What is Limewash Paint? Professional Performance with Siena

Traditionally composed of lime and water, the history of this natural finish dates back thousands of years, with its origins found in ancient civilisations, where it served as both a protective and decorative coating for various structures. This artisanal base is frequently enriched with mineral pigments and creates a unique, natural, and textured appearance.

The downside
Lime paints are naturally delicate finishes and are not designed to withstand the levels of everyday wear associated with modern living. While their breathability, health benefits, and sustainability credentials exceed those of conventional acrylic-based coatings, their low durability makes them far less practical in high-traffic areas and modern homes.

Siena, by Graphenstone – Decorative limewash with Modern performance
Siena maintains the artisanal lime base but reinforces it with Graphene technology to deliver timeless, natural ‘chiaroscuro’ effects with enhanced durability and resistance to everyday wear. You get the centuries-old aesthetic with 21st-century durability.

• Traditional limewash paints are delicate, making them impractical for modern living. Siena uses Graphenstone’s innovative technology to deliver a natural limewash finish with Class 1 durability (tested to a Class 1 wet scrub rating), meaning that once fully cured, it is durable and washable.
• Modern, acrylic-based paints can form a ‘skin’ on the surface, trapping moisture. Siena has Class 1 vapour permeability (Sd < 0.02 m), allowing your walls to breathe – healthier for you and your home.
• Normal paint is flat and uniform. Limewash is alive. It creates a “chiaroscuro” effect – a soft, cloudy movement that reacts beautifully to light.
• Siena absorbs CO2 from the air as it cures (the majority in the first 30 days following application), helping to create a cleaner, healthier environment.

Siena is an interior finish for walls and ceilings and is a versatile, healthy choice for almost any indoor space, from bedrooms and living areas to dining rooms and studies. Easy to apply, Siena is a 2-coat system applied onto a prepared, mist-coated or primed surface.

While interiors have traditionally been dominated by whites and cool greys, design trends are shifting towards grounding earthy tones, inspired by natural materials such as stone, water and sand.

Siena is available in a curated palette of 24 grounding tones from our ‘Earth Collection’, alongside a further 18 shades in our lime base, selected from ‘The Colour Collection’ – our signature colour card featuring 120 timeless shades.