by @matthewwilliamson at @johnlewis 
Bed bolster in Casper Seagreen @linwood_fabric 
Cushions @finecellwork 
Wire Shelf @cotswoldco 
seletti bird lamp @amaraliving 
Armchair is vintage 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto 

#bedroom #boysroom #kidsroom #banthebeige #colourlover #mycolourfulinterior #colourfulhome
Happy jubilee! It has been a weekend of parties an Happy jubilee! It has been a weekend of parties and celebrations and a much needed 4 day break! I felt like a queen in this @needleandthreadlondon gown for the school jubilee ball and am wearing it again tonight for the @thefeverclub jubilee shenanigans. Dancing is so good for the soul, I’ve not done enough of it for too long! Feet are feeling it though so I’m ditching the heels and wearing the air max  with this dress tonight! How have you celebrated this weekend? 

Ad @needleandthreadlondon dress bought with press discount. 
#schoolball #ballgown  #costperwear #redress #jubilee #platinumjubilee
According to some recent research 24% of us look t According to some recent research 24% of us look to friends and family for design Inspiration, 21% to makeover tv shows and 18% to instagram. But while it’s great gathering ideas and opinions, ultimately creating a stylish home has to come from you if you are going to love the home you live in. The extraordinary Colour Psychology framework helps you unlock the colour palette that is perfect for you and gives you the superpower to create rooms that feel as good as they look. Suddenly other peoples opinions, trends, and influencers no longer hold sway. Creating a home is deeply personal, an exploration of what makes YOU happy. For me it’s all about the pattern, texture and plenty of intense colour. Tasteful grey interiors leave me feeling flat, I love the energy of a colour clash! If you want to understand your relationship with colour and how to design schemes that affect your emotions in a positive way, this is the last weekend to enrol in my online course, Colour Psychology for interiors. You can find the link to learn more up in my bio. It’s my most popular course to date and has transformed the way thousands of people feel about their interior spaces. 
Let me know what your happy colours are down in the comments below. 

Tap for credits 

📷 @aluncallenderphoto styling @katemcphee #colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebeige #ihavethisthingwithcolour #myeclectichome #patternclash #maximalistdecor #colourcourse #mycolourfulinterior #punchyhome #cosyhome #countryliving #bedroom
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 #skyglass #ad 

#banthebeige #colourlover #livingroomdecor #livingroom #maximalistinteriors #livingroomdecore #livingroomdecorideas #homestyle #instahomedecor #chintz #colourmyhome #colourmehappy #cushionlove #styleithappy #florals #gallerywall #berberrugs #ihavethisthingwithpatterns #ihavethisthingwithcolour
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#rhschelsea
This is the first room we decorated after our reno This is the first room we decorated after our renovations. The entrance to your home creates the first impression. It’s also the room you walk into first thing in the morning and when you return home at the end of a long day. It needs to create the right welcome and what that feels like is hugely personal. For me I chose my favourite colours, this powerful cobalt  blue has always been a colour I’m drawn to. My wardrobe is full of it. And the bright pink is another one that always makes me instantly happy. Together they are a striking combination and I think anyone who walks through my front door, immediately gets a sense of what I’m about. I’m passionate about creating interiors that authentically  reflect the people who live there. Studying the psychology of colour made it so much easier for me, giving me a deeper understanding on the affects of colour and streamlining my process. If you’d like to know how to unlock your colour super power, join me for a free webinar this Wednesday evening (available to up for 48 hours after). It an introduction into colour psychology for interiors and my hope is it inspires you to have the courage and conviction to know what’s right for you.  And for a deeper dive my online course Colour Psychology for interiors has opened for enrolment. All links to sign up are in my bio on my profile @sophierobinsoninteriors 
What does your hallway say about you? 
📷 @aluncallenderphoto 
CREDITS walls in lazuli by @zoffanyfw stair runner @roger_oates floor tiles @claybrookstudio door painted in rose ash @sanderson1860 

#colourpsychology #colourpsychologyforinteriors #banthebiege #punchyhome #hallway #boldcolourinteriors #colourlover
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