Little Greene paint colours in real homes
Trying to extrapolate a colour from a tiny paint chart onto your walls using only your imagination can be an almighty task. Lighting, aspect, function and taste all need to be taken into account, so it's unsurprising that many of us feel overwhelmed when choosing paint colours.
It's all well and good selecting a lovely looking colour, but we can't stress enough how important it is to try and test the colours in situ first. North-facing rooms can be particularly cruel to pale colours and windowless bathrooms need a whole different approach. If you don't do your research properly, picking the wrong paint can be an expensive and time consuming mistake to cover up.
One of the easiest ways to narrow down the hundreds and thousands of paints available, is to decide which company best suits the project you are approaching. Farrow and Ball are best known for their elegant finish, Edward Bulmer paints are known for their eco credentials, and Little Greene? Well, think of them as the ‘line of best fit’ between the two. The family-run company have been mixing paints since 1773 and have partnerships with The National Trust and the Imperial War Museum under their belts.
To aide you in said research, we've found examples of Little Greene paints, used by interior designers in real houses (with a few decorating schemes sprinkled in) to give you a better idea of which shades to choose.
The most popular Little Greene paint colours
- Hopper
- Olive Colour
- Invisible Green
- Hicks's Blue
- Slaked Lime
- Deep Space Blue
- Masquerade
- Sage Green
- White Lead
- Mambo
How to use and choose Little Greene paints, according to the experts
Little Greene has long been popular with interior designers, but which shades are their favourites?
“I have a soft spot for ‘Deep Space Blue’ by Little Greene. I first used it on the ceiling, walls and doors in a basement utility room for a client whose favourite colour is ‘Yves Klein’ blue. It has real punch and works perfectly when neutralised with earthy brown tones (‘Light Bronze Green’ by Little Greene in particular). I’m using it again to give a bit of impact to a large kitchen dresser in a current project in the Cotswolds." - Tom Morris
“When choosing white paint, ‘Slaked Lime’ from Little Greene is a lovely white and can have a similar effect as Farrow and Ball's 'Lime White' in that it’s particularly good when the fabric in the room has a yellow ground colour."- Nicole Salvesen
“I’m a big fan of the Little Greene paint colour family called ‘White Lead’, which comes in a scale of different depths.”- Brandon Schubert
On pairing colours, “‘Bone China Blue’ and ‘China Clay’ from Little Greene complement each other well." - Suzy Hoodless
It's not just interior designers who have a soft spot for Little Greene paints, but the House & Garden team too. One of former creative director Gabby Deeming's favourite colour combinations is "a Harebell blue with red. ‘Mambo’ from Little Greene is the blue for this – think Eighties Habitat and stick a bright red Anglepoise with it. Heaven.”
Best neutral paint from Little Greene
House & Garden's decoration editor, Ruth Sleightholme says, “'Acorn' by Little Greene is lovely and fresh, for a kitchen, breakfast room or the bedroom of a ‘morning person’, and looks good when paired with ‘Starling’s Egg’ for the woodwork. ‘Celestial Light’, also by Little Greene, has a similarly wakeful effect, but perhaps should be avoided for small living rooms."
Paul Massey2/33China Clay Dark
In the same house, the children's bathroom has wall's in Little Greene's ‘China Clay Dark'.
Mark Anthony Fox3/33Atomic Red
Ahmed Hassan and Atticus Branch's maisonette is a study in graphic colour. In the downstairs sitting room, the bookshelves are painted in Little Greene's ‘Atomic Red’.
Owen Gale4/33Garden
In this house in Bath, the walls are painted in ‘Garden’ by Little Greene feel both traditional and contemporary. Layers of contrasting textiles make for an eclectic space: the rug is from Nordic Knots, the lampshades are by Alice Palmer and the curtains are in ‘Arabella Red’ by Penny Morrison.
Milo Brown6/33Baked Cherry
The joinery and wall are painted in ‘Baked Cherry’ by Little Greene in a Stoke Newington house by Lonika Chande.
Sarah Griggs7/33Aquamarine Mid
In this terraced house in Chelsea by Studio Duggan, the walls are painted in Little Greene's ‘Apple Smiles II’, and woodwork is in ‘Aquamarine Mid’.
Milo Brown8/33Mister David
For this eaves bedroom, Lonika Chande and her team chose to paint the entire space - ceiling included - in Little Greene's ‘Mister David’, “Painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls gives a lovely cocooning and cosy feel and avoids the eye being drawn to any awkward corners,” says Lonika.
Yuki Sugiura9/33Travertine
In the butler's pantry of this doll's house, the walls are painted in Little Greene's ‘Travertine’.
Jonathan Bond10/33White Lead
White Lead paint was chosen for the walls, beams and ceiling of Elizabeth Hay's cottage. It enhances the bright, airy feel of this open plan space, which was converted from an old outbuilding by a previous owner.
Paul Whitbread11/33Bath Stone
The dressing room in this classic Victorian house in Oxford revitalised by Charlotte Boundy is painted in ‘Bath Stone’ by Little Greene and features an Art Deco Dish light from Jamb.
