Painted vs venetian plaster vs panelling vs exposed brick — pick the right backdrop

Last updated: 3 October 2026

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Wall finish is the decision that sets the mood of every other choice in a room. It is also the one most often made last, when the budget is nearly spent and a colour card is the only thing left on the table.

In London the question is sharper than elsewhere, because so much of the housing stock has solid walls. A finish that traps moisture in a solid brick wall will cause problems that a finish on a modern cavity wall would not. Getting the material right matters as much as getting the colour right.

This guide compares the finishes we specify most often, with realistic costs, and the substrate and preparation issues that decide whether a finish performs. For how the decorating and plastering package sits in a wider budget, see our renovation cost per square metre guide.

The finishes compared

Prices are supplied and applied in Greater London including preparation and VAT, but excluding structural repairs or replastering of failed substrates.

Paint: the UK default, and how to use it well

Paint is the default for good reason: it is the cheapest finish by a wide margin, it is easy to change, and it works in every room. The skill is in the product and the sheen rather than the colour.

Use a washable matt or an eggshell on walls that take traffic — hallways, stairs, family rooms — and a standard matt on ceilings and low-traffic walls. In a period room, pulling the paint up to a dado or down from a picture rail gives the wall a horizontal break that suits high ceilings, and it is far cheaper than panelling. Keep the trim in the same family but a different, more durable finish, so the joinery reads.

On a solid-wall period property, check whether the paint is breathable. Vinyl and many acrylic paints form a film that resists moisture movement, and on a solid brick wall that can trap damp behind the finish, leading to blistering and patches. A mineral or clay paint allows the wall to dry inward, which is exactly what a solid wall needs.

Clay and lime plaster: breathable and period-correct

Clay and lime plasters at £35–£90 per m² are the right answer for period walls, and particularly for walls that have shown any sign of damp. They are vapour-permeable, they buffer humidity, and they produce the slightly uneven, softly modulated surface that modern skim plaster cannot reproduce.

Lime plaster is harder and more traditional; clay plaster is warmer to the touch, easier to repair, and produces less dust. Both need a skilled applicator, both are slower to apply than gypsum skim, and both need a breathable finish over them — a mineral paint or a clay paint, not a vinyl emulsion.

Where a wall has a persistent damp problem, the finish is not the fix. The source must be addressed first: a bridged damp-proof course, a blocked airbrick, a leaking gutter or external ground level above the internal floor. Plastering over an unresolved damp problem simply hides it for a season.

Venetian plaster: marbled depth

Polished venetian plaster at £80–£220 per m² creates a surface with depth and movement that flat paint cannot achieve. Multiple thin coats of lime-based plaster are burnished to a soft sheen, and the result shifts with the light across the day.

The cost is dominated by the applicator's labour, not the material, and the quality of the result depends almost entirely on their skill. Ask to see a completed wall. It is normally used on a single feature wall, a hallway or a bathroom, where the expense is concentrated and the effect is seen.

Two practical notes. Venetian plaster works best over a flat, sound substrate, so any patching of the wall has to be done and cured first. And it needs protection in wet areas — in a bathroom it should be sealed, and it should not be relied on as the waterproofing for a shower zone.

Panelling: tongue-and-groove and fluted

Panelling adds depth and shadow to a wall, and it is one of the most effective ways to make a plain modern room feel considered. Tongue-and-groove — narrow boards with a V or bead joint — suits traditional and coastal schemes. Fluted or reeded panelling — wider rounded slats with a stronger shadow line — reads more contemporary.

Both are usually MDF, applied over a flat wall on a batten frame or glued directly, and both add 40–70 mm of depth depending on the build-up. That depth matters at every junction: door architraves, skirting, sockets and radiators all have to be brought forward or adjusted. Plan the panelling on the drawing so the architraves and skirting sit in front of it, rather than butting into it.

Paint panelling in the same eggshell as the trim, and consider painting it the same colour as the wall for a calm, monolithic look, or a contrasting colour where the panelling is meant to read as furniture. Both work; a half-finished junction between panelling and wall does not.

Exposed brick: period reveal

Exposed brick works best as a controlled reveal rather than as a whole-wall strategy. A chimney breast, a section of wall in a hallway, or the reveal around a new opening can carry brick beautifully, particularly where the brickwork is old and characterful.

As a whole-wall finish it is harder to live with. Brick is cold, it is dusty unless properly sealed, it reflects sound, and it cannot easily be insulated without being covered up again. On an external wall, stripping plaster back to brick usually means losing whatever thermal performance the plaster was helping to provide.

Where brick is exposed, seal it with a breathable sealer rather than a film-forming one, repoint where necessary with a lime mortar appropriate to the age of the building, and expect to dust it. It is also worth checking whether the brickwork was ever painted with a lead-based paint before any stripping begins.

Preparation always decides the outcome

• Lead paint: possible on joinery in homes built before the 1970s. Test before sanding or stripping.
• Asbestos: possible in textured coatings, plasters and boards in properties built or refurbished before about 2000. Survey before drilling or demolition.
• Damp: find the source before choosing a finish; breathable materials help a wall dry, they do not cure a leak.
• Substrate: every finish in this guide depends on a sound, flat wall. Patching and curing take time and belong in the programme.
• Junctions: panelling, dado rails and picture rails all change how trim and sockets meet the wall — resolve these on the drawing.

Our plastering and decorating team handles the substrate, the plaster and the finish as one package, and our design and build team sets the wall finish alongside the joinery and lighting so the junctions work. We work across Islington and the rest of Greater London.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best wall finish for a period house?

A breathable finish — lime or clay plaster with a mineral or clay paint — is usually right for solid-wall period properties, because it lets moisture move through the wall rather than trapping it. On a wall with a modern damp-proof course and a cavity, a standard emulsion is fine.

How much does venetian plaster cost?

Typically £80–£220 per m² in Greater London, applied by a specialist. The cost is driven by the number of coats and the applicator's skill. It is usually used on a single feature wall or hallway.

Should I strip paint back to exposed brick?

Only where the brick is in good condition and the wall is internal or already well insulated. Brick is cold, dusty and acoustically hard, and stripping an external wall usually means losing thermal performance. Feature sections work better than whole walls.

What is the difference between tongue-and-groove and fluted panelling?

Tongue-and-groove uses narrow boards with a V or bead joint and suits a traditional or coastal feel. Fluted panelling uses wider rounded or reeded slats with a stronger shadow line and reads more contemporary. Both add 40–70 mm of depth.

Do I need to worry about lead paint or asbestos?

Yes, in older London properties. Lead paint may be present in pre-1970s homes, particularly on joinery, and asbestos in textured coatings, plasters and boards from before about 2000. Both should be identified by a competent surveyor before sanding, stripping or demolition.

Related reading

• House renovation cost per square metre
• Building regulations approvals and costs
• Plastering and decorating
• Whole-home renovation services
• Projects across Islington