Paints & Fabrics 2018-08-28T11:59:54+00:00

“Paint, always paint. But paint it beautifully” Anon

At Marmalade House we work with many paints and designers, but for furniture we like to use a unique and wonderful eco-friendly, chalk-based paint by interiors expert, Annie Sloan.

The paint is quite unlike any other available and is specially blended to give a chalky finish reminiscent of the days of lime-wash and distemper. It is designed for furniture, floors and walls, but it covers almost any surface with no preparation required. The paint has a lovely thick texture, is easy to use and dries quickly, leaving a soft matt patina, perfect for ageing and distressing.

The colours are specially selected to be used alone or together, layering one over another to give a wonderful antique look. Clear wax can then be applied to seal the paint work and give a mellow, polished effect.

For a more aged, rustic, lime-washed or more modern effects, coloured waxes can then be carefully added and blended with the clear wax to create a bespoke finish.

The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint palette:

Pure

Perfect for modern interiors, this cool, clean white makes a crisp contrast with strong colours.

Original

The white of old painted furniture, pair this with Duck Egg Blue or Antoinette for a delicate old French look.

Old White

Use this versatile white to lighten other colours or pair it with Paris Grey or Aubusson for the Swedish look.

Paris Grey

Inspired by French and Swedish interiors, this soft and gentle colour works well with blues and oranges.

French Linen

Inspired by the colour of aged, natural linen, this works beautifully with gold and a range of rich, bright colours.

Graphite

Inspired by a traditional pigment called Lamp Black, this is perfect for anything from the neoclassical to the modern interior.

Cream

Based on the traditional yellowish colour used on old woodwork, this also works as part of a 1950’s vintage look.

Old Ochre

This faded darkened cream colour is evocative of old French painted furniture woodwork and door exteriors seen in Paris.

Country Grey

This cool soft neutral is a great foil for other colours and a classic choice for painted furniture.

Coco

The classic colour is reminiscent of the warm pigment, Burnt Umber, which has long been used in decorative work.

Honfleur

Named after a harbour town in Normandy and inspired by rich warm browns found in the rustic French countryside and mid-20th century design.

Primer Red

A colour found in everything from Venetian palaces to Vietnamese temples, use this for rustic pieces of under gilding.

Burgundy

Inspired by Pompeii, this rich colour has a strong neoclassical heritage and is perfect for sophisticated painted furniture.

Emperors Silk

Like the silk lining of a jacket of traditional Chinese lacquer, this colour is beautifully deepened with Dark Wax.

Scandinavian Pink

This natural pink is inspired by a mix of red ochre and white found everywhere from Scandinavia to Mexico.

Antoinette

This soft pale pink takes inspiration from the dusky wall colours and decorative pieces of the 18th – century French interiors.

Paloma

This classic colour was used when a range of purples first became possible. It also works well as a cotemporary neutral.

Henrietta

The Grand Tours of the 18th century brought this colour into the finest houses of Europe as part of the gentle neoclassical schemes.

Emile

Used first by artists and then in decorative work, this colour finds it’s beginnings in bohemian Paris.

Old Violet

A wonderful 18th-century colour inspired by Ancient Rome, use it with red for a little Parisian Boho.

Louis Blue

Pair this pastel with white for a fine Rococo look or combine with brights for a vintage retro aesthetic.

Greek Blue

Found on rustic doors, shutters and furniture throughout the Mediterranean, this colour also works well in a neoclassical setting.

Giverny

Named after Monet’s home in northern France, this brilliant blue was especially popular in early twentieth-century interiors.

Napoleonic Blue

This colour takes inspiration from ‘Ultramarine’ and ‘Cobalt Blue’ pigments used for decorative work in neoclassical interiors.

Aubusson Blue

Named after the blue found in the 18th century Aubusson rugs, this is the perfect colour for a Swedish interior.

Amsterdam Green

This strong, deep green takes inspiration from painted shutters and doors in Amsterdam and throughout Europe.

Florence

Found in neoclassical Italian and French interiors, this sophisticated colour springs from copper green minerals and malachite.

Provence

Recalling the shutters and doors of the South of France, this colour works equally well for a modern look.

Duck Egg Blue

Evoking Rococo interiors, this colour stems from the discovery of a beautiful blue pigment in the 18th century.

Antibes Green

Not only found in the neoclassical palette, but also on rustic country furniture from Ireland and the south of France.

Olive

This traditional green is found in fine classically painted and lacquered furniture, as well as rustic country pieces.

Chateau Grey

This traditional colour came into being when decorative painters mixed all their leftover colours together to make a base paint.

Versailles

Evocative of find old French furniture, this sophisticated and gentle colour picks up other colours well.

English Yellow

Inspired by hand-painted Chinese wallpaper and the development of Chrome Yellow pigment in the 1700’s.

Arles

This rustic colour takes inspiration from the French town of Arles where earthy yellow ochres are dug from the ground.

Barcelona Orange

This brilliant modern orange is based on the colour used copiously by the impressionists, early advertising and 1960’s decoration.

Annie Sloan has introduced a special new wall paint in 15 of her bespoke colours that is tough, water-based and takes whatever life throws its way.

Everyday spills and marks are cleaned off with ease, making this an exceptionally practical high-performance paint for walls and ceilings.

It’s robust, smooth and easy-to-use with a luxurious matt finish and a very light sheen.

Fabrics:

We are passionate about fabrics, and so we only work with the most beautiful linens and hessians that blend with our house-style. We choose fabrics from highly respected designers, and artists, adding in whatever beautiful finds we come across on our travels.

We are able to offer you a full soft-furnishing service, from cushion and curtain-making to upholstery. We can also teach you how to paint on fabric and add our beautiful stencils to create a truly unique design all your own – perfect for wall hangings or decorative curtains.

Contact us for a free consultation or a quotation