By House of Hackney September 04, 2024
Shades that don’t need to shout to be heard, neutrals are a spectrum holding all colours in unity. In our paint collection we have unveiled the hues of Nature in their sublime subtlety. Ideal for instilling a sense of calm to living spaces and bedrooms, discover a softer approach to white with the creams of dreams from House of Hackney. Understated, but never underestimated - welcome to a new wave of neutrals.
For much of human history pale colours have been a symbol of purity - worn by the priestesses of ancient Egypt and Rome and used to adorn the temples they served. The colour of sacred mother’s milk and the promise of a blank canvas, white formed the bedrock of Western art and became an emblem of the enlightened world.
From the gentle white petals of the narcissus and the mushroom’s milky beige to the taupe tones of stone and the barely-there pink of the seashell, there’s a world of colour in Nature’s neutrals. In the Lascaux cave paintings, a symphony of neutrals, made from mixing different earth pigments, echo around its walls, and throughout the natural world, achromatic and muted tones provide a subtle nuance, underpinning those with a louder voice.
One of the first pigments known to humanity, white is a symbol of purity, perfection and the sacred. Drawings and marks made with calcite and limestone decorate the walls of prehistoric caves, and across Britain, Pagan giants, white horses and fertility goddesses adorn the landscape, sculpted into the ancient chalk hills.
The Alchemy of Neutrals
In the classical world, white paint was made from lead. Pieces of the metal were put into clay pots and stored for weeks with vinegar vapours, creating lead carbonate, a beautiful - but deadly - pigment.
This was used by artists until it was banned in the 19th century, and has been used to paint the faces of men and women from Ancient Greece to the famously pallid Elizabeth Tudor and much of fashionable society throughout history, leading them to a cruel fate. It seemed the lightest colour was perhaps the darkest of them all. You’ll be pleased to know that House of Hackney paints are completely non-toxic and low VOC. By the end of the 18th century, chemists perfected the production of a new white; made from zinc and non-toxic, zinc white quickly gained favour.
As the modern world returns to nature for inspiration, wellbeing and a more sustainable way of living, so too have we returned to the alchemical roots of making neutrals. Elements like shells, plants and minerals, treasured for their natural colour, are crushed and mixed to create the creams, off-whites, beiges, gentle browns and greys we love today.
Be the cat that got the cream with House of Hackney’s collection of Nature inspired neutrals; In our House, beige doesn’t have to be boring! With the same brightening effects as white but with more personality, our neutrals are the perfect antidote to white-walled living. One of the most important things to consider when decorating with neutrals is the undertone. Once you have determined whether your starting point / main colour is cool, neutral or warm, you can then go on to layer other shades, fabrics and accessories knowing you will achieve perfect tonal harmony!
Perfect for living spaces, kitchens and entryways, layer different neutrals in similar tones to create a sophisticated scheme with depth and richness, or use these subtle shades as a backdrop to dramatic accents of colour and pattern. Painting walls in a delicate off-white or a neutral with a barely-there hint of colour allows a striking print to sing. Try the ethereal yet refined NARCISSUS with a pair of ZEUS curtains in vibrant ‘Tobacco’ orange, or let the muted green of OPAL provide the perfect setting for the popular HOLLYHOCKS Vesper sofa.
Use a neutral shade’s undertones to bring out the subtleties in your wallpaper - the warm and earthy creams ACHILLEA and ASTERA, with their undercurrent of red, pair perfectly with HOLLYHOCKS in ‘Spring’, beautifully highlighting the print’s pretty in pink florals. For a full on tonal scheme where neutrals are king, we love the soft clay greige FUNGHI with DINOSAURIA wallpaper in ‘Ecru’ and ‘Butterscotch’ WILD CARD carpet - because we all know leopard print is a neutral!
Whether you want to coat all four walls with wonder or need advice on how to introduce the harmonious hues of nature into your space, we are here for you. With a decade of experience, our in-house experts are ready to help you with everything from colour matching to creating your dream interior - no space is too small or project too big. For more information or to book your complimentary Design Consultation, simply follow the link below, and get ready to immerse yourself in the art of nature.
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By House of Hackney September 09, 2025
