Welcome to Design Studio Notes, our blog series shining a light on the talented designers, makers, creatives and businesses shaping the interiors scene across Norfolk.
As specialists in bespoke kitchens, bedrooms and home interiors, we’re passionate about celebrating great design – and the Norfolk businesses helping homeowners bring colour, character and individuality into their homes.
For our latest feature, we caught up with Anna and Dave Hill from Fenwick & Tilbrook, an independent paint company based right here in Norfolk.
Fenwick & Tilbrook produces beautiful, high-quality paint in a carefully curated collection of colours, designed and made at its Norfolk factory. With colour playing such an important role in bringing a new kitchen, bedroom or interior scheme together, we wanted to find out more about the people, inspiration and expertise behind the brand.
In this Q&A, Anna and Dave talk to us about how Fenwick & Tilbrook began, what goes into creating a great paint, how they develop their colours, the shades and trends they’re seeing in our homes, and their advice for anyone trying to choose the perfect colour for a new interior.
Hi, Anna! Can you tell our readers about Fenwick & Tilbrook?
Fenwick & Tilbrook was founded in 2016 by my parents Simon and Clare Tilbrook who set out to revive the manufacture for a paint brand that ceased trading. By 2018, the brand had evolved into a passion project focused on creating premium, high-quality paints. Now, with myself at the helm of the family business as Brand Director and Colour Consultant, our collection of over 150 pigment-rich colours combines beauty with durability – most notably in the Pure Matt Plus finish which offers a low 3% sheen, class 1 scrub rating and less than 0.3% VOCs.
With six finishes ranging from scrubbable emulsions to breathable clay paints for lime plaster, along with curated colour cards and A5 samples painted in Pure Matt Plus, we pride ourselves on our expert advice and excellent customer service. Inspired by the British countryside, coast and wildlife, our colours reflect the natural beauty of our home in Attlebridge, Norfolk – where every tin of paint is made-to-order in our family workshop.
Dave, you could tell us more about your customers…who buys your paint?
I think our customers understand the value of quality paint. They care about premium interiors and believe in investing in the right materials for their homes. As we offer an extensive range of colours that are available in size different finishes, we’re confident that whatever colour scheme you have in mind, we’ll have the colour and paint finish you’ll need. One of our fastest growing finishes is Claypaint – a breathable paint specifically designed for use on lime plaster available in far more colours than our competitors in this product.
What makes your company different from competitors in Norfolk or beyond?
Our colour palette is really special – its inspired heavily by the Norfolk coast and surrounding countryside (with many familiar names)! Our ingredients are as sustainably sourced as possible – with over 70% of the raw materials coming from UK origins. Paint is made to order and either delivered next working day or ready to collect for local customers within an hour or 2 (or pop in and wait whilst we prepare your order).
We offer a tailored service where we believe customers won’t get the level of care or attention to detail from another paint company. For Norfolk customers, we can offer a more personal service because customers can visit our Attlebridge workshop and discuss colour or have any help in choosing the right colours or finishes for your next project.
Anna, what inspired your parents to start the business?
My father Simon Tilbrook saw an opportunity to resurrect the paint arm of a luxury brand that had fallen into administration. He was a business consultant at the time and felt there was a real gap in the market for a truly high-quality paint product. Two years later, Fenwick & Tilbrook moved from being manufacturers of beautiful quality paint, to having our own Norfolk range of paint colours, the rest is history…
What is your professional background?
Both Dave and I have spent most of our careers in corporate businesses where all the focus is on hitting targets and not interacting with what the customer genuinely wants from your product. When the opportunity arose to relocate to join the family business with our young family, we jumped at the chance to make a difference and carve our own paths for the future.
What values drive your company?
Honesty and integrity. We feel we are always thinking about the customer experience using our products and are they getting the best possible service. In terms of honesty – there is a LOT of greenwashing in our industry – mostly entailing reams of information about how eco friendly a brands paint is.
We have always found this pretty silly, as the most eco-friendly thing to do is not to paint at all, but that is unrealistic. We all want to make improvements to our home, so taking the time to make the right choices that will last for many years is the most sustainable choice. Of course, like many paints, most of our finishes contain just TRACE level VOCs (the lowest amount claimable) and are sustainably sourced using UK ingredients wherever possible (over 70%). So all in all, whilst we don’t scream this from the rooftop with hundred-page PDFs, we hope that our values make it to the right ears.
