Historically, pinks have been used to flatter. They were a popular choice in the past for reception rooms and dining halls, where visiting guests would look their best. Pink colours that are packed full of warm, earthy pigments will reflect their warmth onto every skin tone, literally making us glow in the right light! For this reason, I love to use pink in bathrooms, where most of us are faced with seeing ourselves in a mirror (and who wants to see an unflattering green tinge reflected onto their skin from the walls when they wake up in the morning?). I see pink shades as a neutral and they can be used in any room in the house. They’re also fantastic in bedrooms, and so versatile with other colours and fabrics. Pinks also sit beautifully alongside antiques and historical architecture, and the natural texture of wood. My favourite flattering pinks are Edward Bulmer’s ‘Jonquil’ – a warm, earthy pink with yellow undertones and his ‘Cuisse De Nymphe Emue’ – a fresher pink with blue undertones, which is fab to use in darker spaces where Jonquil may be a little too earthy.”

“To accentuate and complement architectural features, I always like using earthy tones such as ’Toad’ from Little Greene or ‘Bronze Green’ by Paint & Papers, a colour which I have used outside on many projects now.”

“Whether a colour is perceived as flattering or not depends on what it coexists with – other adjacent colours, materials, and even the view out of the window. Colours are ever-changing and they’re influenced by lighting conditions, room scale, and interactions with surrounding elements. The same hue can appear vastly different in different spaces. To ensure your paint colour flatters, it’s crucial to consider all these factors both spatially and emotionally.

Consider the balance and proportion of the colour. This is as important as the colour itself; too much can feel overwhelming, and too little will not have the power to influence how the elements in the room are perceived. Don’t overlook the finish, either – softer finishes infused with natural pigments such as Graphenstone GCS lime paint will create a flattering, rich, velvety colour that appears embedded into the walls rather than an applied surface.

To achieve the most flattering effect for the room and the people in it, avoid stark whites. Brilliant whites often contain optical brighteners that give off an artificial bluish tinge. Instead, opt for softer neutral shades such as ‘Graphenstone Pale Walnut’, which is versatile and works in most lighting conditions. Soft shades with warm red or yellow undertones such as Graphenstone’s ‘Dijon’, ‘Cinnamon’ or ‘Sienna’ will radiate a flattering glow.”

Twig Hutchinson, creative director and interior design consultant

“I think we can all agree that it’s not fun to get dressed on a bleak February morning where you can see your vitamin D-deficient pallor with vivid clarity. It’s definitely not shallow to consider how paint colours at home can make you look and feel either a whole lot better, or worse! Wherever you sit on the skin tone spectrum, cool blue and green tones are not going to do anything favourable for your complexion.