The Finishing House / Journal
The Journal.
Notes on colour, finishes and the care of fine London homes — written by the people who decorate them.
Over half the job you’ll never see. What proper preparation involves.
Ask what separates a paint job from a finish and the answer is rarely the painting. It is everything that happens before the first coat — the part a good firm refuses to rush.
3 min read HeritageDecorating in a conservation area. What London owners need to know.
Most of prime Central London sits inside a conservation area. Here is what that actually means when you want to redecorate — and the small amount of homework that keeps everything simple.
3 min read ColourChoosing whites for north-facing London rooms.
No colour is chosen more often, or regretted more quietly, than white. In a north-facing London room the wrong one turns grey by ten o’clock. Here is how to choose one that holds.
3 min read FinishesMatt, eggshell or satin? Sheen, room by room.
Two rooms painted the identical colour can feel entirely different. The variable is sheen — how much light the surface gives back — and it deserves as much thought as the colour card.
3 min read WallpaperFine wallpaper in period homes. Hanging it well, keeping it well.
A hand-printed paper can outlast every paint scheme in the house — if the wall beneath it is honest and the room around it is kind. Some notes on both.
3 min read FinishesDecorating a period London home: the complete guide
Everything that separates a finish that lasts from one that merely photographs well — the fabric, the preparation, the systems, the colour and the cost, in one considered guide.
Read · 11 min read FinishesWhat decorating a London room properly costs — and why
The number matters less than what stands behind it. Here is what a proper price includes — and how to read the ones that seem too good.
Read · 4 min read FinishesCaring for original cornicing and plasterwork
The finest work in a period room is usually above your head. Keeping it crisp is a discipline of thin coats, honest repairs and restraint.
Read · 4 min read FinishesPainting stucco façades: why breathability decides everything
London's white terraces look serene and live hard. The paint you choose decides whether the stucco beneath survives.
Read · 4 min read AdvicePreparing a London property to let: decoration that earns its rent
In prime London, tenants have become selective and landlords compete on presentation. Decoration is no longer maintenance; it is pricing power.
Read · 4 min read FinishesEggshell, satin or gloss? Choosing the right finish for woodwork.
The colour gets all the attention, but on woodwork it is the finish — the sheen — that decides how a room feels and how well the work survives daily life. Here is how we choose.
Read · 4 min read Period homesHow often should a period London home be repainted?
There is no single answer, but there are sensible intervals — and knowing them protects both the look of your home and the fabric beneath the paint.
Read · 4 min read Paint housesFarrow & Ball vs Little Greene: choosing a paint for a heritage interior.
Two of Britain's most admired paint houses, both beloved in period London homes. They are more alike than not — but the differences are worth understanding before you choose.
Read · 5 min read Free guide · PDFPreparing your home for the decorators.
A short, practical guide — what to move and what we protect, access and alarms, pets and paint smells, and what each day of a commission looks like.
Download · PDFRequest a consultation
Planning a project? Let's talk.
A free, no-obligation consultation with friendly expert advice — from a senior decorator, within one working day.
Get in touch