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A Guide to Pigments, Paints & Palettes
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What's Included

Learn the history of colour - why it matters and how to use it.

How to choose paint - right for both the surface and the room

Create a colour scheme - balance, tone and palette made simple.

Step inside Edward’s home - a 360 degree tour

A Guide to Pigments, Paints & Palettes
24 lessons | 4 hours
Leading interior designer and architectural historian, Edward Bulmer, shares his expert knowledge in using pigments, paints and palettes to achieve harmony and cohesion throughout any interior. Filmed in his Queen Anne country house and personal design studio, Edward teaches you how to master using colour; from building out a balanced colour scheme and maximising small, dark spaces, through to choosing the best paint for your project. Discover over 4 hours of in-depth, inspirational lessons and become empowered to use colour confidently in your home.
“
What I hope to cover in this course is the history of our use of paint, and to bring that up to date, make that relevant today, because there are wonderful guiding principles in all of this that are still relevant.
— Edward Bulmer
Billed annually
One time purchase

Lesson Plan
24 LESSONS / 4 HOURS
A history of colour in the home - part 1
Understanding the role colour has played in our history is an essential part of using it successfully today. Edward begins by encouraging you to see colour as a language, and explains that by understanding the fundamental set of pigments that have steered our experience of colour for thousands of years you begin to see the ‘grammar’ that governs how different colours work together.
A history of colour in the home - part 2
In this lesson Edward breaks down the 12 pigments that have made up the human palette for thousands of years, dividing them into earth pigments and mineral pigments.
Colour in action - the music room
Throughout the course Edward takes you through his home, The Court of Noke, breaking down how he’s used colour in various different rooms and situations. We begin in the music room, and Edward explains how his starting place was a grand piano.
A history of colour in the home - part 3
You continue on your journey through the history of colour, with Edward explaining how the availability of the various pigments and materials dictated what colour we used in our homes, and how the memory of those limitations still influences our interiors today.
A history of colour in the home - part 4
Edward breaks down the concepts of ‘tonality’ and ‘weight’, and explains how successfully using both to create a comfortable, balanced scheme requires an understanding of how they were used in the past.
A history of colour in the home - part 5
We finish our journey through the history of colour with Edward explaining the role that science has played in how we see it.
Creating colour
Edward demonstrates how earth pigments are the essential ‘salt and pepper’ of all colour, and shows you how combining different colours well depends on understanding which of these earth pigments they share.
Colour in action - the master bathroom
Edward walks you through his master bathroom, and explains how a very soft pink in a sample can feel a lot more impactful when applied to walls.
How to choose paint
Understanding which type of paint is needed for different parts of your project can be confusing. Edward walks you through all the factors you need to consider.
The theory of colour - part 1
Based on your knowledge of the history of colour and the 12 essential pigments, Edward breaks down some of the core theory he uses to choose colour.
The theory of colour - part 2
In this lesson, we learn how the colour wheel came into being and how we can use it to create successful decorating schemes.
Working with colour - part 1
Edward breaks down his two-step approach to choosing colour for your project: start with a particular feature of your building (a fireplace, an existing colour, a timber beam); and break down your rooms into two basic types. Edward also shares how best to approach your ceilings.
Working with colour - part 2
Dive deeper into tonality and weight as Edward explains how by balancing tonality - the shared pigments across different colours - you’ll be able to choose colours that balance perfectly together.
Working with colour - part 3
Edward explores metamerism (how light impacts the way colour is seen) and encourages you that ultimately colour is a choice.
Colour in action - the master bedroom
In this lesson Edward walks you through his master bedroom, breaking down how he balanced the incredibly ornate wallpaper with colour and fabric that helped the room not be visually loud.
Creating a decorating scheme - where to begin
Scheming should be a fun part of your project, but it can be extremely daunting. Here Edward demystifies the process by walking you through his own scheming process, and revealing how he builds a well-balanced room. For further inspiration, order a free colour chart here: https://bit.ly/free-paint-chart
Creating a decorating scheme - how to refine
Edward leads you through the second half of his scheming process, explaining how to balance light and dark and how to bring fabric into your scheme.
Colour in action - the canal bedroom
Edward walks you through a scheme for one of the smaller rooms in the house, explaining how to bring a sense of light and space through your schemes.
Frequently asked questions - part 1
Edward answers some of the more burning questions when it comes to colour, including ‘How to find the perfect off-white?’ and ‘What colour shall I use in a small space?’
Colour in action - the hallway
The Hallway in Edward’s home is a perfectly balanced room, with the paint colours working alongside the materials in the room. Edward walks you through, and explains his process.
Frequently asked questions - part 2
Edward continues to cover more commonly asked questions.
Colour in action - the green bathroom
Bright green can be a difficult colour to get right. In this walk through Edward explains how he made it work in this peaceful bathroom.
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