RECOLOUR: WATTYL

Colour is one of the most important aspects of any room and can really define, make, or break a space - so it's important to choose wisely! If you're wanting to breathe some new life into your space or switch it up and give it a new feel, colour can be the easiest and most effective way to do so! With isolation having kept us in for so long, it's totally understandable if your itching to switch up your everyday scenery.

Just in time for those cabin fever itches, Wattyl has released its 2021 palettes! A powerful palette built on colourful optimism, these tones were designed and matched to use colour as a way to de-stress, nurture and cocoon with the uncertainties of a post-COVID world in mind. Wattyl's colour expert Sarah Stephenson explains how colour is the perfect way to satisfy that craving for wellness, happiness and safety, as well as a way to forge a stronger connection with nature (win, win!). The 2021 colour release is made up of four palettes that deliver an uplifting injection of carefully curated colour, blending the timeless with the contemporary.

“These palettes, designed with a focus on wellness and nurturing, are for painting on walls, for soft furnishings and other decorative elements, from bed linen to artworks. Colour really can transform our home into our sanctuary, something most of us are craving,” explains Sarah Stephenson, Wattyl’s Colour and Design Specialist.

Nourishing Earth Tones

According to Stephenson, natural earth tones will be more important than ever in a post-COVID world - and we totally agree! Warm and nourishing, plant-based colours are the perfect way to help us reconnect with nature and the outdoors after so much time spent inside, and are perfect for the warmer summer weather. Terracotta tones (like Brandy Snap) are a timeless staple and are great for giving the space an authentically natural feel.

Here at TLSE, we love neutral tones for warmer weather, but this earthy palette is totally trans-seasonal and can create a year-round feeling of warmth and cosiness. This palette replaces paler beige tones with richer, warmer honey tones and classic neutrals with mid-tone blues. The Greens are deep and olive and are friendly and organic in feel, so you can have that greenery indoors when you can't be outdoors.

Colours: Brandy Snap, Moccacino, Run Forest, Denim, Honey Honey

Uplifting Lights

Pastels are another thing we can't get enough of here at TLSE, so this palette has us OBSESSED. The gentle pales add a warmth and tactility to minimalist spaces, and are the perfect pairing for natural silks, organic cottons and soft wools. Inspired by a sense of calm and comfort, the Uplifting Lights palette was created to emulate the balance between body and mind, with the sugary hints throughout the dusted pastels evoking a deep sense of harmony.

Colours: Snow Rose, Light Aqua, Cave, China Mauve

Shadowy Darks

Tinted blacks and saturated darks might be emulating exactly how we all have felt so far this year - uncertain, anxious and even a bit fearful. And that's okay! Wattyl's twist on these darker tones takes deep and bland colours gives them a richer, more luxurious feel - giving them a cocooning and comforting feel. Dark colours can be intimidating at times, but this selection the perfect embrace of botanical decorative elements - Stephenson suggests using ribs and curves in architectural details and furniture to balance them out.

Colours: Dark Dream, Black Hole, Deep Forest, Seductress

Humble Whites

Minimalism is still a massive trend, but it seems to be warming up (less pristine). Wattyl introduces personality and emotion into this palette through authenticity, craft and history in both design and materials while still resembling that minimalist essence of functionality. Colours and materials like timber, leather and vegetable-dyed textiles create a mindful ambience of simplicity and purity - something that never goes out of style.

Stephenson recommends comforting hues, natural materials and softened forms to constructing the ultimate look - perfect for adding a calming and restorative feel to any space. This particular palette was designed with the principles of 'wabi-sabi' (imperfect beauty) in mind, adding a new dimension to the artfully worn surfaces and considered imperfections.