The best paint for a new build is a good-quality matt emulsion on the walls, thinned for the first coat so it soaks into the fresh plaster, followed by a washable finish wherever the house is busiest. For colour, soft whites and warm neutrals usually suit the clear, even light of a modern home better than stark brilliant white or very cool greys.
Most new homes are handed over in a single trade white, applied quickly to walls that are still drying out. It is clean and neutral, but it rarely does the rooms any favours. The good news is that you are starting with sound, flat plaster and plain joinery, which is an excellent canvas for colour once a few practical points are settled.
This guide covers when and how to paint new plaster, which finishes stand up to family life, and the colours that tend to sit well in modern light.
Photo Credit: Paint & Paper Library; Colour Used: Fuji (102)
Before you paint: give the plaster time
New plaster holds a surprising amount of water, and paint applied too soon can blister, flake or show patchy colour. Wait until the walls have dried to an even, pale tone with no darker damp patches, and if the developer has already applied a trade emulsion, check that it is clean and sound before going over it.
Bare plaster is also very porous, so the first coat needs to be thinner than normal to soak in and seal the surface. Little Greene advise thinning the first coat of Absolute Matt Emulsion or Intelligent Matt Emulsion with 5 to 25% clean water, then following with full-strength coats. Farrow & Ball offer a dedicated Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat, made in tones to suit the topcoat, and our primers and undercoats page lists the options for each brand.
New houses also settle in their first year or two, and fine hairline cracks are common. Many owners live with a pale colour for the first year, fill any cracks, and save the stronger colours for the second round of decorating.
Finishes that suit family life
New builds are often open-plan, with the kitchen, dining and living space in one room and a hallway that takes all the traffic. That calls for finishes that can be wiped without leaving a mark.
- Little Greene Intelligent Matt Emulsion. A 2% sheen, flat-looking matt that is fully washable. Little Greene recommend it for kitchens, hallways and children's rooms, and it was named a Which? Best Buy for washable paint.
- Farrow & Ball Modern Emulsion. A 7% sheen matt that Farrow & Ball describe as washable, wipeable and mould protected, so it suits kitchens and bathrooms.
- Paint & Paper Library Architects' Matt. A washable matt with a 3 to 5% sheen, which the brand recommend for kitchens, bathrooms and high-use areas.
In quieter rooms such as bedrooms, a chalkier finish like Absolute Matt Emulsion or Farrow & Ball's Estate Emulsion gives a softer, deeper look.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colours Used: Wimborne White (239), Douter (318), Scallop (311)
Colours that suit modern light
Larger windows and plain, regular rooms tend to give new homes bright, even light with few shadows. Very cool whites and greys can look flat in that light, while colours with a little warmth hold their character through the day.
- Soft whites. Slaked Lime (105) from Little Greene, Wimborne White (239) and School House White (291) from Farrow & Ball, and Fuji (102) from Paint & Paper Library are all gentler than brilliant white.
- Soft greys for living spaces. Farrow & Ball's Skimming Stone (241), a light grey with a hint of lilac, and Little Greene's classic French Grey (113) give an open-plan room a little more depth without closing it in.
- A deeper colour to define a zone. Painting one end of an open-plan room, or the inside of a snug, in a slightly deeper shade, such as Little Greene's soft grey Lead Colour (117), helps break up a large space.
Orientation matters as much as age. Our guide to why a colour looks different at home explains how north, south, east and west light change a shade.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Slaked Lime (105), Juniper Ash (115), Vulcan (324)
Doors, skirting and stairs
New-build joinery is usually factory primed or finished in a trade satin, and it gets heavy use. A self-priming eggshell saves a step: Little Greene's Intelligent Eggshell (10 to 15% sheen) has the primer built in, so a clean surface with a light key needs just two coats. Farrow & Ball's Flat Eggshell (20% sheen) is another hard-wearing choice for woodwork. Painting doors and skirting in the wall colour, or a shade darker, is an easy way to give plain joinery a more considered look.
Questions we are often asked
Can I use brilliant white on new plaster?
You can, but you do not have to. Any good matt emulsion, thinned for the first coat, will do the job, so you can go straight to the colour you want.
How many coats will new plaster need?
Plan for a thinned first coat followed by two full coats. Strong colour changes may need a third.
Which colour should I choose for an open-plan room?
Keep the main walls in one calm colour and use a second, deeper shade to mark out a zone. Order sample pots and look at them on several walls before committing.
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Farrow & Ball Modern Emulsion · Architects' Matt · Sample Pots
