Most people treat their colour chart like a menu - pick one thing you like, go home. But the designers who get genuinely stunning results? They're using it differently. They're building tonal schemes. And once you understand how, it changes everything. What Is a Tonal Colour Scheme? A tonal scheme uses shades from the same colour family - moving from lighter to darker across walls, woodwork, ceilings, or rooms. Think of it as a gradient for your home: cohesive, layered, and effortlessly considered. It's the reason some rooms feel finished before a single piece of furniture goes in. The colour...

If you own a period property, you've probably learnt the hard way that not all paint is made for old walls. Blistering, flaking, damp patches that won't dry out - these aren't age problems. They're paint problems. Specifically, they're what happens when you trap moisture inside a wall that was built to breathe. This is where Claypaint comes in. And if you have lime plaster walls, or any kind of traditional breathable surface, it's not just a nice-to-have. It's the right call. Heritage properties need breathable paint. And Breathe Claypaint pictured. Why Old Houses Need Breathable Paint Before the 1920s,...

Walk into almost any home in the UK and look up. Brilliant white. It's the default - not because it's the right choice, but because most people don't really question it. But we're questioning it. Your ceiling makes up a significant portion of the visual space in any room. Leaving it pure white while the rest of your scheme is carefully considered is a bit like choosing the perfect outfit and then forgetting to think about the shoes. The room never quite lands the way it should. "Even a slight shift from pure white, to something with obvious undertones can...

The spring is a popular time to put a property on the market. Will Williams, Soto Gardens Creative Director and winner of several RHS medal-winning gardens, explains how to instantly add kerb appeal to your property.  Make the best first impression Your front garden is an extension of your home, it is the first thing people see, and it should reflect the design direction of your property, is it sleek and modern or is it traditional and elegant. The front garden sets the scene for the rest of your home. Introduce a cohesive colour palette to match your interior style....

So you've stuck your Peel and Stick colour samples to your wall, picked a colour, and decided on your new design. Next comes the painting, and if DIY isn't your thing, then hiring a professional painter is your next best option. Hiring a professional painter costs around £150 - 200 per day, which usually works out around £400 for a medium-sized room. If you can't or don't want to do it yourself, it can be well worth the investment to get the job done quickly and to a professional standard. Let's run through some tips to help you hire the...

As an interior designer, I love experimenting with rich, deep tones to bring sophistication, depth, and warmth into a home. Recently, I’ve used COAT’s beautifully bold dark colours in my own living room, dining room, and hallway to achieve that perfect balance. In the UK, where natural daylight can often be limited, many people shy away from dark paint colours out of concern that they’ll make a space feel smaller or gloomier. However, I’ve found the opposite to be true. A deep, rich colour can add incredible depth and warmth while enhancing the perception of spaciousness. For example, in my...