Meet our new vibrant green paint shade that helps bring the outside in.
Walk through most summer woodlands and the floor will be a tangle of ferns, grasses and, of course, nettles. The latter are not only an essential food source for tortoiseshell and peacock caterpillars before they metamorphose into butterflies, but they have also been part of our country way of life for centuries, known as much for their medicinal and nutritious qualities as their sting. From soups to teas to beers, the nettle’s mineral and vitamin stores have long been used as an antioxidant-rich recipe ingredient. Roman soldiers rubbed the stinging leaves on their skin to keep warm at night, and during World War II, British children were encouraged to collect nettles to be used as a dye for camouflage fabric.
Joining our curated paint palette of 48 shades, our latest addition, Nettle, is an homage to this versatile plant. A warm, true green, carefully balanced with a hint of black for sophistication, Nettle is fresher than Olive, deeper than Quince and more vibrant than Cactus. ‘Nettle is a more vibrant take on a classic Georgian drawing room green,’ explains design director Fred Horlock, ‘and every bit as useable.’ Its warmth balances our cooler green shades and, when used in a decorative scheme, brings a sense of the immediacy of nature to a space, helping link the interior with the exterior.
How to use Nettle in your home
Nettle is a great base layer for a colour scheme incorporating lots of greens, from the watercolour hues on our new tableware to the deeper shades in our floral table linens. Thanks to its soft yellow undertones, it can also be paired with warm colours such as our creamy-yellow Polenta and the ‘truer’ yellow of Saffron, or coupled with stronger hues like Rhubarb, Olive and Saddle.
Use Nettle in a sunny kitchen on cabinetry or as an accent on an island; try it in a utility, garden or boot room to connect the inside with the garden; or consider it for a dining room or library where its vibrant energy will be balanced by its refined elegance.
