I love interiors; in fact in 2014 I achieved a diploma in Interior Design. I’m always reading the interior magazines, my nose pressed against Richard Grafton’s shop window (sorry for the smudges!) and browsing the stalls at Crimple Hall Antiques Centre.
A Pinterest addict
I’d like to say having recently moved in to my new apartment it’s a blank canvas, but that was over 18 months ago and I’m a little embarrassed that I’ve not done much to the place since. OK so my bathroom is complete but the lounge, kitchen and most certainly the bedroom need a complete make over – I blame the blog! Although I know what I want it’s just having the time to do it – Pinterest has come in handy and there’s many a mood board for each room in my apartment (take a look at my bedroom Pinterest page). So when the lovely people at Hicks & Weatherburn, one of the county’s oldest interiors brands, asked if I’d be interested in working with them I thought all my dreams had come true… I’m a sucker for tester pots. Even though I don’t need it but I love the colour, I’ll buy the tester.
Beautiful paint inspired by Yorkshire’s landscapes
Hicks & Weatherburn, one of Yorkshire’s oldest manufacturing businesses, has launched a new range of colours inspired by the Yorkshire countryside. I just love the idea of my bedroom being called ‘Malham Tarn’ or ‘Buttertubs’.
The pigment-rich paints are handmade in small batches to guarantee quality. I’ve had a couple of tester pots and found them to be rich in colour and creamy in texture. Until recently Hicks & Weatherburn was a well kept secret among Yorkshire decorators, theatre companies and set makers who value the fact they can request small quantities and exact shades for specific projects. I’m so pleased to hear that we can now share in the secret!
The details
Available in a range of colours – 2.5 litre dead flat matt £30, 5 litre £55 and 2.5 litre eggshell £50, 5 litre £80. The Yorkshire firm has been making paint since 1741. Quality artisan paints in dead flat matt, extra durable matt, satin and eggshell all available online from http://www.hicksandweatherburn.co.uk/
Calling all interior design suppliers!
Over the coming months, Hicks & Weatherburn and myself will be working on a project. We would like to invite other design suppliers to work with us. If this is of interest or you’d like more information please contact jenni@jennimoulson.co.uk or theharrogategirl@gmail.com
How did it all start?
As a keen rambler, Jonathan Wain has drawn inspiration from Yorkshire unique colours and landscapes as he maps out the future of one of the county’s oldest interiors brands.
Four years ago Jonathan Wain was looking for a new challenge, a search led him to the premises of Hicks & Weatherburn, the oldest paint manufacturer in Leeds. A former chemist, who had built his career as a technical manager with a global coatings firm, had originally tried to set up a chemical distribution business with former colleagues but when that fell through he began looking for small companies in a similar field that were available for acquisition.
“I came across Hicks & Weatherburn and was hooked in by its remarkable heritage, which dates back to 1741,” recalls Jonathan. “It was a huge bonus to find what I was looking for just three miles up the road in Leeds.”
Over the past four years Jonathan has relocated the business to a new manufacturing site in Leeds, streamlined the production process and developed a new range of premium interior paints inspired by his love of the Yorkshire countryside.
“One thing I’ve picked up on since working in the high end paint sector is that there’s a lot of talk about depth of colour. In this context, the term is meaningless because a layer of paint on a wall is two-dimensional and doesn’t have any depth visible to the naked eye.”
The paint names on the Hicks & Weatherburn colour card provide a whistle stop tour of some of the region’s best known beauty spots. Buttertubs, Hawes Cream and Kilnsey Crag are soft neutrals that echo the warm tones of the landscapes that have inspired them. More adventurous interior designers might venture towards the richer hues of Burnsall Heather, Malham Tarn and Strid, strong colours that evoke the county’s bold character.
The brand has a distinguished Yorkshire heritage which Jonathan is keen to make the most of. “I still don’t know everything about the company’s history and it’s fascinating to unearth pieces of the jigsaw, through old advertisements, paint making equipment and colour charts that trace Yorkshire’s paint making history back over more than 250 years,” he says. Hicks & Weatherburn have come a long way in the last four years and the business has changed enormously. “We now make over 20 different water based paints and we have products that can confidently compete against leading luxury paint manufacturers.”
Jonathan has his sights set on the high end interiors market and is currently sourcing independent interior designers up and down the country who are interested in trying his products and helping him raise awareness of the Hicks & Weatherburn brand. “The response has been excellent – people are attracted by the fact that our products are handmade, our personal service and our performance guaranteed through small scale manufacturing, controlled selection of raw materials and product testing. “The fact that we’re a green manufacturer and our factory generates virtually zero waste is another factor that appeals to independent designers. “Since the Tour de France, Yorkshire has become an international brand in its own right and we’re proud to promote ourselves as made in Yorkshire and inspired by Yorkshire.”
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That’s such a cool idea, Yorkshire inspired paint colours.