Uncovered: The UK’s Most Popular Paint Colours Around the Home

We all know that choosing a paint colour for a room can not only be a stressful process but a lengthy one, too. 

It’s an important decision to make as certain colours can not only impact your mood but make or break the room itself. 

So to make the whole process easier for you, we have completed extensive research into the most popular paint colours for each room of the house. And to make it even easier, we’ve also added the shade and brand name should you wish to replicate the nation’s colour of choice. 

In addition, we’ve also analysed how the most popular paint colours can differ from city to city in the UK. 

Key Findings:

• Four of the top five most popular paint colours for the kitchen are by Farrow & Ball. As one of the most expensive paint brands, this suggests that Brits prefer a high-end paint colour in their kitchen. 
• Despite Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ being the most popular paint colour for the kitchen, the most popular shade overall (regardless of brand) is grey. 
• The number of Brits googling Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ accounted for 44% of the top five searches for living room paint colours.
• Surprisingly, the rather feminine colour ‘Sulking Room Pink’ (by Farrow & Ball) is the second most popular bedroom colour accounting for 21% of the top five searches relating to paint colours for the bedroom.
• Interestingly, the bathroom is the only room where a more budget paint brand achieved the top spot in terms of the most popular paint colour - with Dulux’s ‘Sapphire Salute’.

Read on to discover Britain’s favourite colour schemes.

The Most Popular Paint Colours in Each Room of the Home

Revealed: Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ is the Most Popular Living Room Paint Shade but Grey is the Winner Overall 

So, which colour was the most favoured for the kitchen? ‘Hague Blue’ by Farrow & Ball is the clear winner. A whopping 8,760 people searched for this colour - accounting for 37% of the top five searches. In fact, ‘Hague Blue’ racked up almost double the number of Google searches than its inky blue counterpart, ‘Stiffkey Blue’, which is the second most popular colour for the kitchen, attracting 4,580 searches.

However, whichever shade you go for - both of these beautiful blues would work well with white or wooden countertops. Accessorize with gold, copper, or brass fixtures for an on-trend style. 

The third most searched for paint colour for the kitchen was ‘Cornforth White’, with 4,460 of UK searches. This is a chic middle tone grey which verges on white and can be paired with a softer grey to achieve a sleek clean look that still has some warmth to it. Or, if you were looking for something a bit more contrasting - combine ‘Cornforth White’ with a charcoal grey or teal.

Wonder Wall: 4/5 of Brit’s Most Popular Kitchen Colours are by Farrow & Ball

Kitchen renovations always prove popular with homeowners, mainly because they can be a great way to add value to your home. Although a kitchen refurbishment can be expensive it appears Brits aren’t cutting any corners with their choice of paint brand. 

The four most popular colours for the kitchen are from Farrow & Ball - the more costly paint brand compared to Dulux, suggesting Brits are more willing to splurge on their kitchen than other rooms in the home.

F&B’s ‘Hague Blue’ Accounts for 44% of Top Google Searches for Living Room Paint Colours 

As the room where you go to relax and feel calm, it’s unsurprising that classy colours like blue (‘Hague Blue’ - Farrow & Ball) and grey (‘Elephant’s Breath’ - Farrow & Ball) were, retrospectively, the most popular for the living room. 

‘Hague Blue’ accounted for a staggering 44% of the top five Google searches for living room paint colours. If you’re after deep blue walls such as this colour, you may want to opt for a mid-tone grey sofa that will contrast against the dark blue walls due to the depth of tones.

In second place, ‘Elephant’s Breath’ gained 2,950 searches for the living room. This gorgeous grey is ideal for the living room as it’s versatile and can easily make this room feel cosy with its warm tones. 

But, what furniture do you couple with this colour? Well, the world is your oyster when it comes to matching with grey. You could keep the earthy scheme with greens, browns and tans. Or you could go for a bold sofa in a beautiful burnt orange or luscious teal.

Surprisingly, the Second Most Popular Paint Colour for the Bedroom is a Romantic Pink: Britain Falls in Love with Romantic Pink for the Bedroom

Surprisingly, ‘Sulking Room Pink’ from Farrow & Ball was the second most Googled paint colour for the bedroom. This paint colour amassed 5,500 Google searches, 1,150 less searches than the most popular ‘Hague Blue’.

While some may shudder at the thought of a pink colour scheme anywhere in the house, actually, this pink colour oozes sophistication with its warmth and powdery feel.  It’s quite easy to go for a contemporary, or traditional look with this colour. However, you could even combine these two looks with a wooden bed frame and modern accessories. 

Not sure what to couple this pink with? Well if you’re looking to keep the romantic look, why not try a white with lilac or grey undertones for an effortless scheme. Though if you’re feeling adventurous this muted pink would work well with a teal for a beautiful rich look.

Dulux’s ‘Sapphire Salute’ Blue is The Most Popular Bathroom Colour 

Our research also uncovered that Dulux’s ‘Sapphire Salute’ is the most popular colour for the bathroom – accounting for 26% (3,560) of the top five Google searches. However, following closely behind is Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ with 3,040 searches. 

But, what can you pair with such strong navy colours? These blues balance beautifully with gold accents, such as gold taps, lights or mirrors. You could even use a bold patterned tile for the floor and use chic subway tiles for the shower area.

However, if you’re looking for other colours to use in your bathroom, neutral greys would work well such as the 3rd (‘Chic Shadow’ - Dulux) and 5th (‘Polished Pebble’ - Dulux) most popular bathroom colours. Or if you’re feeling colourful you could create a fun look by contrasting this deep blue with a sweet light pink.

Dulux Takes Top Place in the Bathroom

According to Google searches, the paint brand of choice for most rooms in the UK is Farrow & Ball. This brand was in the majority of searches and regularly was the most searched for colour in that room - except the bathroom. 

Analysing UK Google searches, the bathroom was the only room to feature mostly Dulux paint colours. Not to mention that the most searched for colour in the bathroom was Dulux’s ‘Sapphire Salute’. 

So, why do Brits favour Dulux in the bathroom? Compared to Farrow & Ball, Dulux, is significantly cheaper. This could be more appealing for the bathroom - bearing in mind that you may have to re-paint regularly to cover unsightly mould - which could add up with a costlier paint like F&B. 

If you liked exploring the most popular colours throughout the home, why not read our guide on amazing coloured baths?

Methodology

Drench.co.uk explored paint colours from Dulux and Farrow & Ball on Google keyword planner and added the room name, such as ‘living room’ to each colour. This then gave us the most popular paint colours in every room in the UK, according to Google. 

The Most Popular Paint Colours in Each City

Ever wondered what the most popular paint colours in the home are in your city? Jump to your city down below to find out.

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in London

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Birmingham

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Liverpool

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Glasgow

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Bristol

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Manchester

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Leeds

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Edinburgh

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Leicester

The Most Searched for Paint Colours in Each Room in Coventry