The Managing Director of Mylands tells us the story of a great London brand
Our guest this week is Dominic Myland, Managing Director, Mylands.
Designerpaint (DP): Can you tell us a bit about your Company’s history?
Dominic Myland (DM): Mylands is Britain’s oldest family owned and run paint and wood polishes manufacturer. Celebrating 130 years of trading in 2014, Mylands was established in 1884 but historically sold to trade customers only. For many years, Mylands was a best kept secret amongst interior designers, decorators and scenic artists working in the film, television and theatre industry. In 2012, Mylands became available to customers direct for the first time, with the launch of ‘Colours of London’ – 120 timeless colours, London-made and inspired.
We have been manufacturing paint in South London since our beginnings when ‘Honest’ John Myland set up his modest shop in the heart of Lambeth. Unlike other paint makers of the day, John insisted on using only the very best materials that would allow him to create colours that were lustrous and flawless, with guaranteed quality. Today, we’re still in Lambeth, the last remaining paint manufacturer in London, and as John’s great-grandson, I proudly continue the family tradition of perfection in paint.
DP: Which is your favourite TV programme or film that Mylands have supplied the paint for?
DM: It’s hard to choose just one as Mylands paints have made a starring role in some of the world’s most successful productions. Our paints have adorned the sets of films including James Bond, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Kings Speech and Les Miserables to name a few! But a personal favourite would have to be epic fantasy television drama Game of Thrones for its lavish theatrical sets and bold use of colour – not forgetting the gripping storylines of course!
Downton Abbey is also a favourite; Mylands colours such as Amber Grey No.156 in Mrs Patmore’s kitchen and Empire Grey No.171 in Mr Carson’s pantry really bring the grand Edwardian style interior to life.
DP: How do you come up with the names for your paint colours?
DM: Our paint colours are inspired and named after London, home to Mylands since it was founded 130 years ago. Our ‘Colours of London’ palette comprises 120 timeless colours, each inspired by London’s iconic features, districts and landmarks such as Whitehall, Pimlico, Soho House, and Sloane Square.
Some colour names refer directly to the original colour that was supplied, either historically or recently. Some are matched to documented historical wallpapers discovered and reproduced from those London buildings or street names where the buildings are situated. Others are drawn from London paint archives including the V&A and Hackney library, or sources such as the early Thomas Parsons colour books and the British standard 1955 colour chart. We also have an archive of tens of thousands of colour matches over many years – colours which were considered ‘classics’ even back in our Victorian beginnings.
DP: What is your favourite Mylands colour and why?
DM: Working with colour all the time means my favourite changes daily! The Mylands palette features 120 timeless shades making it hard to choose just one… Bridge Blue No.22 is a lovely Cornish blue that’s extremely versatile; its soft blue-grey tones work in almost any situation. Reminiscent of a coastal sky, Bridge Blue No.22 has an unusual ability to uplift and soothe at the same time – perfectly suited to bedrooms, bathrooms and more. It also looks great outdoors – try painting a weatherboard exterior, summerhouse or potting shed for a welcome accent of colour.
Sloane Square No.92 is a fabulous neutral; stylish, refined and fashionable, it complements so many other colours in the Mylands palette whilst also working wonderfully as an elegant wall colour in its own right. With soft grey undertones, it has a depth and warmth that is welcome in virtually any scheme.
DP: What is your best painting and decorating tip?
DM: Firstly, use a good quality paint. Mylands colours are rich and pure; authentic yet versatile and highly pigmented. We are renowned for our thick lustrous paint which has outstanding coverage and opacity, is exceptionally hardwearing and easy to use. Quite simply, Mylands paints are beautiful to look at, a pleasure to paint with and kind to the environment too.
When painting, good preparation is key; make sure you have a clean, dry and sound surface before painting for best application and results. Use a good quality primer & undercoat to create the perfect base for your top coat and avoid painting in extreme weather as this can affect drying times. It’s always a good idea when using several tins of one colour to mix a little of the last paint tin in with the next, to ensure any slight variations in colour are blended. Apply the paint in thinner coats up to 20 % water for an extra fine result!
Lastly, always make sure you stir paint thoroughly before use and that you’re using a suitable brush or roller for application. At Mylands, we recommend synthetic brushes but our paints are designed to work with most good quality rollers and brushes.
DP: How is your paint produced?
DM: As a relatively small luxury paint manufacturer, we adopt quite a simple philosophy; we believe in the need to use the best raw materials, including natural earth pigments, which give the paint a quality and depth that you don’t get with synthetic colours. This, combined with an exceptionally skilled and passionate team, is at the core of what we do.
DP: Tell us three things you love?
DM:
1 A tidy paint factory!
2 Creating unique paint formulations that outperform other brands
3 The resurgence of quality luxury British brands, many of them based in London
———————-
And of course, we love the fact you can buy every lovely Mylands of London colour on our very own designerpaint
A little Lambeth Luxury, courtesy of Mylands paint
Our guest this week is Dominic Myland, Managing Director, Mylands.
