How to use evocative heritage colours

Gorgeous heritage colours for classic and contemporary schemes.

Tips from paint experts on how to revitalise your space with gorgeous hues from a bygone era.

Beautiful base

'Warm and earthy, Sunday Stroll is a green with a hint of grey,' says Cathryn Helsby of Earthborn Paints. 'Part of a new collection, it was developed for a project with the Prince's Trust. Combine it with white woodwork in a home office setting for a feeling of calm.' Sunday Stroll Claypaint, £30 for 2.5L, Earthborn

Uptown tone

'Our take on a traditional sage green, this milk paint doesn't just emulate a historical colour, it's made from the same pigments,' says Nick Ronald from Grand Illusions. 'Soothing and sophisticated, it's ideal for a hallway or living room with wooden furniture.' Charleston matt emulsion, £18.95 for 1L, Grand Illusions

Bygone blue

According to Fired Earth's Rob Whitaker, 'Carbon Blue is a majestic blue-black. It's equally at home as a backdrop to traditional soft furnishings, gilt frames and delicate china, or as a key element in a scheme featuring chrome and glass.' Carbon Blue matt emulsion, £35.50 for 2.5L, Fired Earth

Luxury look

'Teal is a Parisian blue-green discovered in an 18th-century Left Bank salon. Create your own salon-inspired style by combining this shade with antique gold furniture and rich silks or pair with soft greys,' says Ruth Mottershead from the Paint and Paper Library. Teal pure flat emulsion, £36 for 2.5L, Paint and Paper Library

Nostalgic neutral

'Pink Ground makes a space look soft edged and lived in,' explains Josephine Rance from Farrow & Ball. 'Rather than being sugary, it's more like a diluted plaster colour and works in most rooms. Use with a slightly stronger shade on the woodwork, like Setting Plaster.' Pink Ground Estate emulsion, £38 for 2.5L, Farrow & Ball

Mellow mood

'Labrador Sands 2 reflects the golds and ochres popular in the Georgian, Victorian and Art Deco periods. Decadent like gold, but with the appearance of well-worn leather, it's really stood the test of time. Pair with bitter chocolate and velvets,' says Dulux'S Rebecca Williamson. Labrador Sands 2 matt emulsion, £24.49 for 2.5L, Dulux

Rich reward

'Originally taken from a 19th century book of paint colours, Bronze Red suggests a sense of grandeur and makes you sit up and take note,' explains Andy Greenall from Little Greene. 'I love to relax reds by teaming with informal floral arrangements and well-loved leather chairs.' Bronze Red matt emulsion, £37 for 2.5L, Little Greene

Antique element

'A rich, dramatic alternative to a neutral, Den Lt is a perfect backdrop for displaying art and antiques. Dimmed lights will add to its mystique. Use it with coppers and rich reds and oranges, or create a cooler look with Sage Grey or Dove Blue,' says Rebecca Craig of Sanderson and Morris. Den Lt matt emulsion, £39 for 2.5L, Sanderson

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