Emperor Stories: Mark and Jonathan’s Georgian Renovation

After more than 25 years of renovating together, Mark and Jonathan recently began their eighth project, a beautiful Georgian home. The goal; to focus on restoring its original character while keeping the exterior protected and breathable for years to come.

In this edition of Emperor Stories, we caught up with Mark and Jonathan to talk through their approach to the project, the results so far and the advice they’d share with anyone planning to paint their home’s exterior.

Taking a Proactive Approach

Due to the house being solid wall (single skin brick with no cavity), they wanted to get ahead of the curve and repaint the exterior before any future problems began to occur.

By tackling the exterior when they did, they could keep moisture out of the structure and prevent damp-related issues internally, something we often advise before investing in interior work.

“The exterior of the house had been painted for the past 120 years or more.”

“At least 5 layers of white, one of light blue, one of yellow and even one of pink.”

There were several reasons for tackling the exterior first, from improving the home’s kerb appeal to addressing long-standing issues caused by age and exposure. More importantly, it was about protecting the house from further damage from the moisture that had accumulated over the years.

“The old layers of paint were badly stained and flaking in many places. There was also water damage from leaking gutters, where moisture had gotten in behind the layers of non-breathable paints and was causing mould.”

Making Sure The Paint Was the Right Fit

Choosing the right paint was a crucial part of the project, especially for an older, heritage property that needs to breathe just as much as it needs to look its best.

Mark and Jonathan knew they needed a paint that would work with the building rather than fight against it.

“The fact that Emperor is highly vapour permeable and has an SD value similar to limewash was very important.”

“We spent a lot of time researching a whole range of paints with various claims (many spurious!), before finally settling on Emperor.”

But performance wasn’t the only factor. The finish also needed to feel in keeping with the character of the house. Fresh and well cared for, without looking overly modern or out of place.

“We wanted something that would bring a fresh look, but not something that stood out and appeared too ‘new’. So, we found that Emperor’s ‘Heritage White’ gave us the warm, slightly grey off-white that we knew would complement our colour choices for the door, woodwork and other accents.”

The Process Behind the Finish

“We scraped as much of this old paint off as possible to get us back to brick before applying a new layer of Emperor.”

This step was crucial to the success of the project. By scraping back as much of the old paint as possible, they removed unstable, non-breathable layers that were already failing.

Getting back to bare brick meant the wall could dry out properly and gave the new paint a solid, stable surface to bond to – giving it the best start it for long-term performance.

Alongside performance and finish, ease of application also played an important role in Mark and Jonathan’s project, helping to keep the job moving smoothly and stress-free.

“It’s very easy to use and apply. The fact that it is rather thicker than most standard paints helped too. Far less slopping about and mess to then clean up afterwards!”

That New Home Feeling

Even before the work was fully complete, the changes to the exterior began to restore a sense of character to the home.

“We’re a long way off completing everything, but we really wanted to bring a sense of quiet dignity back to the house that had been lost over the years, so it’s really wonderful when people stop in the lane to compliment us on what we’ve achieved so far.”

“We’re firm believers that a house reacts to the occupants and the way it is treated by them, and so far, this old lady seems to approve of us!”

Mark and Jonathan’s Top Tips For You

1. “Do your research. There is a mind-boggling array of products on the market today. Find something that best suits your own personal circumstances – remember, with renovation, there is never a one-size-fits-all solution, though for us, Emperor did fit that bill.”
2.  “Plan and prep. Plan out just what it is you need and want to achieve and spend the extra time on preparation before you start.”
3. “Enjoy the journey. Renovating can be very stressful, but also hugely rewarding at the same time. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of everything that needs to be done, so it’s important to celebrate the wins, however small, along the way.”

Mark and Jonathan’s story shows that working on a historic home is about far more than surface-level change. It’s about making careful, considered choices that support the building long-term.

Ready to start your own transformation? Order your sample of Emperor Masonry Paint and take the first step towards keeping your home protected for years to come.