Interiors that sing the blues
By Ruth Webber
Aug 13, 2019
At Bert & May we love every single colour in our palette, but, every once in a while, we allow ourselves a little bit of bias towards a favourite – and our current obsession is with our BLUES. We will take any; lake, navy, sea, azure… all of them provide serene and calming tones that we adore, and we think our most recent photoshoot perfectly brings this to life.
Photographer Ben Anders & Stylist Marianne Cotterill
The shoot
All our colours across the full Bert & May collection work together, created so that a curated colour scheme can be crafted with ease - mixing across our entire palette. However, there is sometimes nothing more satisfying than working with just one colour story to really deliver a powerful look that takes our breath away. It’s our subtle way of colour blocking Bert & May style, and for this shoot we just had to go all out blue.
We found the most fantastic countryside location house that would complement our concept perfectly, although it started life on the day of the shoot as a crisp white space! Not daunted, we added layers of blues throughout the morning; painting the walls in Navy 03, a border in Navy 04, then using the sea blue tiles to create a hero layer on the floor to complete the decorating.
Creating inspirational spaces is at the heart of what we do, and we know that finishing touches can really make a difference. So, to style the room, we used gorgeous crockery in iconic Yves Klein blue and statement pieces of furniture in textures we love like concrete and metals. The finished look was exactly what we had hoped - bold with a striking contemporary edge, juxtaposed with our trademark soft chalky textures to make it liveable and warm.
Bert & May Natural Pigment Paints, Navy 03, Sea Plain Tile, Navy 04
The palette
Colour is emotive and so important to how we live, so at Bert & May we make sure our palette and tones are soft, warm and timeless. Not faddy or contrived, the colours allow us to create interiors that will never tire.
Our blue paint collections, Navy and Lake, work effortlessly with our plain blue tiles. Both evoke feelings of calmness and serenity, but while the lake colours have the peacefulness of still waters combined with tones reminiscent of your favourite pair of comfy old denims, the Navy tones have a warmth all of their own, enveloping you with a sense of traditional tranquillity.
This all sounds very poetic but the psychology of colour and the way it makes us feel is so important. That’s why our expert design teams at all three stores can give guidance and advise on creating interior schemes that will work best for you and your space.
Bert & May Lake Blue Plain, Azure Blue Plain, Sea Plain, Navy Plain Tiles
The Aesthetic
What makes our aesthetic unique? The Bert & May look has always been about achieving a natural textured finish. This spans across our entire collection, from kitchens, reclaimed wood flooring, to our aged brass taps, handmade basins and tiles. Our tiles are all smooth to the touch, yet the nature of them being handmade with natural materials means that they have a velvety, and yet chalky look. You can even see the minerals and the dusting of crushed marble.
Our paint range is the same - soft tones derived from our chalky tile palette. Not only beautiful, but also environmentally friendly - the range includes a water-based, eco-emulsion that is breathable and completely ecological, being free from solvents and all its components. The full paint collection is available in Eco-emulsion, Limewash and Water-based Eggshell, and the paints have a rich and chalky finish.
Image Credit: Bert & May and