Nugget x Farrow & Ball team up to play with color
Nuggeteers know we can’t resist a gorgeous playroom or vibrant play space — especially when it combines inspiring color and holds up to the real-life day-to-day that kids, pets, and family chaos throws at it.
Nugget and handcrafted paint and wallpaper brand Farrow & Ball are teaming up to help you to combine style, creativity, and durability in one of your most-loved spaces: the playroom. Farrow & Ball’s newest highly-durable, ultra-matte paint finish Dead Flat is the perfect playroom solution: It’s washable, wipeable, and scuff-resistant. And best of all, it still comes in all of the eco-friendly, deep, rich paint colors you already love. (Don’t tempt us with a good time.)
Nugget caught up with Farrow & Ball Global Brand Ambassador, Patrick O’Donnell, to chat about how to play with color in your home, how to make your playroom just a little more lifeproof, and what 2024 trends to expect in home interiors.
What does a day in the life of your job look like?
One of the great joys of my job is there is no particular style of day. I could be carrying out a Colour Consultancy in an extraordinary home, filming content for our social media team, writing press quotes for UK & U.S. editorial, or visiting some of the UK’s top interior decorators. However the day rolls, it’s always inspiring and fun!
What advice do you have for families as they try to pick a paint color for playrooms, children’s bedrooms, and other busy areas of their homes?
Don’t overthink it! Choose colours you are naturally drawn to and love. The main consideration though will be suitability, i.e. a finish that will cope with wear & tear of everyday living whilst delivering beauty and joy day in, day out. (Hint: Our new Dead Flat is the perfect proposition — ultra-matte aesthetic with complete washability and wipeability!). Our website is a treasure trove of useful hints and tips to guide you in the right direction.
We love to encourage Nuggeteers to “play” — whether they’re kids or kids at heart. What tips do you have for anyone who wants to play a bit more with color in their homes?
Have fun and think about basic rules of colour psychology to help your choice. More vibrant colours, like orange and yellow, speak of creativity — perfect as accents in a playroom. Whereas blues and greens are more calming and nurturing — your go-to palettes for bedrooms and living rooms. Look for opportunities such as ceilings where you can introduce an element of surprise, such as hand-painted striped ceilings, or even wallpaper.
Do you feel you get to play a lot in your line of work? Where do you seek out new inspiration?
Every day is a kind of play day, whether that be thinking of new possibilities with our colour chart to combine colours in unexpected ways, reading interiors editorial to absorb creative ideas from designers in the industry, or just keeping my eyes wide open when walking the streets. From street art to fashion to even planting in community parks, everything can serve as inspiration if you look. All this informs how I decorate my own space, adding interest with the simple use of paint.
Here at Nugget, we love pairing great colors together for a perfectly stylish look. What are some of your top recommendations for colors that would complement our new cheerful, classic yellow Nugget — Lemonade?
The Lemonade Nugget is so much fun. You really want to play with that character. Something like walls in our classic off white School House White in Dead Flat, whilst painting a fun mural of mountains behind in a series of tonal blues and greens (remember darkest colour in the foreground and lighter in the distance). I’d recommend Kittiwake, Eddy, and Mizzle.
Do you have any other favorite unexpected and fun color combinations with Nugget colors?
Pair Lilypad with Calamine on walls and Strong White on woodwork. Try Atlantis with Yeabridge Green and Cabbage White. Or finally, combine Lolly with Charlotte's Locks and Pointing.
Looking ahead to 2024, what trends do you see coming on the horizon?
The three main trends we’re seeing for 2024 are:
- Mixed and contrasting finishes — like using an ultra-matte finish (Dead Flat) juxtaposed with a high shine finish (Full Gloss) to create interest through mixed sheen levels, rather than just through colour.
- Earth tones — Colours ranging from Setting Plaster and Red Earth to Hay and India Yellow. Those that add warmth and comfort to our homes, but feel modern and fresh. A move away from the ever-popular greens of the last few years.
- Wallpaper — We see wallpaper coming back in unexpected ways: stripes on the ceiling, using paper inside closets, and patterns being used in imaginative ways.
Our thanks to Patrick for his expertise, and to Farrow & Ball for the renewed inspiration to pair our Nugget colors with playful paint choices. Be sure to check out Farrow & Ball’s incredible color selection for your next home interior project. You can follow them on Instagram @FarrowAndBall.
For those inspired by the work from @AtHomeWithAshley, she paired Lemonade with Teresa’s Green in Dead Flat. Stacey at @DesignAddictMom matched Moonshot with Cook’s Blue in Dead Flat on the walls, and Acid Drop from the Archive Collection on the trim.