Happy birthday to Dulux and the Dulux Dog!

“Have you met the Dulux Dog?”. This is the question we get asked the most working at Dulux, and the answer is, of course we have!

And because it’s a big birthday, we wanted to share the story of the Dulux dog with our lovely listeners. Here are a few paw-some facts that feature in the episode:

The first time the world was introduced to the Dulux dog was in 1961, when the director’s Old English Sheepdog, Dash, crashed one of the Dulux adverts. The camera and cast loved Dash so much that he made it into the ad.

All the Dulux dogs come from the same lineage. Since Dash, there’s been Digby, perhaps the most famous Dulux dog who appeared in a Hollywood film. Between 1995-2002, there was a dog called Mash. It was Willow who had fun getting muddy in the Dulux Easycare campaign. And most recently, two Old English Sheepdogs, Madison and Olivia, appeared in the Dulux advert.

Read more about 60 years of the Dulux Dog.

Did you know? Old English Sheepdogs are an endangered breed with only 300 left in the country. Dulux are the main supporter of the Old English Sheepdog Rescue & Welfare organisation, and it’s one of the three chosen charities that are benefiting from the new Dulux Anniversary Book.

This leads us nicely into the next part of the episode…

To celebrate 90 years, Dulux have launched a special ‘coffee table’ book. And it’s something that Marianne was keen to share with Let’s Colour listeners – particularly as she played a big part in the making of the book.

It dives into the Dulux archives and uncovers never-heard-before colour stories. It also explores ninety years of interior design, looking back at the colours that defined each decade, starting in the 1930s, when Dulux was born. 

If you were to pick up a copy of the Dulux Anniversary Book, you’d learn that soft, sugary pinks were popular in the 1940s. And that by the 1970s, people started making braver colour choices, decorating their homes with vivid shades like Poppy and Lime Juice.

Find out more about Dulux colours through the decades.

We reveal more about the book in the episode. But did you know? Dulux was the first company to give their paint colours names, as well as a look and feel.

Profits from every sale of the Anniversary Book will go to three chosen charities, including The Rainy Day Trust, The Outward Bound Trust and Old English Sheepdog Rescue & Welfare.

This is the part of the show where Dr Dulux, aka Marianne, solves your decorating dilemmas. Here’s a quick glance at her top tips…

Emma from North Hampton asks Dr Dulux: “I've just moved into a new home and I want to start decorating as the Magnolia has to go. I've got every colour chart and swatch guide in the world and I still can't decide. Can you help me with some tips?

A good starting point when choosing any colour scheme is to think about what’s already in your room. What shade is your sofa? What colour is your carpet? And so on. Think about your possessions or things you already love in your home – and take inspiration from there.

Why not download the Dulux Visualizer App, too? You can use it to identify colours around your home and it’ll show you colour combinations that you can use on your walls.

Or if you’re stuck for inspiration, head over to the Dulux Instagram page. You can see how other homeowners are styling their spaces or brush up on decorating know-how, so you feel more colour confident. 

Claire from Marlow asks Dr Dulux: “I am just about to move into a lovely Edwardian home, and I've fallen in love with some of the original features. Can you help me choose a colour scheme that will complement this style of home?”

When transforming a period property like this, you should try to stick to Edwardian colours. You’ll find plenty in the Dulux Heritage range.

It’s a beautiful collection of timeless, luxurious shades that are inspired by the past, yet made for today. They work wonderfully in all types of UK homes, and light conditions, to help make the most of any architectural features.

Use the Heritage Colour Card to easily navigate your way through the range. Each column has 2 light, 2 mid and 2 deep colours, as well as a white, to help you find the right complementary colour scheme.