The best luxury interiors rarely use standard emulsion paint. Here is a guide to specialist wall finishes — what they are, where they work, and what they cost.
Standard emulsion paint is the default finish for most residential interiors. It is practical, widely available, and cheap. It is also, in a luxury renovation context, the path of least resistance — and often not the right choice for a property where the interior should make a genuine impression.
Specialist wall finishes have been used in high-end interiors for decades. They offer depth, texture, and character that flat emulsion cannot achieve. Here is an introduction to the most relevant options for London properties.
Limewash
What it is: Limewash is a paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) diluted in water, typically with natural pigments. It is one of the oldest interior and exterior finishes in existence — the same materials used on Mediterranean village walls for centuries, now found in London apartments at £200 per square metre.
What it looks like: Limewash has a characteristic matte, chalky finish with inherent variation — it is not flat or uniform. Depending on how it is applied (typically in multiple thin coats with a wide brush), it creates movement and depth. When light rakes across it, the texture is visible and the finish appears to change throughout the day. This is the quality that makes it distinctive.
Where it works: Limewash suits period properties — its slightly uneven quality sits naturally against Victorian cornicing, timber floors, and natural stone. It reads as soft and considered rather than clinical. It works best on slightly imperfect plaster; it will show any surface irregularities, which in the right context is a feature rather than a defect.
Where it does not work: Limewash is not appropriate for wet areas (it is not waterproof) and is not highly abrasion-resistant. It is not a good choice for kitchens, bathrooms, or high-traffic corridors without protective treatment.
What it costs: A specialist limewash application by an experienced decorator typically runs £80–150 per square metre for a single room, depending on ceiling height, surface preparation required, and number of coats.
Brands: Bauwerk, Graphenstone, and Earthborn produce quality limewash paints available in the UK. Farrow & Ball's Estate Emulsion is not limewash (it is a modern emulsion with a similar matte finish) — the distinction is worth understanding.
Venetian Plaster (Polished Plaster)
What it is: Venetian plaster — also known as polished plaster, marmorino, or stucco lucido — is a lime-based plaster applied in multiple thin layers and burnished with a steel trowel to produce a hard, smooth, reflective surface. The result, at its best, resembles the surface of polished stone.
What it looks like: The defining quality of properly executed Venetian plaster is depth — the eye reads it as having three-dimensional quality rather than being a flat surface. Colour is typically applied in two or three base coats with a final burnishing pass; the layers create a translucency that flat paint cannot achieve.
Variants: - Marmorino: slightly textured, aggregated, less reflective than full polished plaster; suits period properties and more relaxed interiors - Grassello (full polished): high-gloss burnished finish; architectural and dramatic; requires very high skill to execute correctly - Modern microcement: a different product (cement-based, not lime) that achieves a similar visual effect more cheaply; less depth and character but more practical in wet areas and with underfloor heating
Where it works: Venetian plaster works in formal reception rooms, master bedroom feature walls, entrance halls. It is spectacular as a fireplace surround or behind a headboard. It suits contemporary interiors as well as period rooms.
Where it does not work: Poor preparation — uneven substrates, hairline cracks, imperfect corners — shows badly in polished plaster. The preparation requirement is substantially higher than for standard emulsion.
What it costs: Polished plaster by a specialist typically costs £150–300 per square metre, depending on the finish level, preparation required, and the number of colours or variations specified. It is not a cheap finish — but it is extremely difficult to fake at lower cost, and a poorly executed version is visibly inferior.
Tadelakt
What it is: Tadelakt is a traditional Moroccan plaster finish made from lime plaster, polished smooth, then treated with a soap solution that reacts with the lime to create a hard, water-resistant, semi-polished surface. It has been used in hammams (Moroccan bathhouses) for centuries, and is increasingly specified in luxury London bathrooms and kitchens for its combination of beauty and practicality.
What it looks like: Tadelakt has a characteristic soft, organic quality — smooth and slightly reflective but not clinical. It has natural variation in colour and texture that reads as considered and handmade. In a bathroom, it can replace tiles entirely — walls, floor, and basin can all be finished in tadelakt, giving a seamlessly continuous surface.
Where it works: Tadelakt is uniquely suited to wet rooms and bathrooms precisely because it is water-resistant — an advantage no other lime plaster finish offers. It is also used on kitchen walls, feature walls, and fireplaces. It suits a Moroccan or Mediterranean aesthetic but has been successfully applied in contemporary London interiors.
Maintenance requirements: Tadelakt requires treatment with soap (traditionally black soap / savon beldi) after installation and periodically thereafter to maintain its water resistance. Harsh cleaning products, abrasives, and bleach will damage it. If clients are not prepared to maintain it properly, it is not the right choice.
What it costs: Tadelakt is one of the most skilled and labour-intensive interior finishes. A specialist tadelakt application typically costs £200–350 per square metre. There are few qualified applicators in London — a badly executed tadelakt finish, typically applied too thickly or without the correct soap treatment, is neither beautiful nor water-resistant.
Practical considerations for specifying specialist finishes
Applicator selection: All of the above finishes require specialist applicators. They cannot be applied by a standard decorator working from a YouTube tutorial. Ask to see previous installations; ask specifically about preparation methods and product references.
Substrate preparation: Specialist finishes magnify surface imperfections. Before any specialist finish is applied, walls must be properly prepared: all cracks filled, surface flat and consistent, corners straight. Additional pre-skim may be required.
Lead time: Lime-based finishes require drying time between coats. A Venetian plaster installation for a single large room may take 3–5 days for application alone, plus drying time. Budget accordingly.
Colour selection: Specialist finishes are far more difficult to touch up than standard emulsion if colours need to change. Agree colours before application and understand that repainting in a different colour will require full stripping and re-preparation.
ASAAN's approach
ASAAN works with London's best specialist finish applicators and can specify and manage these finishes as part of a full renovation. We can arrange sample applications to allow clients to see the finish in the actual light conditions of their property before committing.
If you are planning a renovation and want to understand the options for specialist wall finishes, contact us.
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