SIGNS OF SPRING
This recent sunshine has been so very welcome. Signs of spring are abundant (that pink blossom!) and suddenly we’ve got a tingle of energy to clean, dust and plump. We’ve been hiding in our homes for months and are naturally craving a post-hibernation change. Fear not, loads of us catch the spring decorating bug and luckily, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Little Greene to create a couple of on-trend but immensely liveable schemes to help you on your way.
Let's bring you that breath of spring air to your home that you might just be craving.
GROUNDED CITRON
For our first scheme we wanted all the zing and sweet freshness of a citron lemon - using our yellow stripe Bella sofa and pale oak Enkel and Kyoto furniture, this scheme has plenty of freshness. But rather than follow the pastel route, we opted for giving the scheme a sense of being grounded by using Little Greene’s Light Bronze Green. Imagine the darkest patch on a lemon leaf - that’s the tone. And by referring back to nature’s palette, we knew it would work.
Little Greene’s Creative Director, Ruth Mottershead, says, “Rich, sumptuous browns like Light Bronze Green are perfect for creating restful living spaces that bring comfort to the home and envelop a space. This hue works wonderfully as an alternative to a neutral, or where you might previously have considered black, charcoal or a dark blue, bringing a calm and warm atmosphere to an interior. With their earthy tones, browns are a subtle nod to nature and work wonderfully with natural materials such as stone, wood, wicker and rattan finishes.”
Deep, muted walls can really lend themselves to showcasing colourful furniture. Don’t be daunted to venture towards bright tones and patterns on your sofas and chairs - they are, after all, the hero of your living room. Make that design choice count.
Ruth adds, “Don’t be afraid to embrace darker browns. Using a deep brown shade on all walls will work equally well in a grand space or a small room with limited natural light. Instead of trying to make a small room feel bigger, select a deep, pigmented shade to embrace the character of the space. When used across all elements, dark brown hues can really envelop a small dark room, adding impact and drama to your scheme.”
A bold patterned sofa calls for careful consideration when it comes to cushions. It’s tempting to go plain, but stripes are ALWAYS happy with more stripes - playing with the scale of them can be fun too. A small touch of aquamarine in the textiles and the glassware lifts this look - it just gives it a pop of modernity and freshness - that much craved for feeling right now.
EARTHY CARAMEL
Our second scheme is a warmer, more comforting approach to decorating a room. This time, a rusty pink takes centre stage. Rusts, pinks, caramels and toffee tones all combine harmoniously against a backdrop of Little Greene’s Clay. Instantly inviting, liveable and warm.
About this colour, Ruth says, “Neutrals are a wonderful choice if you’re looking to create a sense of peace and relaxation. Warm stone colours such as Clay are perfect for creating restful living spaces that bring comfort to the home throughout the seasons.”
The palette may be more neutral and classic but think of this as giving us a safe place to test out some bolder design choices. Here we’ve layered the Bella sofa (in Reef) with the Kandinsky coffee table - a gorgeous stone and dark wood modernist take on what living room furniture can be. Curvy shapes are then reflected again in the Compton sideboard’s rattan arches.
What really makes this scheme sing is its natural textures: cottons, woods, wool, stone and rattan all naturally sit happily together. You can really play on that by adding accessories using natural materials such as wooden lamps, plants and stoneware bowls.
Ruth adds, “Colours with earthy undertones are becoming more popular than ever as we seek to connect more with our natural environment. These comforting tones are perfect for bringing warmth to bedrooms and living spaces and can be used in an all-over scheme for a cocooning feel.”
OUR TOP 5 SPRING DECORATING TIPS
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Choose a palette from nature and trust that whatever you select from the palette will just work.
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Don’t be afraid to choose a bold print or colour for your sofa. Its the focus of your lounge, make a statement
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Ruth from Little Greene suggests, “Consider a Double Drenching approach, which is about fully enveloping a space with colour. Use two or more related colours with varying undertones to drench your interior from top to bottom.”
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For tighter spaces, add glass. Be that a mirror, a cabinet or coffee table - it’ll not only shine but give you the illusion of more space
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Ruth’s final tip is: “Introduce wallpaper to add beautiful pattern and texture to your walls. Bolder designs can be used in combination with vibrant coordinating colours, or they can be pared down with complementary neutrals to suit different tastes or spaces.”
SWATCH IT UP
Choices, choices. We know. But decisions are made much easier with the right tools to hand. Rose and Grey offer a completely free fabric swatch service so you can see what your sofa might look like in your living room (and get all touchy feely too).
Paired with either a Little Greene colour card (also complimentary) or a selection of sample pots, you’re halfway there to your spring lounge refresh. Good luck!
To have a look at your next dream sofa and to order swatches at Rose & Grey click here:
https://www.roseandgrey.co.uk/collections/view-all-sofas
And to peruse a host of gorgeous colours by Little Greene, click here:
