Capturing the Colours of the Hunter

Interior designer Naomi Findlay and Bristol Paint’s David Simpson are recreating the natural colours of the Hunter in exactly matching pots of paint. First up: the Newcastle Collection

Have you ever struggled with choosing the perfect colours for a bedroom makeover or your kitchen cabinetry and found yourself saying ‘I just wish I could get the same shade of blue that I see in the ocean from the lookout?’ But alas every blue you try just isn’t right. Well, you are not alone.
My friend and fellow colour enthusiast David Simpson, owner of the Hunter region’s Bristol Paints stores, and I would regularly find ourselves talking about the challenges that both my clients and his customers face when selecting paint colours for their projects. And we had both heard many times how they would gather inspiration from the colours in our natural environment, the colours that surround us every day.

So you can imagine our excitement when the technology became available to create paint colours to exactly match those lovely natural hues. Whether it is a particular building, the leaves on a tree, the sands on our beaches, or the old rusted shed we see on our drive into work each day, we now have the ability to capture that exact shade in a pot of paint. I was overwhelmed with excitement and my mind was buzzing with the possibilities.

A couple of coffee dates with David later and the idea for “Colours of the Hunter” was born. We quickly came to the conclusion that we would need several collections to really do the region justice, and Newcastle was the obvious starting point.

We have carefully curated locations, landmarks and icons from the eastern coastal fringe of our amazing city and created a collection of colours from the natural and manmade elements that make this area so memorable.

Whether it is the grey of the stone along Nobbies breakwall; the warm, varied colours of the cliffs above Susan Gilmore Beach, or the blue of Newcastle Baths grandstand: you can now well and truly bring those colours into your home.

We have covered coastal colours from Nobbys Headland to Merewether Beach. There is the rich timber tone of Christ Church Cathedral’s doors, the stonework of Fort Scratchley, the blue of the ocean when viewed from Anzac walk and of course the lush greenery of King Edward Park.

At home with nature

I have long been a vocal advocate of the positive impact of connecting our homes with nature.
This thoughtfully created collection makes it so much easier to do exactly that, to surround yourself with the colours you love, the colours that calm and nourish your soul, the colours that turn your house into the ultimate home of your dreams.

Yet this first collection is but the beginning of a truly colourful journey through the Hunter region – providing you with an abundance of locally inspired colours for your next building or renovation project. Head to a Bristol Paint store near you to purchase your favourite shade of the Hunter or to pick up a 100 ml sample pot. You can also order online at naomifindlay.com/coloursofthehunter for convenient delivery to your doorstep.

Read more in the Spring issue of Hunter & Coastal Lifestyle Magazine or subscribe here.

Story by Naomi Findlay