This rustic wall at Annie’s farmhouse in Normandy has been painted with Chalk Paint® rather than Wall Paint. Although we generally recommend using Annie’s Wall Paint in modern homes because it offers one step durability and wipe clean properties, Chalk Paint® is often the best choice in older properties where walls are constructed from porous materials. Walls constructed from materials such as chalk, limestone or even traditional mixes of mud, straw and clay actually prefer the breathability that Chalk Paint® offers.

If you live in a modern home you could still use Chalk Paint® on the walls but you may wish to apply a coat of Chalk Paint® Lacquer or Wax once the paint has completely dried to offer some protection against wear and tear. Applying Wax or Lacquer over Chalk Paint® will negate the breathable qualities of the paint so please avoid in older homes.

Soft pink living rooms are a motif throughout Annie’s home ownership; she frequently uses the colour in reception rooms. Annie praises pink for bringing warmth, gentle colour and personality to a space often frequented by guests. Here, the peachy pink of Chalk Paint® in Antoinette works particularly well as part of the strong pastel scheme and as a foil against the cool tones of Duck Egg Blue and Louis Blue on the ceiling.

Prior to painting walls with Chalk Paint®, always give a quick wipe down so that the surface is clean to avoid painting cobwebs and dust into your finish (unless, of course, that’s the look you’re going for). Cover flooring with newspaper or old fabric to protect from drips or spills. It may seem laborious but is much quicker than cleaning up once a mess is made!

Stir paint well and decant before beginning. This will give the paint some time to reach room temperature: chilled paint will apply more thickly and will take much longer to dry, as well as using more product than is necessary. Annie lightly spritzed this wall with water before painting which she also particularly recommends doing in a recently plastered home (as these walls will be extremely porous). Paint the edges of the walls first with a small cutting in brush, covering small areas at a time before working into the middle. You can use a roller but Annie prefers to paint with a brush to give some texture and movement. Your Chalk Paint® wall will be dry within a matter of hours. As previously mentioned you may wish to apply a protective finish in the form of Chalk Paint® Wax or Lacquer (available in Gloss or Matt). We would strongly recommend this step for homes with pets and/or young children to avoid marks.