RENOVATION TIME: WHEN ONE COAT MEANS ONE COAT!
HOW EARTHBORN DOES IT
It is official: I am addicted to paint... I am not only addicted to colours but to the paint itself (I love the pots, the textures the... fumes, don't tell anyone!)
I must have a million little pots of samples, of each make and colour available on the market. I order them to work our clients’ colour scheme to make sure the undertones of heach hue aren’t conflicting (as this would MASSIVELY compromise the final result). I also must have a couple of millions (some exaggeration they...) of paint chip booklets of each make: Dulux, Dulux Trade, Little Greene, Farrow&Ball, Hemsley, Sanderson, Earthborn, Traditions... and I still add to the collection.
Looking at these the other day, made me realise that I have gone into a journey and I am today focussing my attention on less commercial paints than I was in the past. And by that I mean that, while in the past I would set off on a project and happily buy Dulux or Valspar, today I am much more selective. This is because (even though I have only recently started to share my experience with you all) I have years of decorating and styling experience under my belt and I have been researching and painting A LOT.
Today I want to share a digest of my naturally occurring research and a very personal - and very independent - opinion of the paints I like using the most today and why so. It might help some of you.
A little step back.
I used to use Dulux emulsions. A lot. It is affordable, has a good range of colours, and it is readily available (as in: it can be certainly found in every single shop or DYI department you can think of). HOWEVER, I find that Dulux leaves a little to be desired in terms of coverage. The Paint is thin (and you only realize that once you have tried something better), and the quality and quantity of the pigments is average to low. The 'Trade' line is a tad better, has slightly better coverage and comes in bigger pots. But still does not compare to other paints. Another downside of Dulux is that their swatch booklets are 'printed'. This means that the little tiny winey squares of paint colours that you see are not the real thing. They are rather a printed 'representation' of it, which in substance means that the real pigments of the actual paint will not match the colour you see on the swatches. So, for me, lots of POINT LOSS there for DULUX.
Being a perfectionist the last point was my very first reason for veering away from Dulux. Which might sound stupid, but it is actually a good reason, if you can see colour properly. And, to be honest, I am quite glad because I have since discovered a world of beauties.
From Dulux I moved, almost at the same time, to Sanderson, Traditions, Hensley, Farrow&Ball, Paint&Paper Library, and Little Greene. I took their sample swatches, did my research, and settled for Little Greene.
Little Greene has a wonderful range of colours. And a wonderful range of type of paints for any use. Their products have better coverage than more commercial paints, flow well and kind of match the swatch quite well (though a note of warning here as a little tiny square of paint does not actually give you a adeguate idea of the colour. In this blogpost I explain how to use swatches and why). Of their range, the type of have used the most is their 'Intelligent Eggshell'. I use it on woodwork (internal windows, doors, and trims, and at times also furniture). It flows like a dream and covers very well. So lots of PLUS POINTS to LITTLE GREENE.
Recently, however, I discovered the paint that has most surprised me. It is Earthborne claypaint. I approached the make as I had a specific need: I needed the paint to be breathable as I was decorating a room within a grade II listed timber frame building. Specific requirement to do the job meant I had to do more reaearch. I found they did produce breathable paint but I did not have a retailer or distributor close by. So I approached the company itself - they are quick at answering queries and they are extremely helpful. LOTS OF POINTS for EATHBORNE. I ordered some swatches from their website and a sample booklet while I was there.
Once I had them in my hands I realised that these paints are AMAZING! They literally cover in one coat from dark to light, they are low fumes and they dry fast. The price of their pots is rather steep but, given the amazing coverage the overall cost of decoration per square meter is not that much higher than other paints. And the time saved is priceless! P.S. I do not get a kick out of recommending these paints, they are truly worth it.
Another thing to note is that the finish is dead flat.
Some Shades Of grey are amazing for showing undertones. They go from cool to warm and they have a great impact on the final ‘feel’ of a room.
I guess this is because they are clay based (which makes them breatheable) and it is another plus for me, as I do not really like shiny walls, but that is personal preference.
There is one retailer I highly recommend and that is Celtic Sustainables: they would go out of their way to help you and they are extremely patient on the phone and they explain things clearly. And they are happy to send you stuff you might need etc etc. Plus, they will help you with any queries with Earthborne themselves! (P.S. I’m not getting a commission from them... this is a genuin and unbiased opinion).