Annie Sloan

What Annie Sloan does

Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd is a privately held, founder-owned decorative paint and creative lifestyle company headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom, where it manufactures its full paint range on-site. The company was effectively founded in 1990 when Annie Sloan invented Chalk Paint™, a water-based, low-VOC decorative furniture paint that requires no sanding or priming and adheres to wood, metal, laminate, concrete, glass, and fabric. Its product portfolio now spans three core paint lines — Chalk Paint™ (51 colours), Wall Paint (32 colours, launched 2021), and Satin Paint (16 colours) — complemented by an integrated ecosystem of branded waxes, lacquers, brushes, colour cards, stencils, fabrics, books (26 published titles, 2M+ copies sold), and The Colourist podcast/bookazine.

Annie Sloan generates revenue through a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce via anniesloan.com and nine regional country websites with a global network of over 1,200 independent, Annie Sloan Method-trained stockists in 50+ countries. Pricing is unit-based across small-ticket SKUs (paint £5.95–£55.95; accessories £2.95–£72.00), with additional revenue from workshops at stockist locations, flagship stores (e.g., Doghead Design, London), and premium destination retreats (Court House Farm, UK; Bujera Fort, India). The customer base spans DIY home enthusiasts, professional interior designers, and small retailers, with no enterprise anchor accounts.

The business is differentiated by 35 years of brand equity, registered "Chalk Paint™" and "Annie Sloan" trademarks across major jurisdictions, and independent certifications including A+ EU indoor air ratings and EN71-3 Toy Safe compliance. The company remains fully founder-controlled (Annie Sloan and husband David Sloan), with no external institutional investment, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity, operating from Oxford manufacturing facilities established in 2014.

Name

Annie Sloan

Legal name

Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd

Website

https://anniesloan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd is an Oxford-based, founder-owned decorative paint company that manufactures Chalk Paint™, Wall Paint, and Satin Paint in-house and sells them via 1,200+ trained independent stockists in 50+ countries, regional e-commerce sites, and flagship stores serving DIY enthusiasts and interior designers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorative Paint

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Paint and Wallpaper Retailers (44412)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural & Decorative Paints (IMAEAHAA)

Keywords

• Decorative paint
• Furniture paint
• Chalk paint
• Interior paint
• Paint workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct Paint Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of Chalk Paint, Wall Paint, and Satin Paint through anniesloan.com. Multiple size options (120ml tester pots, 1 litre, 2.5 litre tins). Paint colours priced from £5.95 to £55.95 depending on product type and size.
2. Stockist/Retail Distribution: Sales through global network of 1,200+ independent stockists worldwide. Stockists purchase wholesale and resell to consumers. Many stockists are trained in Annie Sloan Method and offer expert guidance and workshops.
3. Waxes and Finishes: Clear, Dark, Black, and White Chalk Paint Waxes; Chalk Paint Lacquer; Pearlescent Glaze; Gold Size; Gilding Waxes; Craqueleur. Price range from £8.25 to £72.00.
4. Fabrics: Linen Unions, Prints (Tacit, Piano, Dulcet), and Tickings fabrics complementing Chalk Paint palette. Fabrics priced from £34.95 to £44.95.
5. Books and Publications: 26 books published on decorative painting and colour. Currently 8 books in print with 9 in translated languages. The Colourist bookazine issues priced at £9.95-£11.95.
6. Stencils: Stencil collection inspired by global travels. Iron Orchid Paint Inlays. Prices from £2.95 to £37.88.
7. Brushes and Tools: Chalk Paint Brushes (£15.95-£32.95), Wax Brushes (£27.95-£36.95), Wall Paint Brushes, Flat Brushes, Stencil Brushes, MixMat, Sponge Rollers, and accessories.
8. Flagship Store Operations: Personally selected flagship stores providing exceptional shopping experience and immersive brand engagement. Operated by independent business owners.
9. Events and Retreats: Furniture painting retreats (multi-day experiences at venues like Court House Farm and Bujera Fort), masterclasses, live demonstrations, and book signings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Annie Sloan designs, manufactures, and sells a proprietary portfolio of decorative water-based paints — Chalk Paint™ furniture paint, Wall Paint, and Satin Paint — together with colour-matched finishing products (waxes, lacquers, gilding products, metallic paints), brushes and tools, fabric, stencils, colour cards, books, and gift kits. All paints are made at the company's Oxford factory and distributed direct-to-consumer via its own websites and through 1,200+ trained independent stockists and flagship stores in more than 50 countries, supported by workshops and the founder-led The Colourist content brand.

