Slaked Lime is one of Little Greene's loveliest green-greys, but it's a cool colour at heart, and that's the thing to respect when you're pairing it. Warm it up with the wrong companion and the green-grey goes flat or muddy. Keep things cool and crisp and it sings.
The golden rule: use cool whites, never warm creams. A buttery off-white sat next to Slaked Lime will fight it and pull the green towards a slightly sickly note. If you want it brighter on the woodwork, go a paler version of the same family rather than a yellow-based white.
For a layered, considered scheme:
- Paint & Paper Library Slate IV (LRV 67.5) is a beautiful soft pairing for trim, skirting and ceilings — light enough to lift the room without breaking the cool, calm mood Slaked Lime sets.
- Mylands Artichoke BH.13 (LRV 27.6) brings a muted, earthy olive-green that works as an accent on a chimney breast, joinery or a cupboard. It deepens the green reading in Slaked Lime without going warm.
- Dulux Sapphire Springs 1 (LRV 6.4) is your drama note — a deep slate-blue for a feature wall, panelling or an internal door. The contrast is gorgeous and stays in the cool half of the wheel.
The "but what about brass?" question comes up a lot. Avoid warm brass with Slaked Lime — it casts yellow into a colour that's trying to stay clean and green-grey. Go for brushed nickel, chrome, pewter or matt black instead. Pale woods — oak, ash, limed timber — sit far better than rich walnut or mahogany.
Practically: paint a metre-square test patch and live with it morning and evening before committing. Slaked Lime shifts noticeably in north light versus south, leaning greyer in cool rooms and greener in bright ones. Get that reading right first, then build your palette around it.