In the historic market town of Wimborne Minster, two charming holiday cottages have been transformed with colour. The local institution behind their makeover? Paint manufacturer Farrow & Ball, which has had its home in the county of Dorset for over 75 years.

The Cottages
The cottages – named Apple and Plum after their picturesque orchard location – have been playing host to holidaymakers for years. But owner Ali started to feel that their all-neutral look wasn’t embracing their full, cosy potential.

Unsure where to start, she enlisted Farrow & Ball Colour Curator Joa Studholme to help enhance these already characterful spaces with well-chosen pops of colour.

Apple
Pink and green is a flattering combination that can be used in all styles of property, and it’s been put to excellent use in Apple Cottage.

Downstairs, Pink Ground has been taken all over the walls and ceiling in the kitchen and entryway, creating a soft cocooning effect punctuated by a rich woodwork colour – the Archive shade Monkey Puzzle.

Deeper into the ground floor, cult favourite Smoked Trout and sophisticated Card Room Green have been used to create similarly immersive spaces in the bedroom and bathroom, using one of Joa’s favourite tricks: painting skirting boards in the same colour as the walls.

Finally, the upstairs bedrooms present a masterclass in layering colour. Keeping the walls light and subtle (in French Gray and Light Blue, respectively) a pop of colour is provided by the bed frames and headboards, each using a darker shade from the same colour family.

Plum
With Plum Cottage, Joa and Ali took a slightly different tack. As guests enter the cottage through the kitchen, they are greeted with a dramatic space painted all over in deep Preference Red.

Another of Joa’s favourite pieces of advice is to not be afraid of colour in small spaces, which many of us would be tempted to keep as light as possible. “Counterintuitively, it makes the space feel larger,” says Joa, “because you can’t see the distinction between the walls and the units.”

It also makes the rest of the downstairs, painted in School House White and grey-green Pigeon, feel even brighter and airier in comparison.

Upstairs, soft shades of pink and green make another welcome appearance, this time in the form of Setting Plaster and Mizzle – the latter named after the West Country dialect term for a misty drizzle.

Need a helping hand with colour?
Farrow & Ball colour consultancy, the service used to bring Apple and Plum cottages to life, is also available to designers and specifiers. Designed to take the stress out of choosing colours and finishes, it allows the brand’s expert Colour Consultants to share advice that’s precisely tailored to the needs of the property and client.

Email specification@farrow-ball.com for more information.