Q&A with Emma Bestley, creative director of YesColours

May 2, 2023

Emma Bestley, creative director and co-founder of eco-friendly paint brand YesColours sits down with Good Homes to share her creative influences, the latest colours and what the future holds for the innovative brand…

Tell us what’s new at YesColours…

We’ve just launched two limited edition colours, Electric Black and Electric Red – strong, classic shades that can be used in so many creative ways.

Is there a standout colour in the collection?

Electric Blue was the first colour we developed, and it has continued to be our bestseller. I’ve been obsessed with French artist Yves Klein since I studied fine art over 20 years ago, and my love for this energetic, transcendent colour only intensified when I visited the Majorelle Gardens in Marrakesh in my twenties.

Electric blue and calming peach wall desk with plant and eclectic frame

Wall painted in Calming Peach & Electric Blue matt emulsion with bespoke Electric Blue Gloss. Photo: YesColours

What influences your creative process?

I love to explore and discover colours from the world around us, from food to films. Our Friendly Lilac, for example, was inspired by a beautiful pair of lilac leather shoes that Mary Poppins produces from her magic bag in the 1964 film.

A message from the editor:

Let us help you create the home of your dreams! Get ideas & inspiration from Good Homes every month, delivered direct to your door. Visit goodhomesmagazine.com/newsletter to sign up for the weekly Good Homes newsletter. Meet the Good Homes team at Ideal Home Show and be inspired by our on-trend roomsets.

~ Karen Walker, Editor, Good Homes

Who’s your design hero?

Right now, it’s the Swedish multi-disciplinary designer [colourist, interior designer and photographer] Tekla Evelina Severin; she has the midas touch when it comes to colour. My design icon though has to be [American interior designer and fashion icon] Iris Apfel – I’m always rooting for the person who goes against the grain and finds their own niche, and Iris has it in bucketloads.

Yellow and pink dining room with wooden chairs and street view frame on wall

Wall painted in Fresh Yellow; table in Friendly Pink & Fresh Aqua. Photo: YesColours

Where do you find inspiration?

I went to a wedding in north-east India, and those 10 days were pure colour magic for me! A lot of our teals and blues were inspired by places I’ve visited in New Zealand. And as an artist at heart, the work of Frank Auerbach still excites me – he really captures the soul of a place or person.

What’s next for YesColours?

Our new ranges launch in the summer, including a new Mellow collection: saturated shades with a hint of black, which calms the brightness but still remains bold and unabashed. We also have some community projects coming up, with a heavy focus on the importance of colour in public spaces.

Wall & ceiling design in Serene Neutral, Calming Blue & Serene Peach matt emulsion, all from £21 per ltr. Photo: YesColours