The Modern Colour Report: Britain’s Shade Preferences
Modern colour in British homes runs on a stable three part structure, and our 2026 report finds the change has been one of temperature rather than method. Cool grey has given way to greige, taupe and warm charcoal, because a blue based grey under Britain's diffuse daylight loses its warmth entirely and leaves a room feeling unheated. Accents have moved with it, from grey blue towards forest green, ochre, rust and deep navy. The more distinctive shift is that depth now comes from finish rather than from extra colours: a single shade appearing as matt on walls, satin on woodwork and high gloss on a storage front creates separation without complicating a compact room. We set out the genuine trade off with gloss, which returns light in north facing rooms but reveals every fingerprint and surface flaw, and how to hold one palette across an open plan kitchen diner....