As always, the announcement of a new Colour of the Year brings a ripple of excitement, in the knowledge that we’ll be seeing a new raft of colour schemes and ideas spreading throughout the interiors industry.

So, the announcement by Dulux  that their colour experts have designated that Brave Ground is their Colour of the Year for 2021 was welcomed in a slightly subdued manner by many. It’s described as ‘a bolstering shade that connects us back to nature and the simple things … it’s a warm, earthy tone, it creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home’. So far, that’s exactly what we need after this very strange year! It’s a great colour, a sort of dark beigey-taupe, that genuinely does work with a lot of different colours. Not grey though, so perhaps this is a portent that we need to start ditching the shades of grey! I’m happy with Brave Ground™ personally, as I’ve not particularly embraced grey in my home and tend to go for the warmer taupes and creams as background colours. So, we are likely to see a lot of warmer colour schemes coming through, (could this be paving the way for a new ‘magnolia’ perhaps?!) and for the rest of our story this month we’re looking at some Brave Ground™ inspired schemes and ideas …

Brave Ground, Colour of the Year 2021 by Dulux. One to watch out for in the coming months, and a shade that will bring warmth and neutrality to colour schemes.

One of the newest ranges from Trend Interiors is Profile which is a very sleek, completely handleless design that comes in a really excellent selection of natural-neutral colours and finishes, including nine timber style looks and eight plain slab finishes, including Ivory, Pebble and Pumice (and don’t fret, there are some greys too!).

The design team at Schuller have worked with Blum on the development of the new Optimus drawer system. Wayne Dance, MD at In House Inspired Room Design summarises the concept. ‘In simplistic terms, a synchronised guide system is hidden inside the contemporary and streamlined 15mm narrow frames. What looks simple to the eye conceals ingenious application that adds considerable improvement to drawer pull out management and flexibility to both design and tailored planning options’ He also predicts that individually tailored and flexible storage systems will be the key to modern and multi-functional kitchen design. ‘By placing aesthetic, function and flexibility on an equal footing, Schüller has significantly increased appeal to both designers and consumers’  Features include modular, stackable Flex-Boxes in natural oak, as shown above.

The Schüller design team’s goal, working with Blum, was that Optimus sets new standards in drawer and pull out systems, not just adding unparalleled design flexibility, but significantly increasing longevity and improving the user experience. Features include precise right-angle transition between frame and base so that inserts and dividers butt seamlessly edge to edge. Metal frames offer new possibilities with positioning storage, with magnetic partitions attaching to sides or rear of pull-outs.

Happy 45^th Anniversary to Martin Moore! In recognition and celebration of that fact we’re wishing the team very many congratulations, and want to show you their new Butlers Sideboard, designed to mark the occasion. It was inspired by their New Deco Kitchen collection, is built in the Yorkshire workshops, and is a very useful in a multi-purpose living space – this limited edition Butler’s Sideboard is definitely a future heirloom collector’s piece! In fact, anyone commissioning a bespoke Martin Moore kitchen will also be given a complimentary Butler’s Sideboard. So if you’re planning a new kitchen, get a wiggle on! It has a quartz top, can be painted to order, and has a variety of feet and handle options too.

Three suggestions for new kitchens: From left; Orange, Black & Teal bamboo storage set by Curated Pieces. Each pot is made from FSC-Certified Bamboo and resin, and has a cork lid. Such jolly shades of Orange and Teal, a great choice for kitchen or bathroom; The Steve Outdoor Bulkhead wall light is available in various finishes, and sorts out that issue of outdoor lighting for socially distanced (such as one family, one party!) Halloween and Bonfire night get-togethers. Quick, get some logs in for the firepit! From Dowsing & Reynolds. Lastly, colourful Salt & Pepper tins from Daisy Park would be a nice colourful addition to the counter top.

The nights are well and truly drawing in now, and it’s definitely chilly … But, as we’re all still in that ‘making the most of your outside space’ mode, take a look at the Globus Bio Ethanol Fireplace by Imaginfires, available from Cuckooland. This is a very clever idea, the fire can be moved around from indoors to outdoors and would add a great touch of warmth and ambience to cooler autumn evenings.  The biofuel box creates smokeless flames, has safety glass panels, needs no specialised installation, and there are no harmful emissions.

If all this ‘WFH’ has made you start to re-configure your ground floor space, no doubt you’re trying to find a corner to work in that isn’t next to the kitchen island or at the end of the breakfast bar! It’s all very well working in the kitchen for a few hours here and there, but a separate desk or table makes life slightly easier. So, if you’re trying to squeeze an extra piece of furniture in, it needs to be compact and have longevity for future use. Take a look at the Radar Walnut Round Dining Table from the House by John Lewis collection. Affordable and multi-purpose …

RIP Sir Terence Conran, who died last month, and who had a monumental impact on how we furnish our homes. His designs for Habitat and Conran were always covetable contemporary classics. Here are three ideas from the current Habitat collection: Left and right, industrial-style Ori LED wall lights in Orange  and Blue,  perfect as a reading light or perhaps a work light in the new WFH corner; centre, embrace the retro-rattan trend with this Shaw Rattan shade, also from the current Habitat collection.

More kitchen-friendly ideas for a new kitchen project, or perhaps to refine your WFH layout. These solid pieces are made from reclaimed pine with steel frames, available in various finishes, from Hemming & Wills and are handmade in the UK. Definitely worth a look, and again, a flexible option that will be a long-lasting investment for the home, whether it’s to use as a desk/home office now or as a dining table in the future …