I should be getting the keys to our new (old house) on Friday! Its a 1900's stone house where the couple who owned have both died. So needless to say the last 70's decor in every room has to go.

Which brand would you recommend the off whites/creams/magnolias, and wheres the cheapest place to buy?

I've used own brand stuff before and it tends to be watery sh!te that needs 10 cotes, and I wasnt that impressed by the last big tub of crown I had….

Ta

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Bassspine thanks for the response, some people might have thought it was a bit pointless

I think we used B&Q own brand stuff last time & 2 coats did the trick. I think it was their washable durable emulsion stuff, as we were doing the hallway & landing.

I highly recommend the homebase own brand duracoat range – goes on very well, not watery, and tough as boots.

Also been using Dulux lately and that seems to be better than I remember from a few years ago.

Try and avoid Farrow & Ball. Pretentious **** that has a lousy finish that doesnt last a week.

We've used Farrow & Ball throughout, and though it is pricey the finish and colour "depth" is excelltn.

There are, of course, plenty of other decent brands – I think we've had Fired Earth, too (not sure who amkes their paint), which was also good.

No idea on best places to buy, but we bought ours from Homebase. I suspect F&B is expensive wherever.

Before you go too wil, might be worth doing some research about colours in keeping with the property first.

Oh, and congrats on the new place – at least someone's keeping the property market moving..!

OMITN – we appear to have very differeing opinions of F&B 🙂

I was just going to say use proper trade emulsion from a good builders merchant, don't bother with brand names like dulux or crown

oops

I found some F&B stuff OK, but some of their stuff is pish. Dulux is what i use.

Jesus, listen to us…

the trade stuff is good for very limited colour ranges.

I always use base coat of cheapo trade white vinyl.

Use any trade paint (I tend towards Johnstones), and use their colour match facilities to match any colour of the more arty (and far more expensive) paint ranges.

Trade has a better coverage than diy (as its used day-to-day by professional painters, it has to be better than that used once a year by diyers). That goes double for any "value" stuff.

I used Glidden trade paint and I loves it 😀 See if there's a Dulux trade centre nearby you.

Go find a trade Crown centre.
Their emulsion is' obliterating' i.e. one coat and it will cover, two will give it depth.
Took all my advice from my dad who was a painter and decorator for ~ 55 years. He always used Crown/Brolac/Berger, so has influenced me. It is good stuff, and doesn't fade so you can touch up a bit a few years later without it looking odd.
I have an old house with original Lime plaster. Crown produce a trade emulsion called Covermatt. It is specifically designed for newly plastered houses, cos plaster takes ~ 1,000 years to dry fully! It has saved our house, because it lets the lime plaster breath. The previous owner used a vinyl silk emulsion, so it came off in sheets taking out lumps of plaster too!!!!! It also comes in a huge number of colours and tints, and you can get a 1L of gloss mixed in the same tint/colour to loose in radiators in a room if that's the effect you want. I'd never use B&Q for paint. Too expensive, no choice either!
Get ye to a trade centre my man!
….but it's your choice!
Q

I always use Johnsons / leyland………..great quality and good price, and the best thing of all they will mix any colour for you off other paint charts, apart fom Dulux!! this does include egshell too 😀