Showroom focus - Robert Paul
Name – Robert Paul
Title – Showroom Manager
Little Greene Showroom – Marylebone
I have been at the Little Greene showroom since its launch a year ago. I studied fashion and business at Manchester Metropolitan University and then continued to work in fashion for the next 14 years. For the last 7 years, I have been an artist too. I’ve always had a keen interest in colour and textiles and have been drawn to it from a very young age. Over the last 5 years I have worked mostly on the interior design of luxury properties, so for me it was a natural progression to my role here at Little Greene.
Putting colour on the wall is like adding another layer to a room. Fashion is always very fast and transitional and art is more sensory. You can always choose not to look at art but wall colour is something that needs to be secure and stable within the home. Colour always needs to be something that is right for the customer. When something is on the wall it needs to make you feel good whatever mood you are in and I find that opens up some really interesting dialogue.
Colour can be a minefield. At Little Greene we’re able to help the customer through the decision making process. It’s always good to discuss all options and add some creativity so the customer can then move their project forward. It’s nice to see someone leave the showroom inspired because you've helped them and essentially you’re helping to create their future.
Day to day, my job is really good fun. The customers are lovely and people come into the showroom for a reason. They want to understand colour and get advice on their own colour choices. We deal with all colour queries and also offer colour consultancies in the customer’s home or in the showroom.
Someone once said to me that they thought Little Greene was the ‘thinking man’s paint.’Robert Paul, Marylebone Showroom Manager
I can offer the customer an engaging environment to allow them to discuss colour and each member of our team has an individual style which is always important. Above all, we focus on what the customer feels is right for their environment.
I gain inspiration from a variety of sources but one of my favourite architects is Luis Barragán. I really love bold colours and opposing angles with different scales and proportions and I like mixing colours together. I’ve never been great with rules and I think they exist to either be broken or explored. I have an eclectic taste and whilst I like the idea of mixing colours, when it comes to my own space I use neutral tones and tend to use texture to add atmosphere.
My favourite era is the 60’s and early 70’s. I mix this with my artistic and fashion background and also use inspiration from my British and Persian heritage. I think all those elements coupled together give me the sensibility to be able to create different schemes.
I have my own top 3 favourite Little Greene colours. I love Marine Blue for its Mad Men style and its ability to be mixed with vintage and amber to create a retro feel. Light Peachblossom is lovely because it’s so soft and romantic and I like Gentle Sky because it’s bold and has a Michelangelo artistic vibe to it.
My role as the Marylebone Showroom Manager fulfils all the creative needs that I have and I feel really proud to work for the company. I like being able to inspire people through my job, whether it’s my team or the customer. I get satisfaction from going the extra mile for the Little Greene customer, it’s nice when someone writes in to let you know that you’ve really influenced their choice of colours.
