Need some decorating advice

Don't envy you - I'm in the middle of painting one reasonable sized room with a few complicated alcoves, etc. at the moment where I can't get everything out plus making best of a bad job as the paper has had it really but stripping it back would require significant remedial work for the walls :( (1930 house).

Empty rooms and hiring someone else to do it would be my recommendation :O

EDIT: Working from one big pot of Johnstones trade paint white emulsion - which is pretty good goes on with one coat and touch dry in 2 hours or something, plus Dulux for the main walls which doesn't go on so well and needs 2 coats and Crown Steel Drum (gloss) for the skirting, etc. which is so so - better than the Dulux but pretty easy to mess up.
 
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Rroff said:
Don't envy you - I'm in the middle of painting one reasonable sized room with a few complicated alcoves, etc. at the moment where I can't get everything out plus making best of a bad job as the paper has had it really but stripping it back would require significant remedial work for the walls :( (1930 house).

Empty rooms and hiring someone else to do it would be my recommendation :O
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Sounds similar to my house, a 1930s house that hasn't been updated since the 80s. Luckily the extension was fairly modern and just needed a lick of paint, but three of the bedrooms were a state. I ended up ripping the wallpaper off and getting it all replastered. I've tried to save money as I've spent enough already and am doing the painting myself. I've got the bedrooms done, just need to get the hallway, stairs and landing done. It's taken me weeks of painting at the evenings and weekends! If I wasn't trying to save money I'd definitely have got someone in!

I've blitzed everything white and am going to accent each room to taste with furniture/accessories. I've used Leyland contract paint and Sikkens Rubbol BL Satura for the woodwork.
 
Yeah around the 80s was the last time it was properly done and been patched up since - talking to people who'd done one of the other rooms stripping back the wallpaper will result in requiring some serious work to fix it up and I'm not in a position to sort that at the moment. Got a nice mess of embossed paper upto the rail height and woodchip above so I can't easily just cover it all and going to have to put borders up as behind where the picture rails used to be is a state and can't easily be covered by rails.
 
For those complaining about the Dulux paint, my thoughts are the opposite. They had the colours I wanted and in the end I got a bulk deal. I considered johnstones as well after reading reports of Dulux quality, but I have to say the Dulux Bathroom+ paint was outstanding. Its a little thick, so I thinned it for the cutting in, edging parts, but with the roller, it went on great. I covered all the white walls in one coat. I was expecting to add a 2nd coat the next day, but it just was not required.
Looking at the finish, Its fine. The missus was happy so that was that.:)
It also had a very strong pigment which has left a lasting impression, not necessarily on the walls :D

The Endurance+ paint has been equally good. I am no expert by any means, and I don`t have anything to compare, but It looks ok to us.
 
Rroff said:
woodchip
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I still shudder when I hear that word. We're rid of it now but remember the effort to get it off the walls and ceilings, not helped by whatever glue from hell had been used.

Currently redecorating bathroom, en-suite and utility. Lounge, kitchen and a couple of bedrooms are next on the list...
 
White everywhere.

Then get some ART on the walls.

You can get cracking deals on hand painted oil paintings from China on the bay.
 
Rroff said:
Yeah around the 80s was the last time it was properly done and been patched up since - talking to people who'd done one of the other rooms stripping back the wallpaper will result in requiring some serious work to fix it up and I'm not in a position to sort that at the moment. Got a nice mess of embossed paper upto the rail height and woodchip above so I can't easily just cover it all and going to have to put borders up as behind where the picture rails used to be is a state and can't easily be covered by rails.
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That does sound very similar to mine! I started pulling things down and just made more mess. There was textured wallpaper everywhere, paper on top of paper, woodchip on the ceilings, horrible fitted wardrobes etc. I tore it all down and lived with the mess for 9 months until we got a plasterer in!

SPG said:
White everywhere.

Then get some ART on the walls.

