November 2025 News
November 2025
November is monumental here at Francesca’s Paints as the company celebrates three birthdays.
Francesca’s Paints is turning 29!
The Company was established and founded on the 14th of November 1996 by Francesca, meaning that it celebrates 29 years this month!
Francesca’s passion for paint and colours started in Sydney, Australia, where she discovered the trade working for Porters Paints, the only manufacturer at the time which created traditional and natural paint finishes. Peter Lewis, the founder and owner at the time, had hired her because of her thick Italian accent which added authenticity for a company that imported all of their raw materials from Italy – she had never mixed paint before.
Francesca would spend 7 years with Porters Paints, opening several shops around Sydney before making the decision to return to Europe.
The original goal wasn’t to start a new paint company. Upon arriving in England, Francesca was initially hired by Farrow & Ball just as they opened a shop on Fulham Road. While Paint Magic and Jocasta Innes were setting trends, limewash and eco paint finishes were novel concepts. Francesca quickly found her role as a sales shop assistant kept her completely removed from the mixing process, prompting her immediate departure.
“I didn’t even last a full day. I left because it wasn’t me. I didn’t want to just sell paint and colours—I wanted to make them. While walking home, I realised the only solution was to launch my own business, and just like that, Francesca’s Paints was born.”
29 years later and there is a whole team of us working here, mixing colours and hand painting colour cards. The company has evolved so much in the two years that I have worked here, I cannot imagine how much it must have grown since that first year. While we continue to grow, tackling increasingly larger and more ambitious projects, some principles remain constant. Francesca has always placed a high value on the skill of colour mixing, knowing there are no shortcuts. We rely not on a machine, but purely on our expert eye for colour to achieve the perfect shade.
Francesca Celebrates her Birthday in India.
On the 9th of November Francesca celebrates her birthday surrounded by the sounds and colours of India.
She wrote the studio an update shortly before I published this newsletter:
“Being in India is a dream for me, I am creating memories for life. We are studying a lot of Vedanta Philosophy. This trip is an incredibly deep and life changing experience.”
On that day, Francesca climbed 3 km up the mountain, covering a steep incline with around 700 steps to reach the Kartikeya Temple (Kartik Swami), one of the most holy places in the Rudraprayag region.
She had photos to share with me of a Palace in Vrindavan which was 500 years old, all painted in Limewash and of the Koteshwar Temple in Rudraprayag.
The colours of India have an enormous effect on Francesca, who created five of our most successful collections after returning from various visits to this beloved country. JJK, Mughal Spring, Indian Summer, Monsoon Rains and Himalayas have all come about in response to the colours of India.
Another Birthday, and a warm welcome to a new staff member!
It is also my own birthday in November, making it a trio of birthdays this month.
I have been overseeing the company while Francesca is away, aided by our lovely Stevie and our newest addition to the team – Alice. Alice has just graduated as an artist, having previously worked as a specialist decorator. She knows a lot about paint and has adjusted really well to sitting in the big boss chair while Francesca is away.
Colour of the Month
Every Monday I restock our pigment machine of all of its pigments. Some we use more than others, both our Burnt and Raw Umber for example. This month, we have guzzled through two pigments far more so than others – Yellow Ochre and Iron Oxide; the warmest, earthiest yellow and a rusty, glowing red. The colours of Autumn. Of these Autumn tones, by far the most popular yellow has been the Tobacco with its bright clean and earthy warmth.
Francesca Returns from India in December, until then I would like to thank everyone for their warm support and wish them a wonderful November,
Best Wishes,
Wren
