Dulux Simply Refresh Matt Emulsion Paint - Jasmine White - 2.5L, 5382883

Product Information

Anyone who has ever looked over a paint chart or two will tell you there’s no such thing as a pure white paint. There are literally hundreds of shades from off-whites to brilliant whites, not to mention the ‘hint of’ hues that were very popular several years ago. I’ve never been the best with a roller and so I leave this to my husband James. Give me a paintbrush for woodwork though and I’m your girl! Here are a few of the colours that we chose to decorate our pad, taking into account the aspect of each of the rooms. Bright White 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.' These undertones are amplified by the type of natural light a room gets, and can even be affected by the contents of a room which will reflect onto the walls and change the appearance of the paint hue, something worth thinking about when looking into white bedroom ideas. To get the best from a crisp white paint you need to put in a bit of prep. Charlotte Cosby, Head of Creative at Farrow & Ball, recommends applying a primer and undercoat to make the finish long-lasting and to fill in any small defects. If you're concerned that these extras will bump up the budget too much, then it can be useful to see what relevant home decor discount codes are currently live. Aaron at Coat adds, 'For walls and ceilings, you’ll want to choose a white water-based emulsion paint, probably in a flat matt finish, this is the best white paint for interior walls. White paints are available in large tubs, but avoid this low-quality stuff if you can. It’s usually a very cold, bright white, which is usually used for public spaces or in trade. This won't feel particularly welcoming when put in your home though.'

The best white paint for your walls will depend both on your natural preference toward warm or cool tones, and the aspect of the room you're painting - so whether the windows face north, south, east or west. We used Crown Brilliant White in our summer house and, thanks to the fact that the room is bathed in light for much of the day, it’s bright and crisp rather than feeling like you’re hanging out in an asylum. Off White I don’t have any snaps of two of the most recently decorated areas in my house but if you’re after a hard-wearing mellow, creamy white (without a yellow tinge) then you could consider Dulux Timeless. This colour has been around for yonks and was apparently one of Dulux’s best selling shades for a while. James has recently used the Endurance version to cover our hall, stairs and landing and I’m loving the results. It’s a dark area with very little natural light but Timeless has warmed it up a treat as the colour seems to reflect the oak doors and skirtings around it. Emma at YesColours adds, 'A south-facing room will need a cooler white to counteract the warm glow of natural daylight, any white with a hint of blue or green is ideal.'Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux explains, 'It’s easy to understand why it can be so difficult to choose just the right white for your walls when there is so much choice.' Am facing the dilemma of wanting to decorate the whole of our ground floor in the same colour, so incorporating a kitchen/dining space, north east facing with lots of light (big window in kitchen and 3m wide bi-folds in the dining area), then also a living room which faces S/SW with floor to ceiling windows, and relatively large entrance hall area – S/SW facing but no windows, just a front door with some stained glass in it. For an alternative smooth and creamy white (without any hint of yellow) I’ve been very pleased with Dulux White Chiffon that James used to paint our other west-facing bedroom. It’s very similar to B&Q Antique White that unfortunately proved to be disastrous for us in terms of application; four patchy coats later we plumped for this ivory shade from Dulux that looks fab with pink accents. Mellow White

Matt and flat matt finishes hide a multitude of sins so it’s a popular choice for walls and ceilings. Satinwood and eggshell finishes work beautifully on woodwork, particularly skirting boards and doors that need a little extra coverage. Even a hint of colour in a white paint can change its feel significantly – and that’s usually down to personal taste. Some people are drawn to warmer colours, others to cooler colours; choosing an off-white can help a room feel more welcoming and characterful in a very subtle way' Dominic explains. 'If you’ve got other paint colours within the same room, it’s always worth considering how they interact together. One tip is that for south facing rooms with lots of light, you can get away with pretty much any colour, but for north facing rooms with less light you should consider opting for warmer undertones to balance the cool light and make the room feel inviting.'Our Colour Scales collection provides a wonderful solution for creating a light fresh design scheme that gives the illusion of space, ‘Masquerade’ works beautifully alongside ‘Masquerade Mid’ and ‘Masquerade Light’ to create an elegant and welcoming scheme in a small space.'

While white is versatile enough to work in almost any style, Marianne at Dulux, advises choosing something robust that’s easy to keep clean and pristine. ‘The finish is less important than the formulation, because white paint has the tendency to show up every little mark,' she says. 'You need to be confident that it will resist spills, scuffs and everyday wear-and-tear.Just remember, the placement of furniture around the room can change the appearance of the paint, impacting how the colour is reflected on the walls, so be mindful of this when planning your scheme.' Consequently, if you want to achieve the appearance of true white in a south-facing room, it's best to err on the side of cooler tones which will balance out the warmth of the natural light. 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.'

I know I really need to investigate and do lots of testers and monitor over time but full-time work and small kids mean that more than likely it will be a last minute snap decision based on internet colour charts – not good!!!!Cathryn at Earthborn says, 'Sun-flooded, south-facing rooms are more forgiving than their northern counterparts – so cooler tones can add freshness, especially when off-set with bright white woodwork. Whites with yellow undertones can also work well and create cosy, naturally uplifting, peaceful spaces.'