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Q&A / Brands / Is there a cheaper alternative to Edward Bulmer Eau de Nile?…
Brands · answered by Fini

Is there a cheaper alternative to Edward Bulmer Eau de Nile?

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Quick answer

The closest cheaper match is Dulux Fresh Artichoke at ΔE 2.1 — that's very close, near enough that most people wouldn't spot the difference on a wall. Crown East Village and COAT And Breathe sit a little further out at ΔE 3.8 and 3.7.

Yes, and the standout here is Dulux Fresh Artichoke at ΔE 2.1 from the original. Anything under 2.5 is a very close match, so on a finished wall in normal light you'd be hard pushed to tell it apart from Edward Bulmer's Eau de Nile. Dulux is widely stocked, mixable at any decent merchant, and a fraction of the cost — easily the sensible choice if budget's the driver.

Eau de Nile is that soft, slightly chalky green-grey that's been a heritage favourite for years. The reason Edward Bulmer's version costs what it does is the natural pigments and the genuinely lovely, deep matt finish — but the *colour itself* isn't proprietary magic, and a good match closes most of that gap.

If you'd rather stay in the premium-but-cheaper bracket, COAT And Breathe (LRV 55.8, ΔE 3.7) and Crown East Village (LRV 55.7, ΔE 3.8) are both worth a look. They're a touch lighter and read marginally fresher than the original, but they're properly nice paints in their own right — COAT's matt emulsion in particular has a flat, modern finish that suits this kind of period green.

The "but what about" question: ΔE 3.7–3.8 isn't a perfect match. You'd likely notice it side by side against a real Eau de Nile swatch, especially in north light where greens go cooler. For a standalone room nobody will clock it. For touching up or matching existing Eau de Nile woodwork, go Fresh Artichoke or just bite the bullet on the original.

Practical advice: buy a sample pot, paint a big patch — A3 minimum — and live with it for two days across morning and evening light before you commit. Greens shift more than almost any other colour depending on aspect and what's reflecting into the room. Test before you buy ten litres of anything.

Colours from the answer

LRV 55.7
Edward Bulmer
Eau de Nile
LRV 51
Dulux
Fresh Artichoke
LRV 55.7
Crown
East Village
LRV 55.8
COAT
And Breathe

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