Annie Sloan School of Decoration

If you thought paint effects were passé, Annie Sloan is the woman to convince you otherwise. In over 20 years of working as a decorator and teacher, she has created and inspired stylish interiors across the world. This website gives her Oxford shop, Practical Style, a presence on the internet, providing a catalogue of her many products and classes. The site is luxuriously illustrated with Annie Sloan's interiors and products, which doesn't seem to slow down its speed.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Courses are taught in a room above the shop with no more than eight students in each class. A light lunch is provided and they can provide recommendations of places to stay if you're coming from out of town. Chose from How to Paint Furniture, Decorative Gilding, and Modern Paint Effects; in most cases ten different techniques are taught each day and students get to take samples of their work home with them. Unfortunately, you have to email for more detailed course information, dates, and prices; it would be good to have them available online.

Paint & Pigments is a highly tempting section. Enticing shots of Annie Sloan's fabulous selection of paints, pigments, and materials bring would inspire even the least creative among us to pull on some overalls. Her eight colour ranges cover a broad colour and style spectrum, from Traditional to Vibrant, Pearlized to Sparkle. Order online via a secure site.

OTHER FEATURES

Interiors Gallery shows photographs from some of her books with links to order the paints and other products used in the pictures. If you can't see the porcelain paint through the aluminium leaf trees, use the Search facility which opens up quickly on a separate window so you don't have to interrupt your browsing.