Tash Bradley

Could you give us an introduction to Lick?

The company was launched in March 2020. My husband, Sam Bradley, is the founder of Lick alongside Lucas London. The company came about as they both saw a huge gap in the market for making decorating accessible, easy and enjoyable.

Often shoppers are bombarded with about 200 blues, for example, and so many different finishes. They wanted to make it super simple. The principle to Lick is to make decorating fun and easy.

Our sticky paint patches are made with our paint, which means they are a guaranteed true colour match. I always tell my clients to stick the patch in different areas of the room because in one section it might look darker, in the other lighter. What you don’t want to be doing is painting squares around your room, so these patches make it really easy to try colours in different areas of your home.

What is your background?

I am an artist, colour consultant and colour specialist. I also have a background in colour psychology and my mum is an interior designer. Sam and I didn’t have the intention to work together but it just naturally happened.

What is your role within the company?

I joined the company two months before it launched. My role within the company includes making all the colours and designing and briefing out all of our wallpapers. I also lead our colour consultancy team which is made up of myself and two others. We offer colour consultancy which can include one room up to a whole house. I also just do general quick chats if people are stuck, you don’t necessarily have to book an appointment.

One of the first questions I ask a client if they’re decorating their bedroom for example, is what time of day they spend in that room. Are you a morning person or do you want it cosy for the evening? The light coming into your room will have a huge influence in the kind of colours you can pick. A North facing room for example, doesn’t get much natural light, it's more of a dark light. So if you put a grey with a blue undertone, that room will feel very dull. What you want to do is warm those rooms up, you can still go for light colours but you want to go for something with a bit of heat in it; a dusky pink for example would look beautiful. A soft beige colour would also look lovely.

South facing rooms on the other hand get lots of natural light so you can pretty much pick any colour. For East and West situated rooms, when the sun rises, it's more of a white blue light, so if for instance you have a blue in there it might feel too bright. It’s all about balancing out with the light. I always ask clients what they have in their room; what do their sofa and cushions look like, for example, and have they got any artwork?

We never see colours in isolation, so you never just see a grey wall, you're going to absorb everything in that room. Different colours in that room will alter the overall feel. One of the most important things I do is to find out about the person and how they want their room to feel. So many people go with a trend but it's important to consider how you want to feel in your own home.

Why is colour choice important in a bedroom?

Colours make us feel certain things. Red is a stimulating colour, so when it comes to a bedroom, I wouldn’t recommend red as it's too energising. Different colours affect our mood. Blue is the colour of the mind, so light blues are very soothing and restful. A soft light blue is perfect for a bedroom as it reflects the tones of the sky and sea. It encourages really good sleep. Darker blues are more mentally stimulating. Since we’ve been working from home, I’ve been recommending dark blue for a bedroom because it's a great colour to work in. During the daytime, the dark blue stimulates your brain and allows you to focus, and at night it turns into the night sky. Green is the colour of balance and harmony and makes you feel like you’re bringing nature inside. Bringing the outdoors in makes you feel very relaxed and I would really encourage that for a bedroom. Dusky pink is also a great colour, if you’re wanting to feel cosy and warm.

Everyone reacts to colours differently. I tend to ask clients what their least favourite and favourite colours are. Colours can be very personal as each holds a different association. We can be very clever with colour as it can really impact the way that we feel. If you have a neutral bedroom for instance, adding an accent colour in the bedding is a great way to bring in a bit of energy and positive psychological associations.

What are your thoughts on patterned bedding?

When you come to the bedroom, busy patterns can be quite intense and can over stimulate the mind. Having texture and interest is very important, what you want to do is have the bed as your focal point. Using a block coloured bedding is very effective, especially when you add in a pattern perhaps on a cushion, throw or curtain. This can compliment the bedding whilst still retaining a level of calm. Even when you’re asleep, having that subconsciousness that you’re in a lovely cocoon, is really important.

If we all had one colour and texture in the same space we would get very bored very quickly. Having different textures and colours adds interest and makes it feel homey.

What is the effect of pastels on interiors, specifically bedrooms?

Pastels are low saturated colours and anything that is pastel feels very soft, so they’re perfect for a bedroom. Pastels are a great place to start when thinking about adding colour into your space. A pastel green, for example, brings a freshness and energy to a room but isn’t too overstimulating. A pastel bed is soft, it's fresh and it has an energy to it. Quite a few people are scared of colour and naturally retreat into their comfort zone, so a pastel is a lovely way to introduce colours into a scheme.

A pastel palette brings a subtle energy. Pastel colours create a feeling of positivity and calmness, which is what makes them so perfect for a bedroom. If you have a natural scheme and you want to bring in a bit of energy, introducing a pastel is a great way to do that.