The journal
Colour advice, practical guides and news from Mylands, the London paint manufactory founded in 1884 - written by the Mylands team.
25 August 2026
The right paint for woodwork is a water-based multi-surface finish: eggshell for most skirtings, doors and panelling, satin or gloss where surfaces get scrubbed, dead matt for an enveloping tone-on-tone scheme. The rest is a matter of preparation and of harmony with the wall colour.
24 August 2026
The right furniture paint is a water-based multi-surface finish, eggshell by default, satin for a hard-working top, dead matt for a chalky look, applied in two coats over a piece that has been degreased, sanded and primed, then left to harden for a few weeks, with no varnish.
22 August 2026
A low VOC paint can be recognised by three signs: a water-based formula, a volatile organic compound content stated in g/L well below the European ceilings, and the French indoor air emissions label. Here is how to read those markers, which rooms they matter most in, and which finish to choose.
21 August 2026
The right sage green paint depends on the light in the room: a pale, greyed sage such as Chiswick No.100 or Lamb's Ear BH.06 in a dark room, a smoky sage such as Museum No.151 in a bedroom, a deep sage such as Myrtle Green No.168 in a dining room, always in matt on the walls.
19 August 2026
Slate blue paint, a blue darkened with grey and sometimes a hint of green, comes in eight Mylands shades: from Thunder BH.12 and Bond Street No.219 for a study or a front door to Long Acre No.102 and Uncle Maths BH.05 for a light bedroom, in deep matt on walls and gloss on doors.
18 August 2026
Warm white paint is a white shaded with a trace of yellow, pink or raw umber, which keeps its softness where a pure white turns grey. Under the often veiled light of France it is almost always the white to choose for walls, ceilings and woodwork.
16 August 2026
The best colours for north-facing rooms follow one of two paths: a warm shade, cream, sand or blush, that offsets the bluish light; or a deep colour, plum, blue-grey or fir green, that turns the half-light into atmosphere. In both cases, a matt finish and a test in the morning and again at dusk.
15 August 2026
The best paint for old houses is a breathable matt that lets lime walls and old plaster release their moisture, careful preparation of old distemper and oil-painted woodwork, and period colours, Egyptian Grey No.154, Cadogan Stone No.59 or St James No.40, that look as if they had always been there.
13 August 2026
The right ceiling paint is a very matt finish that hides flaws and throws back no reflection: our Ceiling Paint, formulated for the purpose, or Marble Matt Emulsion as soon as you want a colour. What remains is choosing between pure white, the wall white, a paler shade or a complete colour drench.
12 August 2026
The best interior door paint is a multi-surface finish: eggshell by default, satin for a hard-working door, dead matt to melt it into the wall. The colour follows: a warm white, a tone darker than the wall, a softened black or a bold shade, applied in the right order on a well-prepared door.
10 August 2026
The right radiator paint is a multi-surface finish made for metal, satin most often, or eggshell, gloss or dead matt depending on the look, applied in two thin coats to a cold, degreased and sanded radiator. For the colour, one simple rule: the same as the wall, so the radiator disappears.
09 August 2026
For a dark hallway, two strategies work: a warm white such as Syon Park No.13 that returns the light, or a deep colour such as Oratory No.237 that embraces the shadow and makes the rooms beyond feel brighter. Either way, choose a washable matt finish that stands up to the traffic.
