Taupe this weeks featured exterior colour.

The subject of exterior colours reminds of a story. Unless you’re superhuman don’t pick your own exterior colours! Many years ago the exterior of my townhouse (a New Edinburgh Barry Hobin infill from the 80s) needed painting. It was beige with off-white trim: not my favourite. Got everyone together and it was accepted we’d change the colour. My partner and I went on vacation, I told the neighbours call our designer Lynn Horricks (the goddess of colour) didn’t matter if we were there or not as she’d know what colour to pick – and there was no point arguing with her. So off we trot on vacation… We come back to find the work had started but the neighbours were not happy with the colour – nor we. I ask why did Lynn pick such a colour it looks like a large elephant. They say “Oh no we didn’t call her we can pick colours” “Yes, I see that!” So we called Lynn she came in picked a muted grey/green (battleship grey we called it) with a whitish trim. No one was thrilled with the choice as seen in a 1 inch square sample but we all acquiesced to her vision (what choice did we have it was Lynn after all). Then when the project was finished everyone was in awe. Suddenly an 80s infill was perfectly integrated into a Victorian neighbourhood. And that is what a great designer can do. I have other Lynn stories. But that’s for another day.