Outdoor cushion colour ideas: seven palettes that work in British light
Catalogue photos are shot in Provence. Your garden is in Leeds. These seven palettes were chosen for light that is grey more often than not.
Why colour behaves differently here
Overcast light is blue-grey and diffuse. It mutes mid-tones and kills pastels, so a "soft sage" that looked lovely online reads as grey on a grey day. What survives is warmth, saturation and contrast. Terracotta, mustard, olive and rust glow in dull light; navy and natural white stay crisp. Pale blue, lilac and mint mostly vanish.
The seven palettes
- Mediterranean, toned down. Sand, olive, terracotta. Suits grey rattan and pale stone. Accent: one lemon cushion. Fabrics: Lopi Sand, Natté Reseda, Domino Terracotta.
- Coastal. Natural white, navy, a navy stripe. Suits teak, white metal, balconies. Accent: mustard. Fabrics: Solids Naturel, Natté Marine, Yacht Stripe Navy.
- Charcoal and rust. Charcoal, rust, taupe heather. Suits black aluminium and dark rattan. Accent: blush pink. Fabrics: Solids Charcoal, Heritage Rust, Chartres Heather.
- Garden greens. Moss, sage, stone. Suits natural wood and planting-heavy gardens. Accent: terracotta. Fabrics: Sasian Moss, Chartres Mint, Natté Canvas.
- Warm neutrals only. Sand, linen, taupe, in plains and heathers. Suits everything; the safe choice done well. Accent: none, texture does the work. Fabrics: Natté Canvas, Blend Linnen, Deauve Taupe.
- Bold and sunny. Lemon, orange, white. Suits white or pale furniture and small city gardens. Accent: a single navy. Fabrics: Connect Lemonade, Jacquard Neon Orange, Flagship White.
- Dusk. Plum, slate, charcoal. Suits evenings, fire pits, grey rattan. Accent: amber. Fabrics: Kanoko Plum, Solids Lead Chiné, Natté Amber.
In British light, go one step warmer and one step more saturated than you think. Pastels for the south of France; mustard for Manchester.
How many colours
Three: a neutral, a main colour, an accent, roughly 60/30/10. The method is in how many scatter cushions and which colours. Mixing a plain and a heathered weave of the same colour adds depth without adding a fourth colour.
Colour by furniture colour
- Grey rattan: palettes 1, 3 and 7. More in cushions for grey rattan.
- Natural wood: 2, 4 and 5.
- Black metal: 3 and 7.
- White: 2 and 6.
Will the colour stay?
With solution-dyed Sunbrella®, yes; that is the point. A bold palette is a safe choice when it will look the same in year five. See does Sunbrella fade. Browse all 158 colours by colour group.
158 Sunbrella® colours in 45×45, filling included, shipped next working day. Browse the collection or ask about made to measure.
