Our Kitchen

In the kitchen we have use Atelier Ellis paint for the wood work and the walls. Although we are so pleased with the colour choices, the paint was not our favourite. The steadfast matt went on fine but isn’t non splatter (this is not claimed on their website) so be prepared to get very messy, cover EVERYTHING! And it has the strongest smell initially but that does leave after a day or so. I will report back on how the “steadfast” is going in a few months.

The woodwork paint did not level and leaves a very rough bumpy texture (see picture below of application with a roller). Our decorator tried multiple rollers and brushes and eventually got a good enough finish by adding water but the finish was not as good as other brands and it was just too much hard work to get right. The decorator had to spend an extra day doing the woodwork in the kitchen so it cost us extra. I did speak to the brand on email and they made numerous attempts to troubleshoot but it was all suggestions our decorator had tried and failed with. If you do use their woodwork paint and have the same issue they said to water down 10%. They offered me a refund for all the unopened paint which I very much appreciated because I cancelled the hallway being painted so I could go with a different brand.

The colour selection is perfection. Their paint samples are large painted cards so you can really get a feel for the paint by moving it round the room and looking at it in different lights, at different times of day. The paint is very particular with it being “natural based” as they describe it. If this is a feature you are looking for, then this is the paint for you but you will have to compromise on the quality of the application and finish.

• Walls: Steadfast matt in colour Double warm white (a warm, creamy, very off white, beautiful colour)
• Woodwork: True eggshell for wood and metal in colour Lark
• Amount: 20 litres for the walls and 5 litres for the woodwork (windowsills, doors and skirting)

The Down Stairs Loo

As you know we had the hard floors removed prior to us moving in (because I didn’t like them). We didn’t realise this included the downstairs loo so we then had to choose a new floor. The tiles are from Fired Earth. It wasn’t in our plans to decorate the downstairs loo so quickly which is why it’s a bit of a mismatch still but here we are! The floor and the paint lifts it beautifully for now. Next we will get a new sink but not at all top of the list. This room is done for now and we are so pleased with it.

• Walls: Little Greene in the colour Hammock
• Woodwork: Mylands eggshell multi surface in the colour Westmoreland
• Amount: 2.5 litres for the walls and 1 litres for the woodwork (windowsills, door and skirting)

The Bedroom

This room started with the blinds (From Terry’s fyi, I get asked in my DMs at least twice a week lately, cheaper than Blinds Direct, is family business, defo recommend!) and we weren’t gong to decorate the rest until our down stairs was finished but I spend more time in the bedroom that our last bedroom. I asked Vaughan to pick the colours for me and when they emailed them over I wasn’t at all sure but they have been spot on with everything else so what I think no longer matters, they know what they are doing.

Paint and Paper library is lovely paint, non splatter and great coverage. Expensive but good value for money as it’s giving us everything we need. Paper II looks creamy, bright and melts into the background all at once. Paper IV is tonal perfection for Paper II both part of the yellows collection. The bedroom is just waiting on curtains because I wanted another layer on the windows, a blanket box for the end of the bed and then something for the walls so very nearly finish in there now.

• Walls: Paint and Paper Library in the colour Paper II
• Woodwork: Paint and Paper Library in the colour Paper IV
• Amount: 7 litres for the walls and 1 litres for the woodwork (windowsills, door and skirting)