Herefordshire interior designer reveals how to get that Bridgerton look

For all the swooning and seduction demanding our attention, there were plenty of gasps of admiration for the magnificent interiors providing the backdrop to the action.

There was much speculation about the beautiful architecture, the wisteria mysteriously always in bloom, the Wedgewood blue hues of the Bridgerton residence and opulence in abundance.

One Herefordshire company which knows more than most about the magnificence of Regency interiors is Edward Bulmer Natural Paints, which has a personal interest in one house in particular.

"Needless to say, we thought the paint colours provided the perfect backdrop for love to blossom at the majestic Somerley House in Hampshire.

And it all started in the main hall painted in ‘Tawny’ when the young lovebirds held hands momentarily and viewers were given a glimpse of their true feelings.

"But our favourite is the spectacular private picture gallery, in which a fine mixture of old masters and English history paintings and portraits are still hung on the original iron strap hanging system and painted in our most breathable natural paint, 'Drab Green'."

Thanks to Bridgerton (and a pandemic-induced passion for our own homes) Regency fever is, they say, definitely enjoying a revival.

While your own home may be a little less modest than the houses in 'the ton' that's no reason not to introduce a touch of the period's palette into your interiors.

For a true Regency feel, try Pea Green, Brick, Brimstone, Lavender and Fair blue, Wedgwood Blues or Drab Green.

But how did the Regency palette develop, and how did such an explosion of colour come about?

"Chemistry," says Edward Bulmer, founder of Edward Bulmer Natural Paints. "It underlies the attraction between Bridgerton’s will-they, won't they lovers, Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, just as it was the driver of colour availability in the Regency period.

"The Prince Regent loved interior design and employed all the greatest makers and the latest materials. The understanding of pigment chemistry – mainly how to extract reliable colour from minerals, begins to take off in the early 1800s. The discovery of Lead Chromate, French Ultramarine and ‘wet’ Vermilion made brighter colours more available (if you could afford it).

"And what happened at court often led to what became fashionable in design and dress. Along with a growing awareness of the boldness of ancient decorating, through the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, a taste for stronger colours became more widespread. "

Nowhere in Bridgerton are those stronger colours more in evidence than in the Featherington home, where a brighter, some might say brasher, palette is in evidence - limes and yellows and a lot of ornamentation. The Bridgertons' home is more subdued, more elegant, featuring blues and creams throughout.

"The Regency period was one of richness in furnishing at the affluent end of the scale but in general paler shades coexisted with this," explains Edward Bulmer, founder of Edward Bulmer Natural Paints.

"The painter of this day was skilled enough to marble, gild, grain and colourwash. The pigments available to the general householder would have still meant that most colour was earth based and not sharp.

"Strong reliable colours do not become easily available until the reign of Queen Victoria. We publish a period suitability key on our colour cards and we have gone for what was in general use rather than specifically at the Court, where in 1780 Queen Charlotte introduced a Ball on her birthday, that appears to be the inspiration for that in Bollockston."

PERIOD COLOURS FOR A CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR

One of Britain’s leading architectural historians, Edward Bulmer has an exceptional eye for colour and an encyclopaedic knowledge of period interiors.

Famous for restoring Britain’s heritage buildings, from Kenwood House to The Theatre Royal, he has developed his own historically correct colours into 72 paint shades perfectly tuned for fashionable living.

Formulated with all-natural ingredients which allow buildings to breathe, and coloured with traditional mineral pigments, Edward Bulmer’s Pots of Paint collection is as much at home in contemporary interiors as it is in stately homes.

Here he chooses three of his favourite period colours, and suggests how to use them in modern settings…

Laylock

Historic: “A great favourite in Adam houses in the late 1700s, this is perfect for Georgian interiors. To recreate the authentic softness and depth of the original period colour, I used red oxide, an earth pigment, instead of the more usual carmine. This stops it looking sickly or ‘flowery’. I’ve used Laylock in several restoration projects, most recently in the kitchen of a Victorian castle where it gave a fresh clean look and seemed to unite the architectural bones of the room with the newly installed units and aga.”

Modern: “Lilac shades are not scary if they are grounded with earth pigment to prevent them becoming a pastel shade. I particularly like Laylock for bedrooms, where it always looks calm and restful. It’s also great on woodwork and cabinetry. If you are looking for drama, the natural balancing colour for lilac is green and, if you get the right shades, the two will work beautifully together."

Verdigris

Historic: “The name is literally descriptive of the colour of the oxidised surface of copper and bronze. A beautiful Prussian blue based green with an underlying earthy tone but a wonderful radiance. It was an expensive and sought-after colour in the early 19th century. Projects where I’ve used it include the splendid Marlborough Room at Althorp where it’s the perfect backdrop to an important collection of paintings. ”

Modern: “Colours like this which hover between blue and green give a rich, robust effect. Verdigris can give real character to simple, contemporary spaces and prevent them seeming cold. It’s even fine in north-facing rooms because it’s a warm green which changes subtly with the light. You can happily paint a whole room in it or, as I often do, use it as a trim colour. It works beautifully in high contrast with off-whites.”

Clay

Historic: “Many old colour names like ‘Clay’ refer to natural materials and of course these materials varied from place to place. I formulated our Clay as a grey/yellow shade which is extremely versatile. It’s not one of the ‘grand’ historic colours, but I’ve often used it for rooms where an understated shade that hovers between grey and beige is called for. On the restoration of a Welsh long house recently it prevented the room from looking too re-done and gave it an appropriately local vernacular feel.”

Modern: “Clay works very well alongside timber and stone, making it perfect for minimalist interiors. I often recommend it for halls, but it is also sophisticated enough for contemporary living rooms. It’s a grown up, architectural take on grey.”

Edward Bulmer Natural Paint is available at www.edwardbulmerpaint.co.uk