Many English interior design concepts are based on strong colour contrasts. But tone-in-tone is also possible. Their effect is calmer but a little livelier than Scandinavian tone-on-tone colour concepts.
Traditional British manufacturers such as Sanderson, Zoffany or Little Greene offer many wallpapers with patterns that are coloured tone-on-tone. Overall, the colour schemes are a little stronger than comparable Scandinavian tone-on-tone wallpapers, which I featured in another blog post. In addition, the range of colour tones used is slightly wider than with Scandinavian tone-on-tone wallpaper patterns.
Since Sanderson, Zoffany or Little Greene not only offer wallpapers but also produce their own extremely high-quality colours, the other walls of a room as well as cupboards, doors, windows or wooden walls can be perfectly matched to the shades found in the wallpaper. The result are extremely coherent rooms that nevertheless set a clear, very British statement.
Wallpaper Nest Egg by Sanderson
A good example of English tone-on-tone is the Nest Egg wallpaper by Sanderson in the Eggshell/ Ivory coloway. At first glance, it appears very balanced due to the muted white tone of its background. However, the blue tones found in the bird eggs of the design offer starting points for colour accents in the room. For example, the blue-grey shade Danbury by Sanderson was used for the table. Other objects in the room can be painted in High Sea or Scotch Grey.
White and grey tones such as Snowy Oil, Dusky White or Wren Feather also work well in the room. This has been used for the bathtub, for example.
The subtle colour New Silver by Sanderson is used for the floor and the curtains.
Moy Wallpaper by Little Greene
Green tones such as Portland Stone Dark and Pompeian Ash and grey tones such as Baluster that are included in the Moy wallpaper by Little Greene in the Pompei shade can be perfectly combined with it. The wallpaper also contains a delicate rose tone that expands its colour spectrum and can be combined tone-on-tone in the room with Little Greene's Blush or China Clay shades.
The white shade Portland Stone Pale by Little Greene, as used on the chair and carpet, also matches the colour spectrum of the wallpaper perfectly with its subtle green component and rounds off this very English tone-on-tone look.
Keros Wallpaper by Sanderson
The Keros wallpaper by Sanderson in the Ebony colourway, which is characterised by numerous shades of grey, can be combined tone on tone with the manufacturer's diversely graded grey and white shades such as Snowy Oil, Gull Grey or Bastille. The kitchen furniture uses Crystal Grey by Sanderson, which, although not taken directly from the wallpaper itself, also fits well with its colour spectrum as another shade of grey.
For individual accents, a black shade like Carbon can be used in the room. In keeping with an English tone-on-tone concept, it expands the colour spectrum of the wallpaper, but in the example it remains deliberately limited to the delicate legs of the high chair.
Moresque Glaze Wallpaper by Zoffany
The colours of the Moresque Glaze wallpaper by Zoffany in the colourwayHuntsmans Green are strong. The green tone dominating the wallpaper is taken up by the wooden elements, which were painted in the shade Teal by Zoffany. This can be complemented in the sense of a tone-on-tone concept with the shades Prussian and Serpentine, which also appear in the wallpaper.
The metallic gold tone of the wallpaper can be harmoniously combined with the Stone shade by Zoffany.
The colour spectrum in the example is extended by the Koi Karp shade of the armchair and the Raw Umber of the floor. In addition to red, both shades also have a clear yellow component and thus build a bridge to the golden yellow of the wallpaper.
Find Matching Shades in the MEINEWAND Shop
In the MEINEWAND shop I have already compiled matching shades for many wallpapers. You will find them below the wallpapers.
- Discover colours from Farrow & Ball at MEINEWAND
- Discover Little Greene colours at MEINEWAND
- Blog post: New neutrals - warm colours for smart rooms
Image sources: Sanderson, Little Greene, Sanderson, Zoffany, lead Sanderson