Innovative paint company Little Greene appears to be one step ahead in terms of interior design trends with ‘Blue’, its latest pioneering foray into paint and wallpapers.
Following 2013’s successful ‘Grey’ colour card, the fashion-inspired ‘Blue’ collection channels the coolest look on the catwalk. Comprising 21 paint shades, 17 of which have not been published by the company before, it represents blue at its very best.
Dispelling the myth that blue is a cold colour, the palette encompasses a wide spectrum of tones, from confident indigo to calm linen hues. And that’s not all!
There is also the seductive ‘Ultra Blue’, a uniquely pigmented colour, which is mixed by hand in Little Greene’s paint factory and will only be available as a limited edition paint.
Alongside the paints, Little Greene has also produced a new compendium of ’20th Century Papers’, which comprises the most popular designs from three previous collections: Retrospective Papers, Oriental Papers and 50s Line Papers.
Existing designs have been re-mastered to harmonise with the ‘Blue’ paint range. A ‘brand new’ 1950s design, ‘Zingara’, has been added: a striking line drawing of boats resting at anchor, derived from a John Line collection in the Whitworth archive.
Working equally effectively in a classic or contemporary setting, and as flat colour or in pattern, the blue spectrum is vast.
As a hue, blue is especially desirable in the northern hemisphere, where the light enhances the blue pigment. Blues are also known to aid concentration – so perfect for contemplating your next interior design scheme.
David Mottershead, Managing Director of Little Greene, said: “Blue is the richest of colours, and historically the most expensive to produce.
“In art, blue paint was reserved for depicting royalty, dignitaries and religious figures and still, to this day, holds the same luxurious appeal and hypnotic allure.
“Many people fear to use blue because of its reputation as being cold and masculine – we can show a new way with this carefully edited collection and make blue more useable than ever.”
Little Greene’s ‘Blue’ collection is the go-to destination for blues to suit all tastes, personalities and interior schemes – from lively and invigorating hues to sombre, moody tones – and with evocative names such as Dock Blue, Moon Shadow, Smalt and Livid they are all simply irresistible. Added to the mix are some firm favourites such as Bone China Blue, Celestial Blue and Hicks’ Blue.
Ultra Blue (LIMITED EDITION): The jewel in this paint collection, Little Greene makes this limited edition colour in small batches using a single pigment: Ultramarine. Originally extracted from Lapis Lazuli by the Venetians in the 14th century, and having a value greater than gold, this pigment was, until c1520, exclusively reserved for the depiction of the robes of the Virgin Mary.
Delicate Blue: Offering just a hint of colour, this linen-blue shade will intensify considerably when used with a brighter white.
Pale Wedgwood: A colour derived from the 18th century blue ‘Jasperware’, popularised by the innovative industrialist Josiah Wedgwood at his Etrurian pottery in Staffordshire.
Arquerite: The mineral arquerite is an amalgam of silver and mercury, and this warm grey shade will sit very comfortably against similar materials in the home; a natural partner for silver, chrome and steel.
Woad: A popular blue pigment used to dye fabrics in medieval times, woad is a plant extract that produces a charming muted-indigo quality. A perfect backdrop to gilded picture frames.
Dock Blue: With its deep indigo hue, Dock Blue is a generous and indulgent colour: a little warmer than its greener sister shade, Royal Navy.
Regency Blue: A bold, signature shade in Regency times, a combination of the newly invented Prussian Blue pigment and a traditional lead-white base gave this beautiful pastel blue its vibrancy and greenish undertone.
Route One: Taking its name from the meeting of sun and sky on California’s Pacific Route 1 highway, this alluring shade provides an instant azure blue for interiors and lush exterior spaces too.
Smalt: The origins of smalt as a pigment – the encapsulation of cobalt into glass – date from as far back as 200BC. This technique resurfaced and rose to the height of popularity in the 18th century.
Mazarine: A truly neutral blue, not too green or violet, this stunning centrepiece shade takes its name from the tips of the wings of the Mazarine Blue butterfly.
Royal Navy: A sumptuous blend of Royal Blue and Navy Blue, this is a charismatic alternative to dark grey or black in a neutral colour scheme.
Pale Berlin: The Regency period was known for its delicate pastels and the popular Berlin Blue, another key colour during this era, used Prussian Blue as a pigment from which this reduction is derived.
Old School Blue: Little Greene’s research on 20th century colours unearthed this gem, originally cited as ‘Bermuda’, though its actual source is distinctly more north-west England!
Air Force Blue: Historically, Air Force Blue is in fact a generic term for a multitude of shades, mixed by individual squadrons. This version is deeper and richer than some; even more so when used on all the walls of a room.
Moon Shadow: The name of this classic 20th century shade was not inspired by a colourful lunar cast, rather the hue of the earth as seen by man, from the moon’s surface in 1969.
Celestial White: The reduction of our timeless and ever-popular Celestial Blue into a versatile white.
Livid: Tempered with black, ‘livid’ blues range from pink to green; this version is a deep, moody yet restful shade, sitting somewhere between blue, green and grey.
Celestial Blue: A dusky sky blue tone found on a rare surviving paint colour card of 1807.
Marine Blue: A confident 1950s blue, cited as being particularly effective when used in combination with a pale grey or a coral red.
Bone China Blue: A gentle understated blue tone from the 1930s, warmer and more muted than Pale Wedgwood.
Hicks’ Blue: David Hicks, one of the most important designers of the 60s and 70s, used this blue in the restaurant at the top of the London Telecom Tower in 1962.
In keeping with Little Greene’s quality-assurance, all shades on the ‘Blue’ colour card are available in the full range of traditional and modern paint finishes, with the exception of the limited edition Ultra Blue (available in sample pots and 2.5L Absolute Matt Emulsion only).
Moreover, the ‘flying chips’ on the hand-finished colour card are accurate samples of both colour and finish, being made from actual paint direct from a tin of environmentally friendly Absolute Matt Emulsion rather than in a factory-matched ink.
‘Blue’ and ’20th Century Papers’ will be launched at Decorex in late September 2015 and will be available nationally and internationally through Little Greene’s network of distributors, as well as via mail and phone order and online at www.littlegreene.com.
This story was written by Andrew Batt, Group Editor of Dot Property Group. Send your news, views, press releases and comments to him at [email protected].
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