Little Greene Paint China Clay - Dark No.178

China Clay - Dark No.178 is a mid-depth, muted neutral from Little Greene, with a warm earth undertone. It has a light reflectance value of about 47, which places it in the mid band of the range. It holds its character in both bright and flat light, which makes it one of the safer choices for a room you cannot control the daylight in.

Using China Clay - Dark in a scheme

Pair it with Masquerade - Light No.332, a white that shares its undertone; China Clay - Mid No.176, a lighter step in the same family; and Flight Pink No.354, a deeper one for adjoining walls or woodwork. These pairings are worked out from the colour values themselves rather than lifted from Little Greene’s colour card, so treat them as a starting point rather than a rule.

Sampling this colour

A 60ml sample pot of China Clay - Dark is €8.50. It comes from Little Greene already mixed, so it is on our shelf and ships straight away. On a colour of any depth it is worth painting two walls of the room rather than one.

Available finishes

• Absolute Matt Emulsion — dead-flat walls and ceilings in low-traffic rooms (2% sheen, 14 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Matt Emulsion — washable walls and ceilings in hallways, kitchens and family rooms (2% sheen, 14 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Eggshell — wipeable trim, radiators, and kitchen and bathroom walls (15% sheen, 14 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Satin — hard-wearing joinery, doors, skirting and cabinets (32% sheen, 12 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Gloss — radiators, trim and bathroom woodwork, water-based (80% sheen, 14 m² per litre)
• Interior Oil Eggshell — interior woodwork, primed metal and cabinetry (15% sheen, 16 m² per litre)
• Traditional Oil Gloss — front doors, windows and railings, full oil gloss (>85% sheen, 16 m² per litre)
• Intelligent ASP — all-surface primer for wood, metal, tiles, glass and melamine (<6% sheen, 14 m² per litre)
• Wall Primer Sealer — new, friable or patch-repaired plaster (<6% sheen, 13 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Floor Paint — wooden and concrete floors in light to medium traffic (35% sheen, 12 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Exterior Eggshell — exterior cladding, joinery and metalwork (15% sheen, 12 m² per litre)
• Tom's Oil Eggshell — exterior cladding, windows and doors, plant-oil based (15% sheen, 15 m² per litre)
• Intelligent Masonry Paint — exterior render, brick and cement blockwork (5% sheen, 13 m² per litre)

Distemper and Limewash can also be mixed in this colour to order. We do not keep those bases on the shelf, so ring the shop and we will bring it in on our next Little Greene delivery.

Priming and light

Little Greene tint their primers to the shade of the topcoat rather than working to fixed undercoat colours, so whichever primer the surface calls for, we mix it in China Clay - Dark. New or patch-repaired plaster takes Wall Primer Sealer; previously painted woodwork, radiators, metal, tiles and melamine take Intelligent ASP. Sound painted walls need nothing underneath — the Intelligent range is self-priming.

This is the depth that holds its character whether the day is bright or flat, which is why mid-tones are the safest choice in most Irish rooms.

Colour reference

• Colour number: No.178
• Hex: #CBB1A2
• RGB: 203, 177, 162
• Colour family: Neutrals
• Also filed under: Greys, Oranges
• Tone: Mid
• Light reflectance value (LRV): approximately 47, calculated from the published hex
• Collection: Colour Scales
• Availability: Current range

Mixed to order at Foy & Company

Every tin of China Clay - Dark is mixed to order on our own tinting system from the correct Little Greene base, so you get genuine Little Greene paint in the finish and size you need rather than only what happens to be on the shelf. Nationwide delivery across Ireland, or collect from the shop.