Inspiration from the Hall for your home

Choosing a colour scheme which suits your lifestyle and property can be challenging, whether you live in a castle or a cottage. Claire Birch, owner of Doddington Hall, welcomed Lincolnshire Life to her home and estate, where Farrow & Ball’s richly pigmented paints are used to great effect in public and private spaces.

Inspiration for the distinctive palettes synonymous with Farrow & Ball has been drawn from historic archives, reflecting period decor over many centuries. The company’s paint colour consultants work with Doddington to identify historic samples, which are still being found as work is completed on room renovations. Claire explained that in the Long Gallery, where the walls are painted in Dayroom Yellow, a panel of bright blue paint is left exposed to illustrate the colour scheme of the early 18th century. “More recently, striking Rectory Red was used as the backdrop to showcase curated collections of china and ceramics during last summer’s Ceramics Exhibition – these cabinets and display cases are now a permanent feature in the Hall,” she said.

TIMELESS CHOICES
The colour rich but subdued, natural tones of the Farrow & Ball range appear to change, depending on the light qualities of British seasons, as anyone who has used their paint previously will have experienced.

“There is a timeless quality to the choices, but we carefully select our colours as the house evolves. A good example is in the Holly Bathroom, which is used as an exhibition and interpretation space. It is next to the Holly Bedroom where the recently conserved Doddington tapestries are once more vibrant with blues and greens. Lichen, a soft green, was the perfect choice to visually unite the two spaces.”

COLOUR AND COVER
The unrivalled quality of the product was one of the most important criteria for utilising Farrow & Ball‘s products for the estate. “Durability and suitability were equally important as the palette,” said Claire, “especially in our public rooms which are open through the year.” Across the estate a co-ordinated scheme features Farrow & Ball’s archive colour, Monkey Puzzle on all exterior doors and Strong White on all interior doors faced by the public. Individual but complementary schemes feature in The Coach House, the Café, Cycle Shop and holiday cottages.

THE LIBRARY
One of the most recent and striking refurbishments has been in the Library where Railings, a very soft black, has been used on the walls as the perfect foil for, amongst other artefacts, James Birch’s collection of white marble busts. The dramatic colour also complements the existing, patterned linen curtains which have been refurbished and their vibrant highlights picked up in soft furnishings and furniture upholstery.

PREMIUM STOCKIST
Doddington at Home, the interiors store located within the estate’s retail complex, is a Premium Farrow & Ball Stockist for paints and wallpapers so Claire and her team of curators and craftsmen do not have to travel far for advice and the largest stock of the range in the area.

Shop manager, Victoria Piperissa and staff have all trained with Farrow & Ball to give expert advice to customers on how they can make the most of the range in their own homes, whether that be a period or contemporary property. The quirky names chosen for some colours such as Elephant’s Breath and Mouse’s Back have established their own place in the lexicon of interior decoration but this year sixteen new colours have been launched, separate to the 132 main palette, as we see the new Colour By Nature collection in collaboration with the Natural History Museum.

EXPLORE THE FARROW & BALL STUDIO
The choice could be almost overwhelming, but Victoria and her staff are on hand to give confidence and reassurance to customers. “You may be a long-term customer wanting to refresh your interior or a new homeowner stepping into the Studio for the first time,” Victoria said. “We are here to have a tailored conversation about your lifestyle and tastes. We find some people love colour and others are less bold, but choices will affect the mood of your home. Farrow & Ball give us and you the prefect tools for toning combinations.” There are painted examples which illustrate finishes, fabric and wallpaper books and samples. Browse through interior design books by Joa Studholme, the Colour Curator at Farrow & Ball, as well as pick accessories such as brushes and pastes to help you achieve a sophisticated, completed effect.

DECORATE WITH CONFIDENCE
Depending on your lifestyle, there is the Modern range of washable paints to add to the chalky matt Estate Emulsion range, all water based, child friendly and with Farrow & Ball’s market leading environmental credentials. The handy sample sizes allow you to experiment with your scheme in your home before work begins. Painted interiors can give the optical illusion of creating space, height and additional intimacy or drama so make the most of the advice from the Doddington team to create your perfect combination.

“People tell us they get unending pleasure from creating the right mood and tone to their home, as well as the personal satisfaction from completing the work. To know that we have helped to achieve this is very rewarding.”

If you would like to explore Farrow & Ball paints, wallpapers and fabrics for your home contact: Farrow and Ball Premium Stockist, Doddington at Home, Doddington Hall, Lincoln LN6 4RU, Tel: 01522 812512, www.doddingtonhall.com

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