Choose the best paint colours for your modern country home

From delicate coastal-inspired hues to robust tones of hill and dale, the country colours of the season can update our homes in inspirational ways. Shades that offer an escape from busy lives are the top picks of paint specialist Farrow & Ball. ‘Our four key colours for 2015 are Light Blue, Pink Ground, Breakfast Room Green and Tanner's Brown, all inspired by nature and designed to create relaxing interiors,' says Sarah Cole, the company's Marketing Director.

It's not just about finding the ideal shade - we also want our schemes to have a personal touch. In-store scanners can match the colour of a photo, while tinting technology by American paint brand Valspar, available at B&Q, claims to copy any colour the eye can see.

Using paints effectively is a more sophisticated process than selecting a single colour from a chart. ‘One colour in isolation can be attractive, two in combination can be beautiful and three shades used together can be exquisite,' says David Mottershead, Managing Director, Little Greene. To this end, try out combinations in the proportion you'll be using them for a more accurate depiction.

Part of a collection of 21 new colours, this combines the natural pigments lamp black and Prussian blue in perfect proportions for a steely grey with a subtle blue undertone. It works well in country and modern interiors. Fine Grey, £25 for 750ml Natural Oil eggshell, Pots of Paint.

This leafy shade is a fresh take on the woodland colours that have always held a special place in country-dwellers'
hearts. It is used here to bring life to a hallway, in a formulation that has been especially developed for use in high-traffic areas. Fennel, £42.50 for 2.5L Elite emulsion, Zoffany.

Copper is a favourite shade this season for lighting and accessories. This versatile coppery paint shade, heralded by Dulux as its colour of the year, will bring vibrancy to rustic wood tones, and complements oranges, pinks and neutrals. Copper Blush, £24.49 for 2.5L matt emulsion, MixLab range, Dulux.

Try a feature wall in a shade of blue that exudes coolness and depth. White accessories increase its intensity. Sapphire,
£30 for 2.5L matt emulsion, Laura Ashley.

For more country decorating ideas see our galleries