The journal

Dulwich's ArtPlay Pavilion

10 September 2025 6 min read

We're delighted to have collaborated with Dulwich Picture Gallery on its landmark project, the ArtPlay Pavilion, unveiled in September 2025, a beautifully conceived, sensory-rich environment designed to inspire imaginative play and creative exploration for young children and families.

Mylands paints bring a sophisticated colour palette to the new ArtPlay Pavilion at Dulwich Picture Gallery. We're delighted to have collaborated with Dulwich Picture Gallery on its landmark project, the ArtPlay Pavilion, unveiled in September 2025, a beautifully conceived, sensory-rich environment designed to inspire imaginative play and creative exploration for young children and families.

Set within the gallery's Sculpture Garden, the pavilion houses a play space created by artistic duo Sarah Marsh and Stephanie Jefferies of HoLD Collective, designed to immerse children under eight in creative play inspired by the gallery's historic paintings. With Mylands paint, the space has become an immersive play area, letting imagination, creative freedom and childlike wonder flow. Experience the pavilion and its exquisite palette, thoughtfully curated to transform the space into a captivating environment where creativity, play and the emotive power of colour come to life.

Play space in the ArtPlay Pavilion with a painted cloud mural, a gilded slide, arched openings framed in blue and soft sculptural seating in pink and rust — The play space inside the ArtPlay Pavilion, its cloud mural rising to the timber roof

A partnership in colour and craftsmanship

Moving beyond the conventional primary colours typically associated with children's play spaces, Mylands worked closely with HoLD to develop a more nuanced approach, a carefully curated palette reflecting a belief that children have a developed sense of colour and can be inspired by a broader spectrum of tones, colours that are playful and inspiring yet gentle and restful at once.

The pavilion's vibrant yet harmonious palette enriches the sensory experience, inviting families into an environment where colour becomes a catalyst for creativity, exploration, imagination and connection.

Central to the palette is Mylands' Pale Gold, used to gild the space, elevating the pavilion and connecting it to the ornate gilded frames found throughout the gallery's collection; the metallic finish adds a precious quality while maintaining the gallery's aesthetic continuity.

The collaboration builds on Mylands' established relationship with Dulwich Picture Gallery, where we regularly supply paint backdrops for changing exhibitions, and reflects our broader commitment to Britain's cultural landscape, serving as paint supplier to institutions including the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Liverpool.

Colour inspiration: the elements

The ArtPlay Pavilion is inspired by paintings from the collection, with four zones echoing the elemental forces of Earth, Sunlight, Water and Wind, reflected in the colours selected within each quadrant: Copper Green™ No.136, FTT-018™ Ultramarine Blue, FTT-002™ Pale Gold, FTT-004™ Silver, FTT-006™ Shocking Pink, Sorrel Green™ No.207 and Circle Line™ No.45.

The design inspiration

EARTH

The Earth element drew inspiration from the twisted tree roots and split oaks in paintings like Jan van Kessel's 'A Wood near The Hague'; this central element brings together textures from nature and the Sculpture Garden.

For it, the designers chose FTT-006™ Shocking Pink; evocative of sun-warmed clay and aged terracotta, this blend of red and magenta carries an earthy depth reminiscent of natural pigments drawn from the land, its grounding undertones a refined nod to rustic elements like mocha woods, burnished metals and mineral-rich soils, while its vibrant overtones add contemporary energy, perfect for childlike minds and imaginative play, a hue that feels both rooted and expressive: rich in heritage yet strikingly bright and playful.

SUNLIGHT

The descending rays in Arent de Gelder's 'Jacob's Dream' (1715) and Rembrandt's 'Girl at a Window' inspired the sunlit space, inviting warmth, glow and shine; this radiance is beautifully echoed through FTT-002™ Pale Gold and Circle Line™ No.45, two champagne-toned hues capturing the gentle fall of natural sun and sky, transforming the pavilion into a sanctuary of quiet drama and creative imagination where the magic of sunlight is at play.

Gilded slide and lattice balustrade beneath a painted sunburst in the cloud mural, seen looking up — Pale Gold gilds the pavilion, echoing the gilded frames of the gallery's collection

Two children in star costumes on the pavilion's gilded stair with two adults standing in front of the lattice balustrade — Pale Gold gilds the pavilion, echoing the gilded frames of the gallery's collection

WATER

The bold FTT-018™ Ultramarine Blue reflects the gushing energy of Jacob van Ruisdael's 'A Waterfall', where torrents surge with drama and motion; an electrifying hue, it brings depth and texture, echoing the shifting moods of the elements and the quiet rhythm of the seasons, carrying a sense of presence and transformation like the tides and bridges that inspired it, a true embodiment of the power and control of sea and water, letting the pavilion embody childlike wonder and mystery and creating a narrative of countless imaginative opportunities.

WIND

Much like shifting skies at the turn of a season, the wind holds a quiet tension; this part of the space is all about movement and air, the kind you feel in your hair or see in the trees.

Sorrel Green™ No.207 and Copper Green™ No.136 create flowing clouds in the mural and conjure the wind, the two tones, one darker and one lighter, allowing depth, fluidity and energetic movement, inspired by paintings that capture wind in action: bending trees and whipping clothes in Gaspard Dughet's stormy landscapes, the puffed-up sails in Willem van de Velde's seascapes, and the steady spin of windmills in Jacob van Ruisdael's countryside scenes.

Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands, commented: "Our partnership with Dulwich Picture Gallery represents everything we value about working with cultural institutions, the opportunity to contribute to spaces that inspire and educate while supporting our local community. The ArtPlay Pavilion will introduce a new generation to the transformative power of art, and we're proud that our colours will be part of that journey for years to come."

Colours that care

Our paint is an excellent choice for children's spaces thanks to our commitment to safety, sustainability and durability.

Formulated with low VOCs, it contributes to healthier indoor air, making it safer for young children, who are more sensitive to environmental pollutants, and our many finishes, such as Marble Matt Emulsion, are water-based and made with natural ingredients including earth pigments for minimal chemical exposure.

The finishes are highly durable, washable and stain-resistant, ideal for high-traffic areas where fingerprints, crayon marks and everyday spills are common, and we offer a refined palette of calming, timeless colours that help create nurturing, creative environments for children. With a strong heritage of craftsmanship and quality, we provide a child-friendly solution without compromising on aesthetics or performance.