Product overview

Annie Sloan Interiors is a UK-based decorative paint and creative lifestyle company founded by Annie Sloan CBE, inventor of Chalk Paint™ in 1990. The product portfolio centers on three core paint lines: Chalk Paint™ (furniture paint with no prep required), Wall Paint (scrubbable interior wall paint in 32 colours), and Satin Paint (hard-wearing finish for wood and metal). These are complemented by finishing products (Waxes, Lacquers, Metallic Paint), application tools (Brushes, Rollers, MixMat), and creative accessories (Stencils, Fabric, Colour Cards). The company extends its brand through publications (26 books, The Colourist bookazine/podcast), workshops and retreats, and a global network of 1,200+ trained stockists in 50+ countries. The business model promotes sustainability through upcycling and water-based, low-VOC formulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chalk Paint™: The signature furniture paint invented by Annie Sloan in 1990. A versatile decorative paint that rarely requires sanding or priming, works on wood, metal, laminate, concrete, indoors, outdoors.

Products and services

• Chalk Paint™ The signature furniture paint invented by Annie Sloan in 1990. A water-based, low-VOC decorative paint that requires no sanding or priming and can be applied to wood, metal, laminate, concrete, glass, fabric, and brick, indoors and outdoors. Available in 120ml tester pots, 1 litre, and 2.5 litre tins, and sealed with Wax or Lacquer.
• Wall Paint A premium interior wall paint with artist-approved pigments and a durable, wipe-clean finish. Designed for walls, available in 32 colours and multiple tin sizes including tester pot bundles.
• Satin Paint A hard-wearing soft-sheen paint for interior wood and metal. Built-in protection means no separate wax or lacquer is required after application. Available in 16 colours in a standard 2.5 litre tin.
• Waxes & Finishes A range of finishing products for Chalk Paint™ including Clear Wax, Dark Wax, Black Wax, White Wax, Chalk Paint Lacquer, Pearlescent Glaze, Gold Size, Metal Leaf, Gilding Waxes, and Craqueleur, used to seal, protect, and add decorative effects to painted surfaces.
• Brushes & Tools Ergonomically designed painting tools including Chalk Paint Brushes, Wax Brushes, Flat Brushes, Detail Brushes, Stencil Brushes, Wall Paint Brushes, Sponge Rollers, MixMat, Tin Opener, and Brush Storage Pouch, designed for use with Chalk Paint, Wall Paint, and Satin Paint.
• Colour Cards Physical colour sample cards for Chalk Paint and Wall Paint featuring real paint swatches for accurate colour representation, accompanied by tips on colour schemes and colour mixing.
• Stencils and Iron Orchid Paint Inlays A stencil collection inspired by Annie Sloan's travels, including designs such as Countryside Bird, Faux Bone Inlay, Mexican Birds, Paisley Floral Garland, Brushwork Tile Stencil, and the Rajasthan Collection, together with Iron Orchid Paint Inlays that use Annie Sloan designs and Chalk Paint colour ranges to create decorative patterns on furniture or walls.
• Fabric A fabric collection designed to complement the Chalk Paint palette, including Linen Unions, Prints (Tacit, Piano, Dulcet), and Tickings in various colourways, available by the metre.
• Metallic Paint A water-based metallic paint for decorative finishes, currently available in the Traditional Gold variant, sold as a 118ml tin.
• Books by Annie Sloan A catalogue of 26 published books on decorative painting, colour, and interior design by Annie Sloan, including currently available translated and original editions plus titles such as Room Recipes, Charleston, and the Annie Sloan Collection. Sold via stockists and anniesloan.com.
• Gifts & Kits Curated gift sets and paint kits including the Charleston Decorative Paint Sets (in colours Firle, Rodmell, and Tilton), Paint-Your-Own Keepsake Boxes, Charleston Plates, eGift Cards (£10–£100), companion books, cushions, placemats, and postcards.
• Home Accessories Limited-edition fabric home accessories made from Annie Sloan fabrics, including Bilbao cushions, Budapest cushions, and Table Runners in coordinated Annie Sloan designs.
• Furniture Painting Retreats Multi-day destination workshops where participants learn Chalk Paint techniques from Annie Sloan and brand ambassadors in immersive settings in the UK (Court House Farm, Portishead), India (Bujera Fort, Udaipur), Italy, and the USA. Retreats are ticketed, hosted experiences delivered at partner venues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Can be applied to nearly any surface without preparation and finished within one day
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Charleston FarmhousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration inspired by the Bloomsbury Group home. Annie Sloan with Charleston: Decorative Paint Sets in Firle, Rodmell, and Tilton colours inspired by the house. Paint-Your-Own Keepsake Box and Charleston Plates product line. Annie hosts workshops and tours at Charleston.
• Sobell House HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable collaboration with Sobell House Hospice, a local hospice serving the Oxford area.
• Create AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational collaboration with Create Academy featuring Annie Sloan's painting expertise and courses.
• ActionAid UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership making ActionAid Annie Sloan's charity of the year. Supports international development and humanitarian work.
• Court House FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Annie Sloan Furniture Painting Retreats. Located in Portishead, UK (BS20 6PU). Hosts multi-day immersive painting retreats.
• Bujera FortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury retreat venue in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India (313031). Hosts annual Annie Sloan Furniture Painting Retreats. Fourth year running partnership.
• Doghead DesigncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLondon-based flagship store operator. Tristan Merriam serves as brand ambassador. Hosts Joy of Chalk Paint Masterclasses and retreats.
• The Bodleian LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration creating The Bodleian Library Muses Postcards - a collection inspired by the library's archives.
• Painters in ResidenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram featuring artists from across the globe exploring decorative furniture painting boundaries from home studios. Current painter: Sabah. Past painters include Polly Coulson.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Country Chic Paint: Country Chic Paint is a Canadian eco-friendly chalk-style furniture paint brand sold direct and through stockists. It overlaps directly with Chalk Paint™ on DIY upcycling use cases and competes on eco-credentials and ease of use.
• Wise Owl Paint: Wise Owl is a US-based chalk-style paint competitor with strong social media traction in the furniture flipping community. It overlaps directly with Chalk Paint™ use cases and price points while building a younger, more digitally native stockist base.

