Reading for pleasure has surged in popularity again, with searches for personal libraries up 5,000% over the past year. And the rise of BookTok has also helped to encourage 33% of adults to read more than ever over the past few years, with 27% turning to classic literature as an escape.
What better time then for the colour experts at Dulux Heritage to create 12 new paint shades. Each is matched to a classic book to capture the feelings within the story and inspire you to create your own cosy reading space. The new shades have also been used in redesigns of the book covers, which include Little Women and 1984, with artwork by Dulux Heritage Creative Director Marianne Shillingford.
Sara Cox, host of BBC Two’s book club series Between The Covers, has transformed a lacklustre space in her home into a book nook, taking inspiration from the range. The quiet corner also features shelves containing the 12 books.
Sara says, “I’ve been an avid reader since I was a teenager, so it’s crazy to think I’ve waited till now to create a space where I can enjoy it.”
She adds, “I have to do a lot of reading for work because I host a book club on the TV, and it’s actually been great because now I make sure every day I try and read – when I want to go and pick up my phone, I will instead go and pick up a book and try to read.”
Here, Sarah talks us through the process of making her dream a reality...
Embrace the fun
Giving the area around her old, unloved bookshelves a makeover has been inspirational for Sara.
“I’m a very visual person, and when I’m reading the story always plays out in my head,” she says. “So being able to turn these pictures and feelings into a reality on my walls with colour has been such a fun project.”
And now the presenter and DJ has a dedicated spot where she can go to indulge her passion for reading. “Getting lost in one of my all-time favourite books is my way of unwinding,” she adds.
Cocooning colours
Sara says she chose colours that she naturally associates with feelings and was drawn to the deep purple tones of the Dulux Heritage Wild Blackberry, from £15.99 here. Homebase also sell 2.5l tubs for £35.20 here (was £44).
“It’s such a powerful, regal colour that transports you to fantasy lands, while being so cocooning and comforting – perfect for getting into the reading headspace,” she explains.
Dulux Heritage Creative Director Marianne Shillingford tells us that colour can impact our mood and that the atmosphere of a space is vital. “Colours like sunshine yellow or a pastel lilac are uproariously uplifting – reminiscent of joyful holidays and tinged with childhood nostalgia. They can also set a motivational and conversational tone to our most productive spaces.
“Soft colours like blues and greens, rooted in nature, do a lot to calm and ground us and are perfect for more chilled rooms.”
'Paint with feeling'
Marianne encourages us to “paint with feeling”, adding, “The new Dulux Heritage Editions inspire an innovative way to do that, as we look at the emotions our favourite novels stir up and how to reflect them in our wall colours.
“When decorating a book nook, we want to consider the colours that are going to immerse us into whatever we’re reading. Greens, like Dulux Heritage Sage Green, from £15.99 here, which Sara has used on her bookshelf, are great for aiding concentration, and thanks to green’s link to nature, it’s also beautifully calming and familiar.” Homebase also sell 2.5l tubs for £35.20 here (was £44).
Dulux Heritage Wild Blackberry is a “shadowy colour full of intrigue”, says Marianne. “It works to block us from the outside world, shrouds us in its warming comfort. Finding the perfect balance between light and chilled, and cosy and comforting, is the recipe for book nook success.”
For more inspiration and to see the 12 Dulux Heritage Editions novels and corresponding colours in more detail, visit duluxheritage.co.uk/heritage-editions
