Blake & Taylor Paint's special edition Folklore is sun-kissed and alive with character. The feeling of warm earth underfoot, of handmade things, of rooms that look like they've always been exactly this beautiful.
A warm terracotta clay that balances on the most beautiful line between vintage and modern. Not too red, not too orange, not too brown — Folklore is all three at once, and none of them entirely.
Folklore sits in that deeply satisfying earthy territory where terracotta, clay, and warm ochre meet. Its undertones are complex, there is rust in there, and a hint of pink, and just enough brown to keep it grounded rather than garish. In bright natural light it radiates warmth. In lower, evening light it deepens into something altogether more moody and considered.
Six Ways to Use Folklore at Home
1. Small Pieces, Big Character — The Rustic Distressed Look
One of the great joys of chalk furniture paint is the distressed finish and Folklore, with its earthy, sun-weathered quality, was born for this technique. Think a small bathroom stool, a vintage step ladder, a little side table or a piece that doesn't need to be grand to be beautiful.
With a little elbow grease and sandpaper, gently remove your paint anywhere that would naturally wear over years of use. The timber beneath peeks through in all the right places, and the effect is instantly convincing. Add some Blake & Taylor Brown Wax, and all that surface texture comes alive, deepening the tone of Folklore and adding a beautifully aged patina.
The result looks like something that has lived in a French farmhouse, or a Queenslander cottage, for generations.
Technique tip: The key to a convincing distressed finish is restraint. Sand less than you think you need to, step back, assess, and then sand a little more if needed. It's always easier to remove more paint than to put it back.
2. The Pot Collection — Texture, Pattern, and a Pretty Garden Corner
Here is an idea that is easy to do and costs almost nothing: paint your pots. A mismatched collection of terracotta, ceramic, and concrete pots, the kind that accumulates slowly over time, can be unified and made to look bespoke with Folklore and a little creativity.
Folklore is an exceptional choice for pots because it so closely mirrors the natural colour of terracotta itself. Paint some pots straight for a clean, contemporary look. On others, add some texture powder to create a beautifully rough, authentic terracotta-like surface that looks as though the pot was thrown by hand and kiln-fired. The texture catches the light differently at every angle, and the effect is completely convincing.
For pattern, reach for a Blake & Taylor Paint geometric or floral stencil. A simple triangle motif or repeating floral band in a contrasting shade adds artisan character without requiring any artistic skill. Mix Folklore pots with Elowen's soft sage-olive, Fox Den's deep earthy rust, and Tablelands for a curated grouping that looks like it came straight from a designer homewares store.
Cluster them in a sunny corner on warm timber floors — mixing heights, shapes, and lush indoor plants — and you have a garden room moment that costs almost nothing and looks gorgeous.
3. Whimsical & Magical.
If you have a vintage wardrobe with arched or recessed door panels, or any piece with inset sections that could be treated differently, then this idea will stop you in your tracks.
Line recessed door panels with a dark botanical wallpaper. Deep teal or midnight green backgrounds work best; choose a print with wild florals, moths, butterflies, and trailing vines for maximum Folklore feel. The rich darkness of the wallpaper against the warm clay of Folklore creates a beautiful contrast.
The name Folklore was not chosen lightly. This is a colour that belongs in rooms that feel like stories and a wardrobe treated this way looks like it has stepped directly out of a fairy tale.
Style tip: Decoupage papers from the Redesign with Prima range offer a simpler alternative to wallpaper for smaller panels — tissue-weight botanical papers can be applied directly using decoupage medium for a seamless, no-bubble finish.
4. The Bold Bedroom — Folklore With Ink Navy
Warm terracotta alongside deep navy is a winner. It is the palette of Moroccan riads, of Persian rugs, of rooms that feel cultured and lived-in.
A Folklore-painted bedside table becomes the quiet hero of a deeply satisfying colour story. The dense inky blue bed linen makes the warm clay of Folklore sing. Ink Navy and Folklore at a ratio of roughly 60/40 makes navy the dominant tone, Folklore as the warm counterpoint — creates the most balanced version of this palette. Add aged brass, raw timber, and botanicals to complete the story.
5. The Retro Sideboard — Folklore Goes Back to the Seventies
The 1970s are having a moment. Warm and earthy, it's the aesthetic of that decade. And Folklore is its perfect paint.
A mid-century sideboard or low-slung credenza painted in Folklore becomes the anchor of an entire retro-inspired living room. The warm clay tone brings out the grain of the timber legs beautifully. It sits perfectly alongside the sepias, warm browns, ochres of a 70s-inflected palette.
Style with vintage memorabilia, retro posters with warm desert colours, a hand-knotted Persian-style rug in reds, terracottas, and ochres — and you have a living room that feels like the best version of 1972, updated entirely for now.
Style tip: The key to the retro palette is keeping the browns warm rather than cool — chocolate and caramel tones, not grey-browns.
6. The Stencilled Sideboard — Folklore and Aged White Work in Perfect Harmony
A classic sideboard or buffet painted in Folklore, then stencilled all over with Blake & Taylor's Jaipur Indian Bone Inlay stencil in Aged White.
The intricate geometric and floral pattern of the Jaipur stencil, rendered in soft Aged White against the warm clay of Folklore, creates the look of genuine hand-painted Indian bone inlay furniture. The kind of artisan piece that otherwise would cost hundreds and take weeks to create. Done with a stencil and a steady hand, it takes a weekend and costs a fraction of that.
Stencil tip: When using the Blake & Taylor Jaipur stencil over Folklore, load your brush lightly with Aged White and work in a stippling motion — pressing and lifting rather than dragging. This prevents the paint from bleeding under the stencil edges and keeps the pattern crisp.
Complementary Colours: Building a Palette Around Folklore
Within the Blake & Taylor Paint range, there are several colours that bring out its very best.
Aged White is Folklore's most natural partner. The warm, off-white of Aged White provides the perfect backdrop, enough warmth to complement Folklore.
Ink Navy is Folklore's boldest companion and a brave choice. The deep, inky intensity of Ink Navy makes Folklore's warmth pop with genuine colour confidence. This is the palette for those who want their bedroom, study, or living room to feel genuinely designed.
Elowen sits beside Folklore like old friends. The muted sage-olive of Elowen and the warm terracotta clay of Folklore are nature's own palette. Think earth, leaf and clay. Together in a room, particularly in a garden-facing space or a sunroom rich with plants, they create something organic.
Fox Den goes deeper and darker, a rich earthy rust that takes the warmth of Folklore and pushes it into more dramatic territory. Use Fox Den as the anchor of a palette that includes Folklore and Elowen, and you have a trio that is simultaneously earthy, bold, and entirely cohesive.
French Linen provides a softer, more restful look for Folklore. The greige tones of French Linen allow the terracotta warmth to glow without competing. This is a beautiful combination for a bedroom or reading room where the mood should be restful but not cold.
