Little Greene Presents ‘Stone’ – A Versatile New Palette of Natural Colours

Continuing the collaboration that Little Greene has with the largest conservation charity, the National Trust, Little Greene presents ‘Stone’ – a versatile new palette of natural colours offering warmth, tranquillity, timelessness and harmony.

Little Greene’s capsule collection of warm neutrals provides a welcoming transition from the ever-popular decade of grey! Their move to warmer, more natural colours often termed the ‘new neutrals’ sees earthy, stonier tones becoming increasingly popular providing a restful alternative to cooler choices.

These new gentle neutrals can be used in all areas of the home adding warmth, relaxation and simplicity as well as a sophisticated, complementary canvas for fabrics, wallcoverings and furnishings from all genres.

We think this new colour palette will create impressive colour schemes within a handmade kitchen.

Let’s take a look at each hue in more detail. What one will you choose for your kitchen design?

Arras™ (316)

Hardwick Hall, a spectacular Elizabethan house was built by the formidable ‘Bess of Hardwick in the late 1500s. After Queen Elizabeth I, Bess was the wealthiest woman in England and her house was filled with rich furnishings and tapestries. Within the house, a chapel contains rare wall hangings, painted with scenes from the life of St Paul, where this deep, earthy red repeatedly features.

Attic II (144)

A darker and more complex clay hue than Silt. It’s built with exceptional depth and character and arresting schemes are made using colours from this group.

Baluster™ (321)

This authentic grey limestone reads directly from the carved balustrade which accompanies the Castell Pink stonework in the great stairwell at Penrhyn Castle. It was commissioned by the castle’s owner, a wealthy slate baron, and took 10 years to complete. It becomes a very versatile shade from the intermediate depth, useful in both traditional and contemporary schemes and is very easy to coordinate with a range of natural stone and wood surfaces.

Beauvais Lilac (29)

This enigmatic shade was originally based on a number of colours found on the tapestries at the royal factory in Beauvais, Picardy.

Book Room Green™ (322)

The Book Room at Wimpole Hall in the 19th century was remodelled by neoclassical architect John Soane. Driven by Wimpole’s owner’s keen architectural interest, the room doubled in size and this neutral green was specified as a foil to the room’s fine white plasterwork and shelving, and the thousands of deep red embossed leather book spines which covered the walls.

Castell Pink™ (314)

This softer plaster-like shade is taken from a reading of the sculptural stonework which surrounds the great stairwell at Penrhyn Castle in North Wales.

Chocolate Colour (124)

It is believed that Frederick Handel and Benjamin Franklin had their London front doors painted in this rich, almost edible shade.

Clay (39)

This is a new version of Regency Fawn-using more ochre-use as a warm neutral for modern and period interiors.

Clay Mid (153)

A mid version of the neutral colour – Clay.

Clay Pale (152)

A paler version of the neutral colour – Clay.

Dark Brunswick Green (88)

This smart and confident shade used extensively on front doors and railings in this period.

Elysian Ground™ (320)

In 1738 the architect William Kent – renowned for his follies – designed a small, stilted, timber garden room to stand in the middle of a pond within the Elysian Fields at Stowe in Buckinghamshire. It was first decorated by the Italian painter Francesco Sleter, with this sumptuous deep stone colour as a background. This treasured building was repainted at least twice in the 19th-century and again in 1937.

Ferdinand™ (313)

This elegant, warm, off-white is found on the wall panelling in the Grey Drawing Room of Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire – a country retreat, where guests came to relax, play cards and listen to music.

Green Stone – Light™ (269)

A lighter green hue of Green Stone.

Green Stone – Pale™ (268)

A paler green hue of Green Stone.

Green Stone™ (270)

Bringing a sense of natural opulence, this stone with a green hue has long been used in architectural decoration all over the world. Less common than rock tinted with iron salts, naturally occurring green stones often contain traces of copper or cobalt. Green Stone is redolent of the ancient colour “Green Earth” used in ancient Roman frescoes and Russian iconography; it is a mineral pigment form of Celadon.

Light Beauvais™ (323)

A subtle reduction from the delicate Beauvais Lilac, where this shade offers a notable warmth when used against Loft White. For a soft contrast pair with Ferdinand and bring depth to the scheme using deeper, related tones such as Nether Red and Arras.

Light Bronze Green (123)

This colour is one of the many variants designed to resemble bronze in its patinated form.

Lute™ (317)

Edward ‘Eddy’ Sackville-West a writer, music critic and BBC broadcaster lived in several rooms in the Gatehouse Tower at his family home of Knole in Kent. The colour Lute is taken from the fireplace in his bedroom, where it’s offset with a blue surround and charismatic lime-plastered walls.

Nether Red™  (315)

Since the ancient times, Alderley Edge in Cheshire has been famous for its local copper mine, and for Nether Alderley Mill, a traditional flour mill which has been central to local agriculture for over 600 years. This beautiful and profound mud red is found in the bare sandstone walls of the original mill and can be seen in its full glory on the south-west face.

Pompeian Ash (293)

200-year-old Ickworth House in Suffolk one of the most unusual British homes was commissioned as the private residence of enigmatic world-traveller Frederick Hervey, on an estate the family had owned since the mid-15th century. This dark grey-green performed the role of black in the striking Palladian colour scheme within Ickworth House.

Portland Stone (77)

This colour is matched to an example of original Portland Stone and used to paint the facades of Victorian townhouses.

Portland Stone – Light™ (281)

A lighter shade of Portland Stone.

Portland Stone Dark (157)

A darker shade of Portland Stone.

Portland Stone Pale (155)

A paler shade of Portland Stone.

Purple Brown (8)

This moody lightfast colour is used extensively outdoors and on window sashes.

Rolling Fog (143)

A beautiful warm neutral – used historically as a white with darker colours.

Rolling Fog – Light™ (271)

A lighter neutral colour of Rolling Fog.

Rolling Fog Dark (160)

A darker neutral colour of Rolling Fog.

Rolling Fog Pale (158)

A paler neutral colour of Rolling Fog.

Sage Green (80)

Sage Green was one of the colours enjoyed by the Victorians “on account of their response to the sight, and their solid and quiet tone”.

Scullery™ (318)

Taken from the pantry door at Wimpole Hall, this shade is typical of the drab colours used to paint ‘back-of-house’ areas, where waiting staff would prepare meals and refreshments for the owners of such grand country mansions. These colours were very popular because they didn’t show dirt or damage easily, and were made by blending leftover paints and pigments from the decoration of the main house.

Stock (37)

A subtle pastel shade of white from the fragrant country flower.

Travertine – Light™ (272)

A lighter version of the classic colour Travertine.

Travertine – Mid™ (273)

A mid version of the classic colour Travertine.

Travertine™ (319)

Basildon Park has served 150 years as a grand family home, a period as a convalescent hospital in World War 1, an army barracks in World War 2, and even survived an attempt to be dismantled and rebuilt brick-by-brick in America. This warm neutral was used on the walls of the Staircase Hall, designed to feel more like a sitting room than a cold corridor.

Let your imagination run wild with this palette of colours by Little Greene. We hand-paint all our kitchens on-site once the kitchen has been built. This is a beautiful brush-on finish that follows the wood grain perfectly while protecting the wood beneath it. Create your beautiful kitchen with us – we look forward to hearing from you.