English Yellow Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®

There is a particular quality that belongs to yellow when it is completely and utterly itself — not softened into cream, not deepened into ochre, not pushed toward green or orange, but simply and completely yellow in a way that feels full of a gathered, open brightness and a quality of considered, living warmth that is genuinely rare and genuinely beautiful. English Yellow is that yellow.

It carries within it a history of real considered beauty and accumulated, artistic conviction — a colour that traces its lineage to the Chrome Yellow pigments that transformed what yellow could be — arriving in grand interiors of the 1800s and changing forever the relationship between yellow and light, between brightness and considered, accumulated beauty — and to the hand-painted wallpapers that brought into those same rooms a quality of open, considered brightness and gathered, living warmth that felt completely unlike anything that had come before. That history of considered, accumulated beauty is present in every coat of English Yellow — a colour that feels as though it has been arrived at slowly and with complete conviction rather than chosen quickly and without thought.

How English Yellow Lives in a Room

English Yellow is a colour that understands exactly how much it is needed — it can arrive quietly, as a single piece that lifts a room into something more alive, or it can fill a space entirely with a quality of gathered, open brightness and considered, living warmth that makes everything within it feel more completely itself.

A single piece in English Yellow — a cabinet door, a drawer front, an inside edge — brings into a room a quality of open, considered brightness and gathered, living warmth that lifts everything around it into something more joyful and more full of a quiet, uncontrived beauty. A full piece painted entirely in English Yellow fills a space with a quality of real warmth and considered, open brightness that feels completely resolved and full of a gathered, living conviction that is genuinely lovely.

Alongside Florence and Svenska Blue it builds into a palette of real open ease and gathered, living brightness — each colour finding a quality of considered, unhurried warmth alongside English Yellow that feels completely resolved and full of a soft, open beauty that is genuinely lovely. Alongside Capri Pink and Antoinette it moves into something altogether more full of a considered, living joy and gathered, open warmth — each colour finding a brightness and a softness alongside English Yellow that feels completely uncontrived and full of a quiet, resolved beauty.

Blended with Pure or Old White it opens into something softer and more gentle — a considered, luminous tone of real quietness and open, living warmth that feels completely resolved and full of a soft, gathered brightness that suits pieces of real delicacy and considered, gentle beauty beautifully.

Technique & Finishing

Two coats gives English Yellow its full brightness and considered, living warmth — the colour settling into a finish of real beauty and open, gathered conviction with each coat. Dark Wax does something quietly extraordinary to English Yellow — settling into the surface and drawing out a quality of considered, accumulated depth and gathered, mellow warmth that gives the colour a richness and a complexity that feels as though it has been arrived at slowly and with complete conviction.

Beautiful With

Open & Breezy:

• Florence — warm and full of a considered, open ease, alongside English Yellow it creates a combination of real freshness and gathered, open brightness that feels completely resolved and full of a soft, uncontrived beauty
• Svenska Blue — quietly luminous and full of a considered, open depth, alongside English Yellow it builds into a palette of real open ease and gathered, living brightness that feels completely alive and full of a soft, considered warmth

Warm & Alive:

• Capri Pink — warm and full of a considered, open brightness, alongside English Yellow it creates a combination of real warmth and gathered, living joy that feels completely uncontrived and full of a soft, considered beauty
• Antoinette — delicate and full of a quiet, considered warmth, alongside English Yellow it builds into a palette of real softness and gathered, open brightness that feels completely resolved and full of an uncontrived, living beauty

Soft & Luminous:

• Pure — blended with English Yellow it opens into a considered, luminous tone of real softness and gathered, living brightness that feels completely resolved and full of a gentle, open warmth
• Old White — blended with English Yellow it softens into a tone of real quietness and considered, open warmth that feels completely uncontrived and full of a gentle, gathered brightness

Depth & Character:

• Dark Wax — draws out a quality of considered, accumulated depth and gathered, mellow warmth that gives English Yellow a richness and a complexity that feels completely resolved and full of a quiet, considered beauty

Coverage & Application

Apply two coats for a bright, luminously warm finish on most surfaces. English Yellow adheres beautifully to timber, laminate, and previously painted furniture with minimal preparation. One litre covers approximately 13 square metres, while 120ml is perfect for smaller projects, sample testing, and colour mixing experiments.

Everything You Need to Know About Chalk Paint®

What Makes Chalk Paint® Different

Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan transforms furniture painting with its unique water-based formula that eliminates tedious prep work. This decorative paint bonds to virtually any surface — timber, metal, laminate, even plastic — without stripping, priming, or sanding. With ultra-low VOCs (2.2g/l) and virtually no odour, it’s safe for indoor projects and suitable for outdoor applications when properly sealed.

Why Furniture Painters Choose Chalk Paint®:

• Skip the prep — paint directly onto most surfaces
• Covers approximately 13.9m² per litre with exceptional opacity
• Works on timber, concrete, brick, laminate, metal, and plastic
• Safe for interior rooms and exterior pieces
• Create everything from smooth matte finishes to heavily textured effects
• Seal with Annie Sloan Wax (Clear, Dark, Black, or White) for protection and character

How to Paint with Chalk Paint®

Basic Application:

• Stir well before use (no shaking needed)
• Load your brush and apply in smooth, even strokes
• First coat often covers; add a second for solid opacity
• Let each coat dry fully before continuing

Advanced Techniques:

• Apply thick layers for sculptural texture, then finish with wax
• Sand lightly after drying to reveal underlayers and create authentic wear
• Thin with water for translucent washes that showcase wood grain
• Mix colours directly on your piece for custom blended effects

Common Questions About Chalk Paint®

Will it hold up outdoors?
Yes, when sealed with Annie Sloan Lacquer. The lacquer provides weather protection and UV resistance for garden furniture, planters, and exterior pieces.

Do I have to wax it?
Waxing is optional. High-traffic surfaces like dining tables, kitchen cabinets, and drawer fronts benefit from wax or lacquer protection. Decorative pieces can be left unsealed.

Can I create custom colours?
Absolutely. Chalk Paint® blends beautifully, allowing you to mix shades and create something entirely your own.