A warm and rich autumnal shade that beckons us to hunker down, our colour guru, Amelia, explores why and how to use this opulent hue
Plum is a deep and luxurious colour that’s a mixture of both purple and red. The spectrum of plum hues varies just as much as the varieties of the fruit. Some shades err on the side of a darker, blackish purple, while some are a more vibrant, hotter red.
‘I’m seeing more and more people use plum purple in their homes and I’m not surprised,’ says Tash Bradley, colour psychologist and Lick’s director of interior design (lick.com).
‘We saw purple have a moment in the spring this year, with people gravitating towards that soft lilac tone which is gentle and calming to be around. And now, as we step into the colder months, plum is having its time,’ As Tash points out, the nation’s purple shade of choice is a reflection of the season. Plums are ripe and ready towards the end of summer/ early autumn, and this change of season is precisely when we want to introduce more plum into the home. ‘Plum is synonymous with many aspects of autumn/winter. From rich winter berries and red wine to jewelled red leaves falling from the trees – plum is the perfect shade to set the scene for the colder months,’ says Emma Bestley, co-founder and creative director at Yes Colours (yescolours.com).
While purple is opulent, luxurious and mysterious, red is romantic, bold and empowering, and when these two shades combine, we experience a mixture of both. So it’s best to keep this in mind when deciding where in your home to use the shade. ‘Plum is wonderful to use in spaces you want to fee
