Crown Paints worked closely with award winning painter and decorator Neil Bailey to come up with a bespoke solution for a Grade 2 listed farm house. Neil Bailey, of Oxfordshire-based Neil Bailey Decorating, won the Small Contractor Award at the Painting and Decorating Association’s Premier Trophy Awards last year.

Using Crown Trade products to transform a living room in a Grade 2 listed farm house, Neil Bailey impressed the judges with his top-quality approach. Crown Trade Grip Extreme Fast Drying Primer was used first to seal and bond distemper residue on the bare walls and, because of its rapid drying time, it was recoatable in just one hour.

Specially formulated to allow surfaces to breathe, Crown Trade Covermatt Emulsion was chosen for the walls and ceilings. A rag-rolled finish was required in the living room – working in pairs, Neil Bailey and his team, first layered Crown Trade Covermatt Emulsion on to the walls and rolled it off quickly to achieve the dramatic look.

There was also exterior decoration to the property, with work to the external railings using the Crown Trade Protective Coatings System. Two coats of Crown Trade Protective Coatings High Build Rust Inhibiting Primer Undercoat were applied to the bare metal, with two coats of the Micaceous Iron Oxide applied after. To finish, Crown Trade Protective Coatings High Performance Gloss for Metal was applied in a dark blue colour.

Richard Gregory, who bought Milton Farm nearly three years ago, said: “The products went on really well and we’re very happy with the finish. “The living room feels very authentic and fits in well with the character and listed status of the house.”