Choosing the right paint can be the difference between a room that looks “okay” and a room that looks like it belongs in a design magazine. At Embrace Interiors, we believe the secret to a flawless home lies in the harmony between high-quality products and meticulous preparation.
If you are planning a refresh for your home, here is my professional opinion about the products I swear by, and gets you that high-end look.
The Walls: Heritage Velvet Matt
When clients ask for a finish that feels expensive, I almost always point them toward Heritage Velvet Matt by AkzoNobel which is essentialy Dulux Trade product.
As the name suggests, the finish is incredibly soft to the touch. It has a beautiful, flat aesthetic that hides minor imperfections on the wall, but unlike many even high end matt paints, it is surprisingly durable. It offers a “washable” quality (highes scrubability class) that keeps your colours looking deep and saturated for years. This low VOC emulsion is the ultimate choice for living rooms and bedrooms where you want a touch of luxury.
The Ceilings: The Power of Ultra Matt
Ceilings are often overlooked, but they are the largest uninterrupted surface in a room. My go-to is Dulux Trade Ultra Matt.
The reason? Sheen levels. Most standard paints have a slight reflection, but Ultra Matt sits at about 1-2% sheen. It is incredibly “flat.” This is vital because ceilings are often hit by harsh artificial light or side-lighting from windows, which highlights every bump or roller mark. By using a 1-2% sheen level, the light is absorbed rather than reflected, giving you a smooth, “cloud-like” finish that looks perfectly even.
The Woodwork: Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood
For skirting boards, door frames, doors banisters and windowsills, you need something that can stand up to kicks, vacuum cleaners, and pets. Diamond Satinwood is my top recommendation.
It provides a sophisticated mid-sheen finish—not too shiny like old-fashioned gloss, but not flat like emulsion. It’s tough, non-yellowing, and creates a scrubbable surface that stays looking fresh.
The Secret Ingredient: Caparol Haftprimer
You can’t build a great house on a weak foundation, and you can’t get a great paint finish without a great undercoat. I use Haftprimer as my primary undercoat/adhesion primer.
It has incredible adhesion properties, meaning it “grips” to the surface (even tricky ones) and provides the perfect “key” for your topcoats to stick to. It ensures the paint won’t peel or flake, providing a professional longevity that DIY jobs often lack.
The Pro Secret: Preparation vs. Price
I am often asked: “Do I have to buy the most expensive paint to get a good look?”
The honest answer is no. While I love the premium products mentioned above for their ease of use, depth of colour and premium finish, you can achieve a good finish with some cheaper, trade-standard products.
A high-end finish is 80% prep and 20% painting.
…then even a budget-friendly paint will look a million dollars.
More Than Just a Pretty Finish
When choosing paint, it is easy to get caught up in just picking a colour from a card. However, as a professional, I look for three specific things that the “DIY-grade” paints often lack:
- Depth of Colour: Premium paints like Heritage use higher quality pigments. This means the colour looks “alive” and changes beautifully with the natural light in the room, rather than looking flat or plastic.
- Durability: A wall looks great the day it’s painted, but how does it look six months later? High-quality finishes like Diamond Satinwood and Velvet Matt are designed to be wiped down and resisted scuffs, saving you from having to repaint sooner than necessary.
- The “Feel”: There is a tactile difference. A room finished with the right products feels solid, clean, and expertly crafted.
While the finish is what you see first, it’s the durability and depth of the colours that ensure you’ll still love the room years from now.
Need a Professional Touch?
Choosing the right products is only half the battle. If you want to transform your home with a flawless, durable finish, Embrace Interiors is here to help. We combine the best trade materials with expert techniques to make sure your home looks its absolute best.
Ready to start your project? Contact us today for a quote!