The finishing touches make all the difference to a room, but sometimes painting woodwork and other decorative elements can seem like a complicated and long-winded task, and the idea of all that hard work simply peeling off isn’t worth thinking about. With these top tips and easy steps, ensure a perfect finish every time and decorate like a pro! A south-facing room gets a lot of natural daylight and can often be bathed in golden sunshine for a lot of the day. This means any underlying warm tones in a white paint - like yellow, red or brown - will be amplified, making a seemingly innocuous pale ivory white suddenly look decidedly yellow once on the walls. Flora Hogg, at Craig & Rose adds, 'When swatching whites, use a pure white as a point of reference to see the true undertone of other white. However, be mindful they can seem dramatic as first due to the contrast but trust the process. Once applied, you will still recognise it as white, but you’ll also notice how it transforms and adapts with the light throughout the day.' Protect interior and exterior wooden surfaces with the unrivalled durability of wood varnishes. A great range of clear and coloured formulations. Pure white paint is a good option for small living rooms with a healthy source of natural light, but should generally be avoided in north-facing rooms where it can reflect blue tones and make a room feel cold and drab.

Pure Brilliant White - Bathroom Mid Sheen - Crown Paints

Because south-facing rooms are generally the brightest in the house, a brilliant white paint can often feel quite harsh, bouncing that strong light around even more. After all, no-one wants to have to wear sunglasses in their white living room idea! Prepping bare wood? Make sure you’ve treated knots and resinous parts with knotting solution and then apply our Wood & MDF Primer & Undercoat .

They’re both made using water based formulations and can be used under both water or solvent/oil based paints. Not sure what that means? We’ll come onto that later! Aaron at Coat Paints adds, 'Water-based emulsion will work just fine on the ceiling and it’s the default choice - but how about this. Choose a white Soft Sheen emulsion paint for the ceiling which has a subtle shine to it and can be really effective at bouncing light around the room. It’s not for everyone, but it can look super effective especially in low lit spaces or at night with lamps.' One of our most popular whites is ‘Silent White’, formulated in the quest for the perfectly balanced, neutral-warm white for a calm interior, ‘Silent White’ adds softly spoken depth to an interior. Used in partnership with its lighter and deeper versions, ‘Silent White – Pale’ and ‘Silent White – Mid’ or ‘Silent White – Deep’ on other walls, the ceiling and trim creates a serene and inviting space.' What colour white is best for ceilings? Ensure that all surfaces to be painted are clean, dry and free from dirt, dust and any other surface contaminants.

Pure Brilliant White - Durable Matt Emulsion - Crown Paints Pure Brilliant White - Durable Matt Emulsion - Crown Paints

If you’re gearing up to paint your doors, skirting boards, banisters, railings or window frames but your head is in a spin over what paint to use; whether to use a primer; if wood needs sanding or not; what the difference is between satin and eggshell; and what even is an undercoat? Don’t panic, we’re here to help. A range of interior and exterior wood oils suitable for any project and wood type. Includes traditional wood oils, Hardwax oils, wood oils with UV filters and more. When choosing the best white for your ceiling consider which option will coordinate best with your home's interiors, wall colours and furnishings,' explains Dominic Myland. 'Again pay attention to the undertones. Mylands Pure White No. 1 and Whitehall No.9 are great options available in our Marble Matt Emulsions. This is suitable for all interior walls and ceilings, including high traffic areas as they can be re-touched, wiped, washed or even scrubbed with no effect on colour or sheen.'When choosing a white, always try and get a feel for its undertones, particularly when using with another colour' says Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands. 'A clean white such as our Pure White No. 1 consists of white pigment only, so it is wonderfully uncomplicated to use. When used overall in the space, it will give a very peaceful feel – a visual palette cleanser – or it can complement any colour on the spectrum.' Durability: Solvent based paints often provide better durability, so you may prefer to use these for outdoor applications, although our water based Wood & Metal Paints and Primers are also great for use outside the home.