Heritage Paint: Luxury Paints in Authentic Colours

Offering luxurious colours in durable, easy-to-clean finishes, the Heritage Paint Collection is produced by Dulux and offers 112 carefully selected colours in two finish options. In this quick guide from Building Materials Nationwide, we’ll cover the essentials of the Heritage range, looking through their colour options and more, while explaining why you should avoid using them for exterior surfaces.

What is Heritage Paint?

The Heritage Collection is a range of luxury paints produced by Dulux, the most popular paint manufacturer in the UK. The goal of the heritage range is to offer durable and attractive paints in a set range of colours, referencing three defining periods in British history: the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. Dulux worked in collaboration with colour historian Patrick Baty to ensure that the colours in the range are as close to the authentic looks of these eras as possible.

Launched in 1990, Dulux Heritage paint colours can give an authentic look to a classical home but are also used within modern buildings. This range of quality paints is a great choice for DIYers and professionals alike.

What Types of Heritage Paint are Sold in the UK?

Heritage paint is entirely water-based, coming in two different finishes – both of which are durable and can be wiped clean. It is solely intended for interior usage.

Heritage Matt Emulsion Paint

Called Heritage velvet matt, this water-based matt emulsion paint is designed for interior walls, coming in a full range of rich colours. It is designed around an easy application process, offering a long-lasting and easy-to-clean finish.

Heritage Eggshell Paint

Heritage also comes in an eggshell finish designed for use on wood and metal. This water-based paint will offer excellent durability within a home and is self-undercoating.

Heritage Undercoat

When looking to paint wood or metal a colour that is a profound shift from the existing one, Heritage undercoat is available. This will provide a white surface for painting over, avoiding any risk of colours bleeding through or combining.

The Colours of the Heritage Paint Collection

The timeless colour palette of Heritage is divided into four categories, each helping to bring a specific feel to a home:

• Pale Tones: The light tones can have a clay or pastel look, creating bright and airy spaces within a home. They can also be combined with other darker hues, such as pale-toned wooden elements or ceilings.
• Mid Tones: These more pronounced colours can be used to create homely spaces, covering the full range of colours, from pinks to greens and teals. Heritage recommends pairing mid-tones with pale or white shades.
• Deep Tones: For a more impactful look, deep tones can bring a huge amount of character to a living room or bedroom. They can also be used to make wood or metal pop within a more subdued interior space.
• Whites: A variety of white shades are also available, which can make for an attractive contrast with other colours.

Through the Heritage website, colour pairings are suggested across the range, helping customers to get a great look for their living space.

Is Heritage Paint Suitable for Exterior Use?

Heritage paint is not intended for exterior use, and will likely perform poorly should you use it. When looking to paint an exterior wall you should look to use masonry paint, which is specifically formulated to be used on brick or concrete. Exterior wood and metal will also have specialist paints available. To perform well externally means being waterproof and resistant to wind and temperature changes. Interior paints like Heritage will not offer this. Dulux manufactures masonry paint and exterior paint for wood and metal within its standard range if you are looking for high-quality options.

What is Heritage Acrylic Paint?

Somewhat confusingly, heritage acrylic paints are entirely unrelated to the Dulux brand or house decoration. They are a range of craft paints produced by Jansen Art Studio and sold online.