Paris Grey Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®

Paris Grey is the grey I come back to again and again — and the pair of pine bedside tables I recently completed for a client is a perfect example of why. Two coats of Paris Grey over tired, worn pine transformed them completely — the colour settling into the timber with a softness and depth that made them feel as though they had always been this way, as though the grey had been there for decades rather than days. Finished with botanical transfers, silver leafing, and a coat of Clear Wax, they left my studio as something genuinely beautiful — quiet, considered, and full of a gentle elegance that Paris Grey seems to bring out in every piece it touches.

It is a grey that has never once felt like a grey — not the grey of a rainy afternoon or an empty room, but something altogether warmer and more alive than that, a colour with real presence and a quality of quiet refinement that feels completely its own. Its character comes from a carefully considered combination of pigments that sit in quiet tension with each other, giving it an undertone that shifts and responds to the light around it in a way that very few neutrals manage.

How Paris Grey Lives in a Room

Paris Grey is one of those colours that makes a room feel as though it has been put together by someone who knows exactly what they are doing and has taken their time about it. It has a quality of warmth that keeps it from ever feeling distant or difficult, and within that warmth there is a depth and a complexity — a powdery, considered quality — that gives it a sophistication that purely warm greys simply cannot achieve.

It is a colour that feels completely at home wherever rooms have been assembled slowly and with real care — interiors with a layered, considered quality that comes from knowing exactly what you love and taking your time about it.

It moves with equal ease alongside colours that are lighter and brighter and alongside colours that are deeper and more saturated — finding something to offer in every combination and never needing to be carefully managed or protected from its neighbours.

Paris Grey finds its best expression on pieces that have something to say — furniture with age and detail and a history that the colour can draw out and make more visible, giving every carved edge and every worn surface a quality of quiet intention. It is equally at home on modern cabinetry and decorative accents where a soft, elegant finish is exactly what is needed.

Alongside Graphite, Pure, and Coco it builds into a palette of real warmth and considered depth — and with brass hardware or detailing added, the combination takes on a quality of quiet luxury that feels genuinely elevated and completely resolved.

With Old White it moves into something soft and completely timeless — a combination that feels as though it has been living in a beautiful room for a very long time. Alongside Duck Egg, Louis Blue, or Scandinavian Pink it finds a gentleness and a quiet ease that feels completely uncontrived, each colour bringing out a different and equally beautiful quality in the grey.

Oxford Navy alongside Paris Grey creates something of real conviction and quiet drama — the depth of the navy and the softness of the grey finding a tension between them that feels completely considered and full of a modern, atmospheric confidence.

Technique & Finishing

Two coats gives Paris Grey its full depth and softness — the second coat settling the colour into something completely resolved and beautifully even. Clear Wax keeps it soft and velvety, letting the colour speak for itself with a gentle sheen that suits its understated character perfectly. White Wax lifts it into something more powdery and chalky, adding a quality of gentle age that suits more romantic and vintage pieces beautifully. Dark Wax adds a subtle depth and patina, bringing out the complexity in the colour and giving it a quiet, aged quality that feels completely uncontrived.

Silver leafing, as I used on the bedside tables, finds something extraordinary alongside Paris Grey — the cool shimmer of the silver and the soft warmth of the grey creating a combination of real refinement and quiet luxury.

Beautiful With

Quiet & Timeless:

• Original — warm and creamy, it gives Paris Grey a gentle, completely resolved contrast that feels effortlessly classic
• Pure — crisp and quietly modern, alongside Paris Grey it creates a palette of real clarity and understated elegance

Soft & Storied:

• Scandinavian Pink — gentle and full of heritage charm, the two together feel as though they belong in the most carefully assembled and quietly beautiful room
• Antoinette — warm and softly romantic, it brings out the warmth in Paris Grey and creates a combination of real delicacy and considered charm

Warm & Considered:

• Graphite — deep and grounding, it gives Paris Grey a contrast of real depth and quiet sophistication
• Coco — warm and earthy, alongside Paris Grey it creates a palette of real warmth and considered balance
• Add brass accents to elevate the combination with warmth and a quiet sense of luxury

Deep & Refined:

• Louis Blue — delicate and quietly airy, the two together feel completely at ease with each other and full of a gentle, considered elegance
• Oxford Navy — bold and deeply considered, it gives Paris Grey a contrast of real conviction and atmospheric depth

To finish:

• Clear Wax — keeps Paris Grey soft, velvety, and completely itself
• White Wax — lifts and softens, adding a powdery, chalky patina that suits romantic and vintage pieces beautifully
• Dark Wax — adds a subtle depth and aged quality that brings out the full complexity of the colour

Coverage & Application

Apply two coats for a soft, elegant finish on most surfaces. Paris Grey adheres beautifully to timber, laminate, and previously painted furniture with minimal preparation — as I found with the pine bedside tables, the colour takes to raw and previously finished timber alike with complete ease. 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.