Florals and furniture, a match made in heaven!

Springtime and florals go hand in hand, don’t they? Flowers are natural shots of colour – and you know I love colour!

This may seem quite unusual, but I have quite a few stockists who as well as selling my paint, are also florists - when you think about it, it’s quite a natural fit. Nothing offsets the drama and richness of, say, a side table painted in Burgundy like a jug of vivid, bright English Yellow daffodils! In my blog about my trip to Paris in January I mentioned the ‘strong florals’ trend I’d noticed at Maison et Objet, the trade show for the interiors industry. This trend is one that my stockists who are also florists draw on every day.

It’s particularly common in Japan, where a lot of my stockists are also florists, or garden-inspired. The lovely Kimie, at Hug Home is a master floral basket maker and her shop is crammed not only with paint and beautiful things for the home, but also her wonderful floral displays – it makes such sense, seeing it all displayed together. I love the way she uses old paint tins to display her flowers – complete with paint drips for full effect!

Flowergirl in Singapore is run by two great friends, Catherine and Mandy. They specialise in orchids and use my colours to complement the delicate shades and structures of this, most decorative of flowers. The natural fit here isn’t so much the brighter shades, but those more fragile colours I’d use to create something more in keeping with a Vintage Floral look (see my book Room Recipes for a fuller explanation).

Whether you prefer the subtle pairing of Antoinette with Paris Grey or Coco, or the bold clashes of Bohemian style is more your thing - Antibes Green and Provence and Barcelona Orange - nature can be a limitless source of inspiration!

The garden studio at the Little Leaf Company in Australia is an absolute riot of colour – they ramp up the brights with lush greenery and vivid blooms in a cool, warehouse setting and a hint of mid-century modern vibe – I love it! Their Instagram is always visually stunning, and I highly recommended you to follow it!

Here in the UK, I must mention Monica and Milan, who own Lavender House and Garden, in West Sussex. Not only are they running a successful florist, but their shop offers a whole concept, with paint and furniture, new and old, in the mix. They source from all over Europe, but manage to bring it all together in a way that perfectly encapsulates that chic, classic country style. And, over in Northern Island, Marie Cafolla pulls together stunning floral displays with the added benefit of serving ice cream in the shop! What more could anyone want?

Yours, Annie