Fancy 'custard cream' walls? We reveal the special meaning behind the paint names in Ideal Home's new paint range

Ideal Home has launched a new paint range with Albany inspired by memory and emotion

Fancy revamping your walls this weekend? Then take a look at Ideal Home's new paint collection with Albany – Emotions of Colour.

We've teamed up with Albany, who have over 100 years of expertise, to create a stunning range of 70 beautiful classic and contemporary shades. Albany paint is already a firm favourite among professional and amateur decorators for providing a high-quality finish. We've sprinkled a little extra Ideal Home magic over it to create a range that we hope you'll love as much as we do.

Related: Paint trends 2021 – the colours setting the tone in our homes for the year ahead

living room with blue coloured wall and pillows on sofa

(Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma)

From the paint names to the colour palettes, everything has been curated by the Ideal Home team. Have you ever wondered how paint names get chosen? The way we connect with colour is often connected to emotion and nostalgia, and that's why the team named each shade after a happy memory – whether that's a favourite snack (hello, custard creams) or a piece of clothing with sentimental value.

'Five-o-One's' is a beautiful blue shade inspired by our Editor, Heather Young's, favourite pair of well-worn jeans. 'Esme's Wardrobe' is a lovely pink, proudly named by Heather's daughter because it reminded her of the wardrobe in her bedroom.

room with burgundy coloured wall and round mirror

(Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma)

‘Naming the colours was a real treat,’ says Heather. ‘Many of my suggestions came during a family brainstorm session around our kitchen table over breakfast one morning.’

Ideal Home Emotions of Colour paint range

The paint collection has been arranged into five palettes – Empowering, Grounding, Cocooning, Relaxing and Uplifting. Each palette has been curated to help create a certain mood in every room, from decorating the kitchen to living room paint ideas.

green and grey wall with table and chair

(Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma)

‘The concept for this range is all about inspiring people to choose colour for their home, based on the way it makes them feel,’ says Heather. ‘The choice of colours out there can often feel overwhelming, but by grouping them into mood-based palettes, we hope to make embracing colour easier.’ 

room with pistachio green coloured wall and fireplace

(Image credit: Dominic Blackmore, Styling: Sarita Sharma)

Buy now: Ideal Home Emotions of Colour, £23.40 for 2.5ltr matt emulsion, Albany

If you find yourself intimidated by pairing colours then this is the collection for you. Every palette includes coordinating neutrals and accent shades, from the warm earthy hues in Cocooning, through to fresh, mood-lifting shades in Uplifting.

The new Ideal Home Emotions of Colour collection launches today (1st May) and will be exclusively available in a range of finishes at Brewers Decorator Centres. All colours will be available in 250ml sample pots and 2.5lt pots. 

Related: Bedroom paint ideas – the colours and paint effects to make your boudoir bespoke

Which is your favourite palette?

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.