Colour Study: Fenwick And Tilbrook Woodsmoke

Hello, Modern Country lovelies, 

Welcome back to another Modern Country Paint Colour Study! Sometimes, just sometimes, I'm lucky enough, through my work, to stumble upon something truly special that I simply HAVE to share with you...and today is such a day: Fenwick and Tilbrook's Woodsmoke Exterior Eggshell is one of the very best I've tried in sooooo many ways.

I used Fenwick and Tilbrook's Woodsmoke on the panelling in our new snug and, oh my goodness gracious, I've fallen head over heels in love with this colour. It's the VERY best paint colour I know to use with exposed Cotswold Stone (more on that to come!!).



As with all the best paint colours, it's hard to describe exactly. Fenwick and Tilbrook describe it like this: The colour of smoke changes depending on the material that is burning, natural wood will change the smoke to a pale, warm, grey beige. This is the inspiration for our colour Woodsmoke'.... I'll try and get over my lovestruck jabbering enthusiasm and give you a good clear idea on what to expect...



Woodsmoke is a superbly soft green. But not an obvious green by any means...it's muddily muted green tones create such a gorgeous neutral warmth that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, who walks in here comments on how peaceful it feels...and I put that largely down to this precise paint colour.

You can see just what a difference it made by looking at this before photo from when the panelling had just been put in...



And here's almost exactly the same shot with the delicious Fenwick and Tilbrook Woodsmoke on the panelling. As soon as our panelling was painted, the whole room absolutely sprang to life. We'd come and sit down here just to stare at the colour. It's mesmerisingly beautiful....



Fenwick and Tilbrook have created the most perfect mid-toned hue. Woodsmoke contains just the right amount of grey; there's absolutely nothing cold or industrial about this beautiful colour.



A quick word of warning: when painting rooms after significant building work, if you're after the Modern Country Style then try to avoid colours that are too grey because they can make the room appear somewhat soulless. 



Fenwick and Tilbrook's Woodsmoke is green enough to add the perfect warmth of the Country but is still dirty enough (and I mean that entirely in a good way) to feel beautifully contemporary at the same time.



One of the things that is so super special about Fenwick and Tilbrook's Exterior Eggshell (which is what we've used here) is that it goes on BEE-YOO-TIFULLY. No drips, no overpowering smell, no stickiness....just extraordinarily easy to apply in smooth, lustrous strokes for a really fantastic, tough finish....and you most certainly do not get that experience with every paint brand out there.

If you're a fan of muted, gently-greyed paint colours then you've struck gold here at Modern Country Style! Here is Fenwick and Tilbrook's Woodsmoke in gentle evening light...it appears much greyer but still with a lovely softness.

So...overall verdict? I literally could not praise this paint any more. It's perfection in a perfectly packaged paint pot... Woodsmoke harmonises beautifully with all natural materials, stone walls: check! Stripped pine door: check. Iron wall lights: check! Wool carpet? Check! 

Fenwick and Tilbrook's Woodsmoke is chockablock-full of character and charm....perfect for an injection of Modern Country Style into our brand new snug! 

Now...have you ever wondered how to give new bare pine that stunning antique stripped pine look? Coming your way soon is a full tutorial...

Take Care Until Next Time,
Sarahx

All images Modern Country Style

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The Worst Before Shots In The WORLD!!!!

I'm SO excited! It's finally time for me to start revealing all that's been going on behind the scenes here in our little corner of the Cotswolds.

For those of you who are new {welcome!!}, four years ago we moved to a rambling Georgian house that needed a lot of care and attention. And over the last year, we've been having extensive building work on much of the house.

Let's give ourselves a quick reminder of a couple of the Before and After rooms, and then I'll show you the official Worst Before In The World!!

Here's the transformation of our Living Room...

And who forget the awful kitchen that we turned into our Family Room...  (full details here!!)

When we first moved in, with no definite plans for the basement, the children used it as a playroom but over the next couple of years, we gradually began to realise what amazing potential this space had.

The builders did an AMAZING job at doing all the behind-the-scenes work and then began...

...Project Snug!!!

Take care till next time, 

when I'll be sharing one of my new favourite EVER paint colours with you,

Sarahx

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Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look: Symmetry

Happy New Year!! I hope your Christmas was wonderful and happily full of love, laughter, as well as true and lasting joy. Welcome back to the very last in the series of Georgian Kitchens: Get The Look, where we've been learning about:

simplicity, 

proportion, 

materials. 

Today we'll be delving into getting the look of a Georgian Style Kitchen through the use of symmetry.

{So far, we've taken an in-depth look at simplicity, proportion and materials, simply click on the links to catch up!}

It's hard to underplay the incredible effect that symmetry brings. Yes, it's extraordinarily pleasing to the eye but symmetry also brings a sense of order, space and strong design to any kitchen.

Georgian design draws heavily on symmetry, which is why, from the smallest cottage to the largest Country pile, Georgian kitchens ooze charm and grace from every nook and cranny of their beautiful bones.

Easy ways to achieve this symmetry are to include a large over-mantel above a range cooker, with matching cupboards either side. However, if possible, make sure to include another larger feature, such as a larder, to create symmetry within the whole room too, as demonstrated beautifully in the Martin Moore kitchen below.

Ideally, on every side of the kitchen, there should be a feature, which has obvious symmetry, whether that's floor to ceiling cupboards either side of an American fridge freezer, or a double Butler's sink, or even a beautiful window. This will undoubtedly bring visual peace and calm...

...and who would ever turn that down?!!

Take Care Until Next Time,

Sarahx

Images via Burlanes, Humphrey Manson, unknown, Martin Moore, Martin Moore, Pepperbox Interiors, 

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