My bedroom was looking tired and needed redecorating. Previously painted white, there were a lot of marks on the walls from being knocked by the hoover and the windows were peeling from the sun (this southeast-facing room gets all-day sunshine). While I wanted to keep this room painted in a neutral tone as it is such a light and bright space, I also wanted to bring in colour both in subtle and fun ways to warm it up a bit. The previously white walls made the room feel light and fresh, but it didn’t make it feel particularly inviting or cosy. This time with the redecoration, I wanted to pick shades that complemented the light that streamed through. As it was summertime when I redecorated this space, I was influenced by the tones of the late evening sunsets that were at that time filling this room with a hazy, pinkish hue.
I decided that what this bedroom required were shades with red pigments and undertones that would warm up the space and make it feel cosier. I was drawn to using pink on the walls, but I really did not want to go ‘pink’: pastel pinks or baby pinks I am not keen on and wanted to avoid, while I wasn’t feeling the dusky, plaster pinks, either. After testing out a few colours, I discovered ‘Hammock’ by Little Greene Paint Company: a warm neutral with a pink base that is not overtly a pink shade. I painted the walls, woodwork, window shutters and built-in wardrobes in this colour while using ‘Ferdinand’ - a pink-tinged white - on the ceiling for contrast.
To add in a bit of fun and some real depth, I decided to paint the sash window frames in ‘Arras’, a deep reddish-brown shade and a colour that I’ve wanted to use in my home for a long time! While I had a few raised eyebrows when I told people what colour I wanted the windows to be, I totally think my gamble paid off. I love the look and the red windows lift the whole scheme.
