Crown Trade Paints for London Interiors: A Decorator's Guide
A professional guide to Crown Trade paints for London interiors: Clean Extreme scrubbable emulsion, Breatheasy low-VOC range, and kitchen and bathroom products reviewed for London properties.
Crown Trade for London Residential and Commercial Interiors
Crown Trade is among the most widely specified trade paint ranges in London, used across residential refurbishments, commercial fit-outs and social housing programmes. Owned by the Hempel group since 2012, Crown Trade occupies a position between entry-level own-brand products and premium designer ranges: the quality is genuinely professional and the pricing is competitive when bought through trade accounts.
For London decorators working across a range of property types -- from Victorian terraces in Islington to modern apartments in Nine Elms -- Crown Trade's product range covers most standard interior requirements. This guide focuses on the products most relevant to London residential projects.
Clean Extreme: High-Durability Scrubbable Emulsion
Crown Trade Clean Extreme is the product that defines the brand's premium interior offering. It is a water-based emulsion specifically engineered for scrub resistance and stain repellency. The product meets and exceeds the Class 1 scrub resistance requirement under BS EN 13300, which means it can be washed repeatedly without the paint film breaking down.
In practical London terms, Clean Extreme is the right choice for hallways, staircases, children's rooms, communal areas and anywhere that walls are regularly touched, scuffed or marked. London's older terraced properties often have narrow hallways and tight staircase turns where wall contact is unavoidable; specifying a scrubbable paint on these surfaces is not a luxury but a practical necessity.
Coverage is strong at 14 to 16 square metres per litre on previously painted surfaces in good condition. The finish is a flat matt that retains the soft appearance associated with premium emulsions while delivering durability normally associated with mid-sheen products. This balance -- the appearance of a matt with the washability of an eggshell -- is Clean Extreme's primary appeal.
The product is available in white, mid-tint and deep-tint bases, accepting tinting to most standard colour systems including popular heritage palettes.
Breatheasy: Low-VOC Interior Range
Crown Trade Breatheasy is the brand's low volatile organic compound (VOC) range, covering both emulsion and woodwork products. All products in the range contain less than 1 gram of VOC per litre -- effectively zero-VOC to any meaningful practical measure -- which makes them suitable for occupied properties, sensitive environments and clients with respiratory concerns.
The Breatheasy emulsion provides a flat matt finish with good coverage at 13 to 15 square metres per litre. It is not a scrubbable emulsion in the same class as Clean Extreme, making it more appropriate for bedroom walls, ceilings and lower-traffic areas where VOC sensitivity is the primary driver of specification rather than cleaning durability.
For London families carrying out interior redecoration while remaining in the property -- a common scenario given the cost and disruption of temporary relocation in the capital -- Breatheasy's minimal odour and air quality impact is a genuine practical benefit. Rooms can typically be reoccupied on the evening following painting, subject to normal ventilation.
The Breatheasy woodwork range includes an acrylic gloss and a satin that can be applied directly over sanded and degreased existing painted surfaces, reducing the need for oil-based undercoats and significantly reducing drying time between coats.
Kitchen and Bathroom Products
Crown Trade's kitchen and bathroom emulsion is formulated with moisture resistance and anti-mould properties. It provides a mid-sheen finish -- practical for easy cleaning of splashes -- and contains a preservative to inhibit mould growth at the paint film surface.
In London's older housing stock, kitchens and bathrooms in basement flats, rear extensions and Victorian terraces without adequate mechanical ventilation are subject to sustained elevated humidity. A standard emulsion in these conditions will show mould within one to two years regardless of how well it is applied. Crown Trade's kitchen and bathroom formulation extends the service life meaningfully, provided the underlying ventilation and moisture issues are also addressed.
Coverage is approximately 14 square metres per litre on smooth surfaces. Two coats are standard. For walls that have had previous mould problems, a fungicidal wash followed by a mould-inhibiting primer ahead of the kitchen and bathroom emulsion provides the strongest long-term protection.
Undercoats and Primers
Crown Trade produces a comprehensive range of primers and undercoats. Their All-Purpose Primer is a water-based formulation suitable for most interior surfaces including plaster, wood, MDF and previously painted substrates. For new plaster, Crown Trade Mist Coat Emulsion provides a purpose-formulated diluted primer alternative that seals the surface before finish coats.
On stripped or bare woodwork -- sash windows, architraves, skirting boards and doors -- Crown Trade's Acrylic Primer Undercoat provides the correct base for water-based finish coats, sanding to a smooth key between coats.
Availability and Trade Accounts in London
Crown Trade is distributed through Brewers Decorator Centres, Crown's own trade counters and a network of independent paint merchants across London. Trade accounts offer preferential pricing and same-day tinting on most products. For London decorating companies working on multiple properties simultaneously, Crown Trade's consistent batch quality and reliable availability through London merchants are as important as the product performance itself.
Specifying Crown Trade on London Projects
For a typical London period property refurbishment, a practical Crown Trade specification might run as follows: Clean Extreme in all hallways, landings and reception rooms; Breatheasy emulsion in bedrooms; kitchen and bathroom formulation in wet rooms; and the Breatheasy woodwork satin throughout on architraves, skirtings and doors. This approach optimises durability where it matters, minimises VOC impact in sleeping areas and provides appropriate moisture resistance in the wettest rooms.
Crown Trade is not the most visually exciting brand in the decorator's armoury, but it is a consistent, professionally-oriented range that delivers reliable results across London's diverse housing stock.