Colour Lookbook: From Live Aid to Purple Rain: Laurence Llewellyn Bowen on 80s and 90s Interior Design

Magnolia mania in the 80s

If there was a defining colour from the 1980s décor it was magnolia. Like an antidote to the vibrant pop art-inspired colour blocking that preceded it in the 60s and 70s, magnolia paint went back to basics with its pleasing neutral tone of cream with a pinkish tinge.

Today, there's much more to modern magnolia than, well, just magnolia. If you're partial to neutral shades, we recommend Nutmeg White, Buttermilk, and Timeless. 

You can get more magnolia-inspired home makeover tips in our guides to modern neutral decorating ideas, industrial style with warm neutrals, and falling in love with new neutrals.

Live Aid

With a global audience of almost two billion, Live Aid was undoubtedly one of the defining moments of the 80s, but did you know that we were involved? 

When the original paint supplier fell through at the eleventh hour, we provided 300 litres of black, white, and coloured paints which were used to paint the huge Live Aid logos on either side of the stage the day before the likes of Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney, and David Bowie entertained the world.

Purple reigns in the 90s 

"Move over magnolia" is how Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen describes the 90s approach to home décor. It was a case of goodbye neutrals and hello to the rich and risqué colour purple. 

"Purple is not a straightforward colour at all," says Laurence. "It's a fusion of the two big colours of the spectrum, red and blue the opposing factions that have defined politics and ways of thinking throughout history. Bringing these two tones together is unbelievably kinky and disruptive because it immediately says to everybody that you don't belong to any team apart from your own." 

To add a modern splash of risqué purple power to your home, we recommend Acai Berry and Lavender Quartz.

Gain inspiration and discover other shades of purple paint with our purple decorating ideas.

DIY makeovers 

Inspired by the likes of Mr Llewelyn-Bowen, the demand to express yourself and get creative on your walls grew in the 90s. That's why we introduced a helpful guide to special paint effects and how to achieve them.

As a result, we helped herald in a host of new 90s trends. DIY enthusiasts across the land were soon sponging, stippling, and rag roll painting their way to metallic finishes, paint marbling, and glimmer effects in pretty much every colour under the sun - including purple, of course.