IN CONVERSATION WITH BEATA HEUMAN

The Dependables Collection was created in collaboration with leading interior designer Beata Heuman.

Inspired by Beata’s creative vision and her ability to craft interiors that balance boldness and charm, the collection features 24 dependable shades, from versatile neutrals to uplifting greens, buttery yellows, and a striking pop of red, offering colours for every mood and style.

Please tell us about your personal experience and relationship with colour. What are your earliest memories of creating colour?

Colours and the combination of colours is a powerful way of communicating a mood and creating an atmosphere. Be that uplifting and inspiring or gentle and calming. Whenever I make these choices I feel a thrill of excitement observing how small additions make a huge difference such as the introduction of just a touch of red. I like how everyone stands equal, whether your budget is vast or meagre it is not about spending money bur rather about thinking and careful consideration to help you make good decisions.

I remember the colour of garments being described in stories and how vivid they became in my mind’s eye which compelled me to try and draw it all out on a piece of paper. A frustrating business since I never quite managed to express what I saw in my head!

How did the collaboration with Mylands come about? Why did you want to create a paint collection?

Mylands supplied all the paints used for the restoration of 188 Hammersmith Road, our brand home, which felt like the perfect fit since they have been making paint in our shared home city since 1884. We began picking paints from Mylands brilliant existing collection but we also made a lot of bespoke colours for the space and that was really the starting point for this collaboration. It has been my dream to do my own paint collection, I am very specific about colour and I think about it a lot so it has been thoroughly enjoyable expressing that and now being able to share it with a bigger audience.

Why did you feel Mylands was the right partner to bring your colour collection to life?

Mylands has a lot of integrity as a brand and being a 4th generation family owned business kind of speaks for itself. Quality and passion for paint is the driver which is how it’s meant to be. Everything happens at their South London site, from the first experiments developing new products in the lab under Anna’s watchful eye until rich thick paint fills the steel tubs before they are neatly stacked in long rows ready to be dispatched to homes all over London in the trusted Mylands van.

Leading Interior Designer Beata Heuman.

Talk us through the inspiration/theme behind the collection?

I started thinking about colours that I love and I looked back at photos I’ve taken of beautiful old houses over the years and Swedish ones in particular. In simpler houses before the turn of the last century you can often observe the use of a rich and zesty palette born out of a relatively limited selection of pigments used to create linseed oil paints which, I realised as part of this process, forms the basis of what I’m drawn to and tend to use. I gathered up lots of different references some less esoteric such as the moody dark counter top in a dingy Brighton pub decorated with car key carved phalluses.

How did you create the specific edit of colours?

The challenge was to whittle it down to 24 colours – the Dependables. The idea was to create a capsule collection that ticked a lot of boxes and gave a broad yet concise range which could serve your whole house. They all have their own character but they also work as a whole. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by choice when it comes to colour so it’s a good idea to have a selection of go-tos that you know work and if you want to mix it up you can do that with wallpaper or fabrics. Once I had the initial selection I tested it all out on my own house and in that process I found some gaps and then I tweaked it further.

My Dependables are a mix of go-tos such as a good white and other light neutrals, things I struggle to find like a dark yet soft ‘’black’’ (which isn’t actually black atall!) and particular shades of green, and tones that I’m excited about such as the boileddill and crayfish party.

What did you enjoy about the process of creating the colours with Mylands? How did you develop exactly the right shades with Anna, the Head of Mylands’ Colour Lab?

The team are all so enthusiastic about paint and colour and I think really caring about the end product is all you can ever ask for. A few of the shades were perfect the first time around but others took a while to get right such as Mormor Zaza and Glass. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience and Anna has been a crucial part of the process. She remained laser focused, positive and extremely patient. When we found ourselves 7 tries down in the sampling process with Cigar and even I was close to giving up she kept pushing and I think that commitment to getting it right really shines through looking at the collection which I couldn’t be happier with.

Three words that encapsulate the collection.

Considered, Vivid & Dependable

Do you have a personal favourite shade (or shades!) from the collection?

Each one is a favourite but I guess the stand out in terms of which one I use the most is Beata White. Crayfish Party is fantastic for accents and Wheatsheaf is wonderful for joinery.

Where have you used colours from the collection?

I have used the entire collection in my house in London and also in lots of places at 188 Hammersmith Road.

About The Collection 

How would you describe the collection to someone who is not familiar with your work?

This collection reflects a palette refined over decades of designing interiors. They are trusted colours you can rely on: versatile light neutrals to cover most walls, mid-tones for shadowy depth in places, darker shades to add edge and contrast, a generous sprinkling of uplifting but calming greens and blues, buttery, irresistible yellows and a sizzling pop of red to add the cherry on the cake.

How do you help clients choose paint colours for their home?

I think the best thing to do when picking colours is to make a plan for the whole house in one go and depending on your approach have something that connects most of the rooms such as the woodwork and ceilings all being in the same tone. I tend to work mostly with light neutrals as an overall palette and introduce colour in smaller doses, be that on individual pieces of furniture or in fabrics. It can be fabulous to do walls in something a bit more punchy but in my opinion that works best if it’s sitting in amongst rooms that are a bit quieter, and also if you cover it up with pictures.

"The idea was to create a capsule collection that ticked a lot of boxes and gave a broad yet concise range which could serve your whole house. They all have their own character but they also work as a whole." - Beata Heuman