Laura Ashley Paint

Laura Ashley paint — interior and exterior

Matt emulsion, eggshell, kitchen-and-bathroom, garden collection and exterior paint in the signature Laura Ashley colour palette. Full product range from tester pots to large-volume tins.

The Laura Ashley paint range

Every formulation you need for decorating a whole room or property:

100ml Tester Pots — try a colour before committing to a full tin. The single most useful step in any decorating project.

2.5l Matt Emulsion — standard interior wall paint, low sheen, soft finish. The main product for walls and ceilings. 2.5l covers roughly 30m² per coat.

5l Matt Emulsion — larger volume for bigger rooms. 5l covers roughly 60m² per coat. Better per-m² value than the 2.5l for whole-room projects.

750ml Eggshell — interior eggshell with low-to-mid sheen. More durable and wipeable than matt. For woodwork, trim, doors, furniture and high-traffic walls.

750ml Exterior Eggshell — weatherproof eggshell for exterior woodwork, doors, window frames, fences and outdoor trim.

2.5l Garden Collection — outdoor paint for sheds, fences, trellis, outdoor furniture and garden woodwork.

2.5l Kitchen and Bathroom — moisture and stain-resistant emulsion for kitchens and bathrooms. Resists condensation, grease and splash.

Picking the right paint for each surface

Interior walls and ceilings — matt emulsion is the default. Soft, flat finish; ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and dining rooms.

Kitchens and bathrooms — kitchen-and-bathroom formulation specifically. Moisture resistance matters for rooms with steam, splash and cooking grease. Standard matt emulsion doesn't handle these conditions well.

Skirting boards, architraves and doors — eggshell. More durable than matt, easier to wipe clean, stands up to scuffs and furniture contact.

Exterior woodwork (doors, frames, fascias) — exterior eggshell. Weatherproofed for long-term outdoor exposure.

Garden structures (sheds, fences, benches) — garden collection. Formulated for rougher outdoor wood and exterior conditions.

Coverage and coat count

Laura Ashley paint coverage rates:

Matt emulsion — 2.5l covers roughly 30m² per coat on smooth walls; 5l covers 60m². Most wall colours need two coats for proper coverage, especially if the existing colour is darker.

Eggshell — 750ml covers roughly 10m² per coat on wood. Always two coats minimum on eggshell; three on bare wood with a primer first.

Tester pots — 100ml covers roughly 1m² patch, enough to paint a large swatch and see the colour in your room's actual lighting.

Preparation matters more than paint

The single biggest factor in a good paint finish isn't the paint — it's the preparation. Before painting:

Clean the surface — dust and grease prevent paint from bonding. Wash walls with sugar soap; degrease kitchens specifically.

Fill and sand — cracks, holes and uneven patches show through paint. Fill, sand smooth, wipe dust away.

Prime where needed — bare wood, plaster and very dark-over-light colour changes need primer before the top coat.

Mask properly — time spent masking before painting saves hours of cutting-in afterwards. Proper decorator's masking tape, not cheap general-purpose tape.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to prime over existing paint?

Usually not — previously-painted surfaces can usually be overpainted directly, provided they're clean and in good condition. Primer is needed for bare substrates (new plaster, bare wood), or when switching from very dark to very light colours.

What's the difference between matt and eggshell?

Matt has a flat non-reflective finish; eggshell has a slight sheen (between matt and gloss). Matt is softer and better for walls where you don't want to see imperfections; eggshell is more durable and easier to wipe clean.

How long does Laura Ashley paint take to dry?

Matt emulsion: touch-dry in 1 hour, recoat after 2–4 hours. Eggshell: touch-dry in 2 hours, recoat after 6–8 hours. Full cure takes 7–14 days — avoid heavy cleaning or furniture contact during this period.