Ollie Tomlinson12/33Hopper
In this 18th-century Cotswold house by Tom Morris, one of the children’s bedrooms the cupboard is painted in ‘Hopper’ by Little Greene to match the Enzo Mari ‘Pear’ print.
- Olive Colour</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"61d80545d1420a892109c2be","index":12,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Paul Massey13/33Olive Colour
In this Victorian villa by Tom Morris, the bedroom walls are painted in Little Greene’s ‘Olive Colour’ which is the perfect backdrop for the rich blues of the cloth chair and blanket.
Dean Hearne14/33Clay Pale
Little Greene's colour maker and historical colour consultant Simon Hutchinson has used his own ‘Clay Pale’ on the dining room ceiling of the Yorkshire house he shares with his wife, Nicola. Playing with tone, the woodwork has been painted in ‘Clay Mid’, also by Little Greene.
- Sage Green</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"618936e7f9cf3d171adac74a","index":14,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
15/33Sage Green
Good paint need not be constrained to the walls, deftly demonstrated in Louise Roe's house. Here, her farmhouse-style kitchen cabinets are painted in the fresh but calm hue of Little Greene's ‘Sage Green’.
- Stone Dark Warm</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"61893e94b028fc86ce487fd6","index":15,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Tom Mannion16/33Stone Dark Warm
The panelled walls of this Max Rollitt house are painted in Little Greene's ‘Stone Dark Warm’, a timeless, moody neutral that pairs well with the bold teal cupboards.
- Aged Ivory</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"626906b36fc29fccf765828e","index":16,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Owen Gale17/33Aged Ivory
In Alice Palmer’s north-west London house, the hallway opens into the sitting room, which has walls painted in Little Greene's ‘Aged Ivory’ with a wallpaper effect by the decorative painter Hughie Turner.
Paul Massey18/33Bone China Blue Mid
In Annabel Bevan's London home, her daughter's room has walls in Little Greene's ‘Bone China Blue Mid’.
- Heat","brand":{"name":""},"id":"6203e401130b215d9afa89bf","index":18,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Yuki Sugiura20/33Sage Green
Matilda Goad's kitchen cabinets have been painted with 'Sage Green,' which perfectly complement the cherry red tiling and the dusty pink walls.
Dean Hearne21/33Masquerade Mid
In Simon Hutchinson's bathroom, the walls are warmed up with a lick of Little Greene's ‘Masquerade Mid'.
Paul Massey22/33Trumpet Yellow
In Suzy Hoodless's living room, the neutral backdrop with a bold ‘Trumpet Yellow’ detail creates much needed brightness: ‘It’s an east/west facing house and can be dark on gloomy days so the yellow really lifts the space,’ she says. Sadly the exact colour has been discontinued.
- Aquamarine","brand":{"name":""},"id":"61fd1122bf1280bead408d2a","index":22,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Paul Massey23/33Aquamarine
In the bedroom of Annabel Bevan's London home the walls are painted in ‘Aquamarine’ by Little Greene. This gentle, fresh spring colour diffuses the light perfectly.
Dean Hearne25/33Masquerade Mid
In Simon Hutchinson's studio, the walls are also painted in Little Greene's ‘Masquerade Mid’. It makes a perfect backdrop to the bright products and illustrations in the room. The woodwork is painted in Little Greene's ‘Slaked Lime’.
Jan Baldwin26/33Bronze Red
It might not be a real house, but one wall of this Seventies Palm Beach-inspired open-plan living room is painted with Little Greene's 'Bronze Red'. It's ideal for a little warmth and drama, without being too shouty.
- Obsidian Green</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"61894220eea7137eaf372b58","index":26,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Alicia Taylor27/33Obsidian Green
This modern living room decorated by Gabby Deeming has deep and dark statement walls painted in Little Greene's 'Obsidian Green'. This dark shade is complemented by the smart black detailing around the windows.
Paul Massey28/33Ashes of Roses
In her Queen's Park house, interior designer Lonika Chande has painted her Aston Matthews bath in Little Greene's ‘Ashes of Roses’. On the walls she has paired Dulux's ‘Gravel’ with it.
Owen Gale29/33Invisible Green
Painted in Little Greene's ‘Invisible Green’, the cabinets in this Cornish kitchen are wonderful in all seasons and weathers: vibrant in the summer and welcoming and cosy in the winter.
Paul Massey30/33Theatre Red
In this bedroom, Little Greene's ‘Theatre Red’ provides a dramatic entrance through to the dressing room.
Andrew Montgommery31/33Yellow-Pink
It's always a coup when a colour goes against your perception of it. For this statement room, the walls have been painted in ‘Yellow-Pink’ and the effect is thoroughly sophisticated, rather than playful.
Paul Massey32/33Bone China Blue
On the other side: the library of Suzy Hoodless's house has custom-made shelves and cupboards painted in ‘Bone China Blue’ also by Little Greene.
Paul Massey33/33Ultra Blue
In the kitchen of Suzy Hoodless' house, the cabinetry is painted in Little Greene's 'Ultra Blue', a bold and contemporary hue.