Direct peers

• Dixie Belle Paint Company: Dixie Belle is a US-headquartered chalk and mineral paint brand built specifically for the furniture flip/upcycling community that Annie Sloan pioneered. It competes on the same customer use cases, retails through independent stockists, and runs workshops and social-driven marketing — a near-perfect niche overlap.
• Fusion Mineral Paint: Fusion Mineral Paint sells all-in-one mineral paint that requires no wax topcoat, targeting the same DIY furniture refinisher as Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint with built-in durability claims. It competes on convenience, finished-in-one-step messaging, and price.
• Little Greene: Little Greene is a UK-based premium decorative paint brand with designer-driven colour palettes and independent stockist distribution, closely mirroring Annie Sloan's positioning. It is the most comparable UK peer on heritage, premium price points, and stockist-led retail model.
• Farrow & Ball: Farrow & Ball is the most directly comparable premium decorative paint brand, offering a curated colour palette, durable interior wall paint, and a global stockist/distributor network. Like Annie Sloan, it sells premium-priced paints with heritage and design credibility rather than competing on volume.
• Rust-Oleum: Rust-Oleum's Chalked brush-on paint directly competes in the furniture refinishing/upcycling category that Annie Sloan created, sold through mass-market retail channels. It offers a similar DIY-friendly proposition at significantly lower price points, putting margin and shelf pressure on Annie Sloan stockists.
• Maison Blanche Paint Company: Maison Blanche markets vintage and chalk-style furniture paint with a focus on artisan aesthetics and stockist workshops. It targets the same decorative furniture customer base as Annie Sloan and positions similarly around heritage colour stories.

Broad incumbents

• Zinsser (Rust-Oleum brand): Zinsser, a Rust-Oleum brand, is a leading specialty primer and surface preparation manufacturer whose Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is often cited alongside Chalk Paint™ as the alternative for users willing to prep. It represents the "priming required" incumbent approach Annie Sloan built its no-prep value proposition against.
• Benjamin Moore: Benjamin Moore is a large North American architectural paint manufacturer with a premium positioning. It competes with Annie Sloan Wall Paint in the interior wall segment and dwarfs Annie Sloan on contractor channel reach, R&D, and shelf scale.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AnnieSloanHome
• Instagraminstagram.com/anniesloanhome
• Xx.com/AnnieSloanHome

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Annie Sloan