A light, contemporary home from Kinder Design
The Architectural Colours palette from Paint & Paper Library offers an ideal accompaniment to understated, contemporary interiors. It encompasses a selection of gentle, versatile hues – each one presented in five graduated tones, from the palest off-white, to deeper shades with a little character.
Interior Designer, Leo Wood, utilised shades from the Architectural Colours in the design of their family Coach House. Discover how this palette flawlessly executed the brief, from providing the perfect all-round neutral, to introducing subtle, softly spoken colour.
Tell us about this project. What was the brief?
“When planning the materials and overall feel of the house, I knew I wanted the interior spaces to feel light and calm, but with a sense of character. We decided on a material palette of wood, concrete, and steel – simple, warm materials. We knew that any paint on the walls would also need to be simple and largely white, but still bring warmth to the space.”
What were your main considerations when selecting the colour palette?
“For the open-plan areas on the ground floor, we knew we wanted a warm white to complement the contemporary architectural style. But in the bedrooms, we felt we could introduce some pale, warm colours to bring more character and to complement our furnishings.
The Architectural Colours palette was perfect here, as it provides a range of soft neutral tones, each available in five different shades. It’s the kind of system a highly rational architect can really get behind! Sometimes there can be a resistance to using colour in contemporary architecture, but the Architectural Colours palette is a great entry point!”
Explore the palette:
![Willow III](data:image/svg+xml;utf8, <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0" y="0" height="262px" width="350px"><rect width="350" height="262" style="fill:%23E4E5CA" /></svg>)
![Willow I](data:image/svg+xml;utf8, <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0" y="0" height="262px" width="350px"><rect width="350" height="262" style="fill:%23F5F6E4" /></svg>)
![Slate I](data:image/svg+xml;utf8, <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0" y="0" height="262px" width="350px"><rect width="350" height="262" style="fill:%23F8FAF1" /></svg>)
![Plaster II](data:image/svg+xml;utf8, <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0" y="0" height="262px" width="350px"><rect width="350" height="262" style="fill:%23EFE6E0" /></svg>)
Slate I has been used throughout the main living space. Tell us why this soft neutral provided the perfect backdrop.
“Slate I is a simple white which feels almost invisible, but not cold. The umber base in this paint colour does a great job of making Slate an almost perfect white! We also considered Slate II for the walls, but it felt just a little too grey. We wanted a simple, fresh tone that wouldn’t distract from the materials in the space.”
You introduced a touch of colour from the Architectural Colours palette in the bedrooms. What does this achieve, and how did you maintain a sense of flow and connectivity?
“We painted our tongue-and-groove wooden ceilings in Fuji – a warm, brilliant white. Like Slate I, Fuji has an umber base which creates the warmth. But it also contains lots of white, so it appears more brilliant than Slate. We then introduced pale pops of colour on the walls of the bedrooms to provide a soft contrast to the beautiful white tongue and groove ceilings.
We wanted a clear rationale for the colours we chose for the bedrooms. Green is a wonderfully soothing choice for bedrooms, so two of them are painted in Willow – Willow I and Willow III. This creates a sense of connection between the rooms, but by choosing shades that sit two steps apart, they don’t feel repetitive.
For our younger daughter’s bedroom, we went with Plaster – a warm pink. Now that she’s older and campaigning for blue, we may be swapping out Plaster for Glass next year!”
Finally, can you share any key tips for creating interiors in this understated, contemporary style?
“Very minimal, contemporary spaces can sometimes risk feeling soulless or sterile – with little sign of people really living in them. If you want an understated style, the trick is to keep it warm and personal by incorporating vintage furniture, interesting artwork or thoughtful lighting – those small, authentic touches that reflect you as the homeowner.
Bringing in hints of colour on the walls can also work wonders in contemporary homes. Colour is complex, and people are often afraid of using it, which can lead to spaces feeling cold or overly plain. Working with a range like the Architectural Colours – and choosing warmer tones, even very pale ones – can make a huge difference.
I’d encourage people to be confident when selecting colour. There’s a lot of opportunity within neutrals to bring understated warmth and character.”
Explore the Architectural Colours palette, or browse neutral inspiration from Paint & Paper Library.
Architecture by Open Practice Architecture, Photography by Ellen Christina Hancock.