What do you believe customers value most about working with you?
Customers love having a real person to talk to – even more when they get the same person second or third time around! Most days, it’s either Dave or myself on the phones – if we’re away, it’s Simon or Clare (my mum), so either an owner or a founder. I’m not sure many/any other paint companies are able to claim that level of accountability,
Dave, what have been your biggest highlights or milestones so far?
We reached our tenth anniversary this summer. A milestone that so many small independent brands may never reach, especially at a time when having a disposable income to spend on non-essentials feels like a thing of the past. We receive some amazing press features in some of the great big lifestyle magazines or Sunday supplements, which is a credit to our wonderful PR agency and the beautiful imagery we have to support our messaging. Locally, we were finalists for the 2026 Broadland and South Norfolk “Small Business of the Year” – sadly we didn’t win, but there’s always next year!
Are there any particularly exciting projects or transformations you are especially proud of?
We have supplied paint to some of the most prestigious places in the country: beautiful manor houses, gorgeous chocolate box cottages and modern builds, but really for us, it’s about spreading the word, and every order (big or small) makes a big difference to brand awareness as we try to take our small company to a wider audience.
Are you launching anything new?
We launched 10 new colours for our tenth year of business in the spring. We are always looking to grow thoughtfully through existing interior design partners, retail stockists and through our website directly to customers, but never at the expense of customer service. Letting customers down would be a huge red flag for us – our service is what makes us different to the big companies who don’t put the customers first.
Anna, how would you describe Norfolk’s interior design style or aesthetic?
Norfolk is blessed with some beautiful quaint seaside cottages, but that aesthetic isn’t for everyone. There is a lot of history in the county, and we feel that our colour palette is sympathetic to that – you won’t find colours so vivid and bright that they only work in modern apartments – our colours are inspired by nature and Norfolk, so the tones and subtle shades reflect that.
Working with the colour palette around you is always a great starting point for a room scheme – bringing the outside in or getting inspired by a photograph or piece of art helps start the ball rolling. There is an abundance of stately homes in this county that also offer a great source of inspiration for those with a love of heritage style.
Dave, are there any common mistakes homeowners make when designing or renovating properties in Norfolk?
Jumping straight into a colour scheme is probably a bit too soon…I think you need to live in a space and really understand the light before committing to a colour scheme, as painting a room is an investment if done well, and you want to make sure you are choosing a timeless palette that you will love eight years from now.
What design trends are currently shaping homes in Norfolk?
Plaster pinks, warm neutrals and earthy greens / muted blues are all really popular heritage colours that feel timeless.
What are your favourite Norfolk locations for interior inspiration?
Burnham Overy Staithe is a beautiful spot, as is Blakeney. There are so many sources of inspiration from the north Norfolk coastline to the broads and the pretty market towns and villages in between.
Are there any Norfolk businesses, makers or creatives you particularly admire?
I think Jarrolds is the ultimate local business…independent and family-run with a 250+ year history. The flagship store opened in 1823 and is still in the same spot today. Having said that – any small business competing with corporate machines like Amazon – deserve huge recognition and local support.
Which local hotspots should design-conscious homeowners visit?
Williams & Parfitt in Wymondham is a new one-stop-shop for beautiful, affordable antiques and mid-century furniture, art and lots more.
Anna, which interior brands, makers or designers locally do you personally love?
We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such wonderful local artisans, artists and bespoke craftspeople in this county. I really love Kate Lowe’s work (introduced to me by a customer of ours who had one of her paintings on a Fenwick & Tilbrook painted wall. Although Kate is now based in Wiltshire, she paints beautiful Norfolk coastal scenes and regularly comes home to Norfolk (most recently exhibiting in Burnham Overy Staithe) – a great source of inspiration for her work. I was delighted to invest in a small painting of hers earlier this year.
And finally, if you could give Norfolk homeowners one piece of design advice, what would it be?
Sample paint colours properly. Take the time to understand how the light impacts your perception of the colour throughout the day, in natural and artificial light, and if you still aren’t sure – ask an expert!
