Slaked Lime (105) is a soft, warm white from Little Greene, and one of the easiest whites to live with. Little Greene make it from a blend of minerals, which gives this clean, neutral white its gentle warmth and softness. On a wall it reads as a calm, chalky white: fresh enough to feel light, with none of the hard edge of a brilliant white.
It is the white we find ourselves recommending most when someone wants a white that simply works. It sits happily beside strong colour, soft neutrals and natural materials alike, and it is just as at home on a ceiling as across a whole room.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Slaked Lime (105), Juniper Ash (115), Vulcan (324)
What colour is Slaked Lime?
The name refers to slaked lime, the traditional base of limewash and lime plaster, and the paint has some of that mineral softness. It has a gentle warmth without being creamy or yellow, so it does not clash with cooler colours the way a rich off-white can.
Slaked Lime is also the lightest member of its own tonal family. Slaked Lime - Mid (149), Slaked Lime - Deep (150) and Slaked Lime - Dark (151) are progressively stronger versions, which makes it very easy to build a tonal scheme: the palest on the ceiling, a deeper tint on the walls and the deepest on woodwork.
Where to use Slaked Lime
- Ceilings. A warm, soft ceiling white that works under almost any wall colour.
- Whole rooms. Walls, woodwork and ceiling all in Slaked Lime give a calm, gallery-like room that still feels warm.
- With strong colour. Little Greene's own photography shows it above deeper lower walls, where it keeps the room light and lets the colour do the work.
- Furniture and joinery. A gentle white that freshens a piece without turning it stark. Our guide to painting IKEA furniture uses Slaked Lime as one of its suggestions.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Scree (227), Slaked Lime (105)
Which finish to choose
Every Little Greene colour is available in every finish, so Slaked Lime can run from walls to woodwork in one consistent white.
- Walls and ceilings. Absolute Matt Emulsion for a soft, flat finish in living rooms and bedrooms, or Intelligent Matt Emulsion (2% sheen) for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and children's rooms, where walls need washing.
- Woodwork, doors and furniture. Intelligent Eggshell (10 to 15% sheen) or Intelligent Satin (30 to 35%). Both are self-priming: on a clean, sound surface with a light key, two coats from the same tin do the whole job.
- Outside. Intelligent Exterior Eggshell for doors and window frames, and Intelligent Masonry Paint for rendered walls.
Because it is a light colour, you will not need Intelligent ASP underneath unless you are covering a very dark existing colour.
Colours that pair with Slaked Lime
Little Greene's own room sets put Slaked Lime alongside Juniper Ash (115) and Vulcan (324), with Scree (227), and with Lute (317) and Pompeian Ash (293). Little Greene also list it as a related white for French Grey (113), one of their best-loved neutrals.
From the other brands we stock, these are our own suggestions:
- Farrow & Ball Hague Blue (30). A deep, green-leaning blue that looks crisp and confident against Slaked Lime woodwork.
- Farrow & Ball Elephant's Breath (229). A warm mid grey, softened further by a Slaked Lime ceiling.
- Paint & Paper Library Canvas II (302). A soft sand neutral for walls, with Slaked Lime keeping the room fresh.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Lute (317), Pompeian Ash (293), Slaked Lime (105)
Questions we are often asked
Is Slaked Lime a warm or cool white?
Warm, but only gently. Its mineral make-up gives it a soft warmth while keeping it clean and neutral, so it sits between a cool white and a cream.
Will Slaked Lime look yellow?
It should not. It is a soft white rather than a cream. As with any white, it will look warmer in south-facing light, so try a sample pot in the room first. Our guide to choosing colours by room orientation explains why. For more on choosing whites, read Can White Be a Colour of the Year?
What is the difference between Slaked Lime and Slaked Lime - Mid?
Mid is a stronger version of the same colour, so it reads as a soft, pale neutral rather than a white. They work beautifully together on walls and woodwork.
Shop Little Greene Slaked Lime
Slaked Lime - Mid · Intelligent Eggshell · All Little Greene colours
