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The Colour Supplement
Home » Inspiration » How to paint interior walls with natural paint

How to paint interior walls with natural paint

Wall colour sets the tone for everything in a space. From the way light moves through the room to how your furniture and art come to life. Whether you’re curating a calm, minimalist backdrop or making a bold, expressive statement, our natural paint will elevate your entire interior.

Beautiful design starts with thoughtful execution. Our helpful flow chart talks you through the painting process, ensuring your finish is clean, smooth, and aligned with your vision. Because in a well-designed room, the walls aren’t just background, they’re part of the story.

PRIMERS AND FILLERS

Before applying  paint, if our flow chart indicates that priming or filling is needed, we recommend choosing our natural primers. They are specially formulated to prepare walls, woodwork and metal for beautiful, long lasting colour. Whether you’re covering bare plaster, sealing stains, or creating a uniform base, these primers support breathability and ensure your topcoat performs at its best.

Primers and Fillers
Walls, ceiling and woodwork painted in Jonquil. Credit: Soho Lighting Co.
Walls in Portland. Credit: Amy Bannerman
  • Jonquil

  • Portland

TIPS FOR CREATING A GOOD PAINT FINISH

What is cutting in and is it necessary? 

Cutting in is a painting technique used to create clean, straight lines where two different surfaces meet. For example, where a wall meets a ceiling, window frame, or another wall.

Instead of using painter’s tape for every edge, use a brush (usually an angled one) to carefully paint a narrow strip of colour along the edge before using a roller on the larger areas.

Use an angled brush to paint around edges and corners where a roller can’t reach.

Do this one wall at a time so the brushed areas blend with the rolled sections while wet.

 

What is a wet edge in painting?

A wet edge is the area of freshly applied paint that is still wet and workable. When painting large surfaces maintaining a wet edge means overlapping each new stroke of paint slightly onto the still-wet paint beside it.

 Why is it important?

Keeping a wet edge prevents lap marks, the lines or streaks that appear when you paint over an area that’s already started to dry.

How to maintain a wet edge:

Work in small sections. Don’t jump around the wall randomly.

Paint quickly but carefully. Try not to take long breaks mid-wall.

Roll in a consistent pattern, such as a “W” or “M” shape, then fill it in.

Keep a loaded roller or brush. Avoid painting with a half-dry tool.

Always overlap slightly into the previous wet area.

Mummy
Persian. Photography: Paul Whitbread
  • Mummy

  • Persian

APPLY TWO COATS OF PAINT

Applying two coats of paint is essential if you want a smooth, even, and long-lasting finish. One coat often won’t give you full coverage.  It can leave streaks, patchy areas, or allow the old colour to show through. A second coat ensures the colour looks rich and accurate while also improving the paint’s durability, helping it resist chipping, fading, and stains over time.

Once the first coat is complete, let it dry thoroughly. We recommend allowing about 6 hours to ensure it is fully dry. Inspect the wall for any missed spots or thin areas. If there are drips or rough patches, you can lightly sand them with fine-grit sandpaper and then wipe away any dust before applying the second coat.

Pea Green. Credit: Max Rollitt
Azurite
  • Pea Green

  • Azurite

SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS

Before committing to a colour, it’s always wise to test a few samples. Colours can shift dramatically depending on natural and artificial lighting, so observe them at different times of day and in different parts of the room to allow you to make a confident choice.

Try to paint during daylight hours whenever possible, as natural light gives the truest sense of your colour’s tone and finish. If you’re working in a low-light space, be mindful of how warm or cool your artificial lighting might affect the final look.

If you need help with picking colours, or just general advice, our helpful team are keen to hear from you.

Sample Pots & Testers
Sampling sample pots

QUICK LINKS TO TECHNICAL SHEETS

Natural Emulsion Technical Sheet Plaster Primer Technical Sheet Natural Wall Filler Technical Sheet Grip Coat Technical Sheet

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The Colour Supplement

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How much paint do I need?

We have created this calculator to help you estimate the amount of paint you will need for your project. Please note that this is only an estimate, based on normal surfaces with two coats of paint.

Please check our practical painting advice - if you are painting onto a very absorbent surface, you may need more paint, and for best results, you may need to prime your surfaces.

If you end up with any leftover paint, get inspired with ways to use any excess paint - it's even compostable!

What are you painting?

Estimated
Painted Wall/Ceiling Area

Our natural matt emulsion is perfect for interior walls and ceilings.

0 litres

0 m2

This estimate is based on two coats of paint and the dimensions of your room, minus the space taken by average doors and windows.

For this area, we suggest would be adequate.

Estimated
Woodwork Area

Our water based eggshell or gloss is ideal for woodwork or metalwork.

0 litres

0 m2

This estimate is based on two coats of paint and the skirting and the doors/windows you told us about. 1 litre should cover 2-3 doors or 20m of skirting.

For this area, we suggest would be adequate.

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