Designerpaint (DP): Can you tell us a bit about your Company’s history?
Dominic Myland (DM): Mylands is Britain’s oldest family owned and run paint and wood polishes manufacturer. Celebrating 130 years of trading in 2014, Mylands was established in 1884 but historically sold to trade customers only. For many years, Mylands was a best kept secret amongst interior designers, decorators and scenic artists working in the film, television and theatre industry. In 2012, Mylands became available to customers direct for the first time, with the launch of ‘Colours of London’ – 120 timeless colours, London-made and inspired.
We have been manufacturing paint in South London since our beginnings when ‘Honest’ John Myland set up his modest shop in the heart of Lambeth. Unlike other paint makers of the day, John insisted on using only the very best materials that would allow him to create colours that were lustrous and flawless, with guaranteed quality. Today, we’re still in Lambeth, the last remaining paint manufacturer in London, and as John’s great-grandson, I proudly continue the family tradition of perfection in paint.
DP: Which is your favourite TV programme or film that Mylands have supplied the paint for?
DM: It’s hard to choose just one as Mylands paints have made a starring role in some of the world’s most successful productions. Our paints have adorned the sets of films including James Bond, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Kings Speech and Les Miserables to name a few! But a personal favourite would have to be epic fantasy television drama Game of Thrones for its lavish theatrical sets and bold use of colour – not forgetting the gripping storylines of course!
Downton Abbey is also a favourite; Mylands colours such as Amber Grey No.156 in Mrs Patmore’s kitchen and Empire Grey No.171 in Mr Carson’s pantry really bring the grand Edwardian style interior to life.
DP: How do you come up with the names for your paint colours?
DM: Our paint colours are inspired and named after London, home to Mylands since it was founded 130 years ago. Our ‘Colours of London’ palette comprises 120 timeless colours, each inspired by London’s iconic features, districts and landmarks such as Whitehall, Pimlico, Soho House, and Sloane Square.
Some colour names refer directly to the original colour that was supplied, either historically or recently. Some are matched to documented historical wallpapers discovered and reproduced from those London buildings or street names where the buildings are situated. Others are drawn from London paint archives including the V&A and Hackney library, or sources such as the early Thomas Parsons colour books and the British standard 1955 colour chart. We also have an archive of tens of thousands of colour matches over many years – colours which were considered ‘classics’ even back in our Victorian beginnings.
DP: What is your favourite Mylands colour and why?
DM: Working with colour all the time means my favourite changes daily! The Mylands palette features 120 timeless shades making it hard to choose just one… Bridge Blue No.22 is a lovely Cornish blue that’s extremely versatile; its soft blue-grey tones work in almost any situation. Reminiscent of a coastal sky, Bridge Blue No.22 has an unusual ability to uplift and soothe at the same time – perfectly suited to bedrooms, bathrooms and more. It also looks great outdoors – try painting a weatherboard exterior, summerhouse or potting shed for a welcome accent of colour.
Sloane Square No.92 is a fabulous neutral; stylish, refined and fashionable, it complements so many other colours in the Mylands palette whilst also working wonderfully as an elegant wall colour in its own right. With soft grey undertones, it has a depth and warmth that is welcome in virtually any scheme.
DP: What is your best painting and decorating tip?
DM: Firstly, use a good quality paint. Mylands colours are rich and pure; authentic yet versatile and highly pigmented. We are renowned for our thick lustrous paint which has outstanding coverage and opacity, is exceptionally hardwearing and easy to use. Quite simply, Mylands paints are beautiful to look at, a pleasure to paint with and kind to the environment too.
When painting, good preparation is key; make sure you have a clean, dry and sound surface before painting for best application and results. Use a good quality primer & undercoat to create the perfect base for your top coat and avoid painting in extreme weather as this can affect drying times. It’s always a good idea when using several tins of one colour to mix a little of the last paint tin in with the next, to ensure any slight variations in colour are blended. Apply the paint in thinner coats up to 20 % water for an extra fine result!
Lastly, always make sure you stir paint thoroughly before use and that you’re using a suitable brush or roller for application. At Mylands, we recommend synthetic brushes but our paints are designed to work with most good quality rollers and brushes.
DP: How is your paint produced?
DM: As a relatively small luxury paint manufacturer, we adopt quite a simple philosophy; we believe in the need to use the best raw materials, including natural earth pigments, which give the paint a quality and depth that you don’t get with synthetic colours. This, combined with an exceptionally skilled and passionate team, is at the core of what we do.
DP: Tell us three things you love?
DM:
1 A tidy paint factory!
2 Creating unique paint formulations that outperform other brands
3 The resurgence of quality luxury British brands, many of them based in London
———————-
And of course, we love the fact you can buy every lovely Mylands of London colour on our very own designerpaint