Write for Ochre Line

We publish a small number of guest articles from people who know their way around a tin of paint. Decorators, conservators, colour consultants, plasterers, surveyors and careful amateurs are all welcome. We want practical detail and a real point of view.

Topics we would like

• Painting particular surfaces: tiles, old radiators, kitchen units, stair spindles, floorboards, exterior render.
• Older houses: limewash and distemper, breathable finishes, working with old woodwork.
• Colour in tricky rooms: basements, long hallways, rooms with little daylight, open-plan spaces.
• Paint and lighting: how bulbs and daylight change a scheme.
• Tools and technique: brushes, rollers, cutting in, getting a clean line, keeping paint from drying out mid-job.
• Reducing waste: estimating quantities, storing and reusing leftovers.
• Small rooms and rented homes: what you can do within the terms of a tenancy.

What we decline

• Thin overviews, listicles, rewritten product pages and articles that exist only for a link.
• Copy promoting a single paint brand, shop or trade service, and "best paint" round-ups.
• Anything on gambling, adult content, pharmaceuticals or crypto, or links to those sites.
• Medical or legal claims without an authoritative source. Safety topics such as lead, asbestos and damp need particular care.
• Invented figures, surveys, case studies or quotes, and machine-written copy nobody has checked.

Length and format

Between 900 and 1,500 words, in plain British English, with a clear answer early on. Link to 1–3 authoritative outside sources for any rule or figure. If you have your own photographs, send them; otherwise tell us what would help, and we can find an image or draw a room. We may edit for clarity, accuracy and house style, and we may pick a chip to go with your piece.

Original work and disclosure

Articles must be your own and not published elsewhere, including on your own site. Please tell us about any commercial interest: if you work for, are paid by or sell the thing you mention, we need to know, and we will say so clearly to readers. Links must be relevant, useful to the reader and open to our editing. We do not guarantee publication of any pitch.

How to pitch

Email [email protected] with "Article pitch" in the subject line. Send a suggested title, a few lines on the question it answers, who you are and why you can write it, a sample of earlier work if you have one, and any link you would hope to include. Please read a few of our articles first, and do not send a finished draft unless we ask.