Coco Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®

Coco in Your Space

Coco is a brown-grey that carries real warmth without ever feeling heavy. Inspired by Burnt Umber — one of the oldest and most enduring pigments in decorative painting — it has a depth and earthiness that most neutrals simply cannot match. It is soft enough to sit quietly in a scheme and rich enough to carry a piece entirely on its own.

That quality is what makes Coco so endlessly useful. It works as a sophisticated neutral alongside stronger, more saturated colours, providing the grounded warmth that makes them feel more considered and more alive. Or use it alone on a piece with real presence — carved details, turned legs, layered history — and it becomes something genuinely beautiful, warm and resolved and full of quiet character.

Colour Companions

Soft & Complex

• Paloma — warm and lilac-toned, alongside Coco it creates a pairing of quiet, layered sophistication that feels considered and completely resolved
• Versailles — soft and yellow-green, it finds a beautiful earthy ease with Coco that feels painterly, organic, and full of character

Cool & Fresh

• Duck Egg Blue — chalky and softly blue-green, it creates a pairing with Coco that feels natural, grounded, and full of gentle contrast
• Louis Blue — faded and quietly blue, alongside Coco it creates a pairing that feels aged, considered, and full of gentle French character

Finishing Touches

• Clear Wax — the natural finish for Coco, it protects while preserving the warm, earthy quality of the colour completely
• Dark Wax — worked into details and edges, it deepens the rich, umber quality of Coco and adds a beautiful, considered depth

When You Want to Mix

Coco adds warmth and earthy depth to any colour it is blended with — use it when you want a shade that feels more grounded and natural without losing its original character.

How to Apply

Coco builds beautifully in two coats, each layer deepening the warm, brown-grey quality that makes this colour so distinctive. Alongside Emperor's Silk it becomes something genuinely striking — the warmth of the brown-grey making the richness of the red feel more vivid and more present.

The Chalk Paint® Difference

Annie Sloan invented Chalk Paint® in 1990 and it changed furniture painting forever. The formula is water-based, ultra-low VOC (2.2g/l), and virtually odour-free — and it bonds to almost any surface without the stripping, sanding, or priming that traditional paints demand. One tin, one brush, and you're ready to go.

It works on timber, metal, concrete, brick, laminate, and plastic. Indoors or out. Smooth and matte or heavily textured. The finish is entirely yours to decide.

Before You Begin

Give your tin a good stir — no shaking needed. Load your brush and work in smooth, even strokes. One coat often surprises you with how much it covers; a second coat gives you full, solid opacity. Always let each coat dry completely before continuing.

Making It Your Own

• Build up thick layers for a sculptural, impasto effect, then seal with wax
• Sand back lightly once dry to reveal what's underneath and create genuine, earned wear
• Add a little water to thin the paint into a translucent wash that lets the wood grain breathe through
• Blend colours directly on the piece — Chalk Paint® mixes beautifully for completely custom results

Sealing & Protection

Annie Sloan Clear Wax is the classic finish — it protects and adds a subtle, natural sheen. Dark Wax settles into mouldings and edges for depth and shadow. For outdoor pieces or high-traffic surfaces, Annie Sloan Lacquer gives a harder, weather-resistant finish.

A Few Questions We Hear Often

Will it work outside?
Yes — seal it with Annie Sloan Lacquer and it will handle the elements beautifully.

Does it have to be sealed?
Not always. Decorative pieces that won't see daily wear can be left as they are. For anything that gets touched, wiped, or sat on regularly, wax or lacquer will protect your work.

Can I mix my own colours?
Absolutely — it's one of the great joys of Chalk Paint®. Mix directly in the tin or on the piece itself.

Which brush should I use?
Annie Sloan's Flat Brush gives a smooth, even finish. Her Round Brush is ideal for working paint into carved details and creating texture.

How much do I need?
One litre covers approximately 13 square metres. The 120ml size is perfect for smaller pieces, testing colours, and mixing experiments.