In the middle of summer, the last thing we want to be talking about is autumn and winter, however, there is a new paint trend that has us actually looking forward to sweater weather - damson. The rich purple-y hue has been dominating the previews we've seen of the new season home decor collections.
John Lewis & Partners have gone as far as to name it their colour of the season for autumn/winter 2023. John Lewis' colour expert, Melanie Archer, reveals, ‘Damson is the perfect shade for autumn, both a bold and harmonious colour, it works effortlessly into customers' existing schemes, which was important to us when making a decision.’
1. Calm a bedroom with a feature wall
‘Darker shades, like damson, gracefully embrace the dimmer light, creating a cosy and welcoming atmosphere,’ affirms Rex Isap, CEO and sleep expert at Happy Beds. And one room where this is especially true is in the bedroom.
2. Colour drench a living room
‘We’ve seen a steep rise in popularity for our Drenched Damsons clever velvet making it our best-selling purple tone,' reveals Nicky Line, Chief Product Officer at Loaf. 'We’re seeing it used confidently on larger upholstery pieces like sofas and beds to create a real impact.'
For an extra cosy effect in a living room, we recommend colour drenching to really embrace the plum shade; Our favourite shade to use for this is Damson in Distress.
3. Cosy up with damson fabrics
If you don’t feel like picking up a paintbrush to embrace the trending tone, adding soft furnishings that exude warmth and cosiness is key. ‘From rich velvet curtains and throw cushions, to cosy wool throws, the shade is ‘the perfect antidote to frosty nights,’ outlines Pat Gilham at Myjobquote.co.uk.
4. Make a statement with colour blocking
‘If you're ready to embrace the damson trend, why not try colour blocking and opt for a fully damson bathroom, utilising the same damson tile across your walls and using a matching paint shade on the ceiling to create a cocooning atmosphere,’ suggests Harriet Goodacre, Brand Communications Manager and sTile Consultant at Topps Tiles. ‘Pair the look with gold hardware for the ultimate refined finish.’
5. Incorporate the colour in tiles
‘A great way of introducing damson tiles into your kitchen is by adding a subtle tiled splashback in this colour,’ says Harriet. ‘Or if you want to make a statement, consider using tiles to frame your cooking space and draw the eye to the best features in your kitchen, such as a beautiful Aga.’
WHICH COLOURS COMPLEMENT DAMSON?
‘For an impactful scheme, consider warm deep paint colours like ‘Adventurer’, which is a rich and reassuring plum-aubergine, and pair with ‘Sage Green’ on woodwork,’ recommends Ruth from Little Greene. ‘This very natural palette is reflective of the green and purple combinations we often find in nature.’
‘For an elegant and sophisticated ambience, look to combining deeper shades of damson with softer grey, where the warmth of the berry colour is tempered with a cooler, natural stone tone. Adding a touch of a mid-muted pink such as ‘Blush’ will work brilliantly as a highlight, accent colour,’ too, Ruth continues.
‘As well as chiming with neutrals, damson also works brilliantly against darker backdrops like inky blues, greens, and teal, especially when combined with vivid crimson red,’ outlines Wayfair's Resident Style Advisor, Dee Fontenot.