You can get cracking deals on hand painted oil paintings from China on the bay.
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I'll have to check eBay out. We've been looking on Etsy for art but everything I like on there is stupidly expensive!
 
billybob89 said:
Personally wouldn't recommend Farrow and Ball paints.
Over priced, really poor to work with, and needs several coats to be applied compared to other brands. If you see a F+B colour you like just get it mixed up in another brand.
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EH? F&B is the best paint I've used and has double the coverage of Dulux trade (IMO).

Macca's suggestion of Skimming Stone is a good one, lovely colour and goes with anything.

For ceiling I would not use Johnstones ceiling paint and stick with Dulux or go for other suggestions. Johnstones ceiling paint is utter pap, compared to their covaplus range which you could always colourmatch with F&B or other colours. Only Dulux paint I use is ceiling paint and bathroom paint.

I find decorating a very personal thing. Some pictures on here I've seen, people have rooms quite dark which is what they're after, I personally have very light colours as our furniture is darker and our rooms, although not tiny, aren't huge so all helps.

As for 'feature walls' with bold colours or wallpaper - really not a fan, never have been - I'd just go for some nice artwork etc. Also very much not a fan of those adhesive phrases/wording you can get from ebay etc, looks tacky IMO.

If your walls aren't good enough to paint straight on then I'd just go for plain paper (what we did in our lounge).
 
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I always go for light, creamy colours for the walls and brilliant white for the ceilings/woodwork. Always in matt for emulsion and eggshell for woodwork.v Goes really well with oak flooring and furniture. Pretty much a timeless look that will never go out of fashion.


Also as mentioned go for Johnstones paint. I used it after seeing it recommended on here a lot and its great stuff. Much better than Dulux/Crown and the colours are a much better match to what it shows on the tin I found. Dulux were WAY off and a waste of money as I ended up with pink walls instead of 'cookie crumble' or whatever it was supposed to be lol.
 
boxman2000 said:
EH? F&B is the best paint I've used and has double the coverage of Dulux trade (IMO
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That's only really demonstrates how rubbish dulux trade is :) trade paint is for new plasterboard walls and meets all kinds of sustainability targets. As a paint for existing walls it's junk. Johnstone covaplus is mustard.
 
Street said:
I'll have to check eBay out. We've been looking on Etsy for art but everything I like on there is stupidly expensive!
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Also check out kickstarter,

Backed a couple and while you tend to get the print they are limited additions (not that they are worth anything in the grand scheme of things) but you get something a little more special that you like but a little more expensive.


Ohh add another £50 or so to get them framed in the UK.
 
Can someone advise on wood work, Im on stuck between white gloss or mid oak, in leaning towards oak.

Ceilings im going for white, walls im going for natural.
 
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Maccapacca said:
Feature walls are so 2010 and b&q. The smaller the rooms the less bold or strong you should be.

Walls use modern emulsion

Old white http://www.farrow-ball.com/old-white/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100004


Skimming stone http://www.farrow-ball.com/skimming-stone/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100241

Wimborne white for the woodwork in eggshell http://www.farrow-ball.com/wimborne-white/colours/farrow-ball/fcp-product/100239

If you like them take the colours to a brewers and they'll knock up johnstones paint in the same colour. F&B is a fortune and not as good
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That just looks like 3 shades of magnolia to me :p

boxman2000 said:
For ceiling I would not use Johnstones ceiling paint and stick with Dulux or go for other suggestions. Johnstones ceiling paint is utter pap, compared to their covaplus range which you could always colourmatch with F&B or other colours. Only Dulux paint I use is ceiling paint and bathroom paint.
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To the uneducated, please explain why not to use "wall" emulsion on the ceiling? I just used normal matt white and it looks fine to my untrained eye!

2013 said:
Can someone advise on wood work, Im on stuck between white gloss or mid oak, in leaning towards oak
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Not gloss, satin is much nicer! (although natural wood is even nicer)
 
Haggisman said:
To the uneducated, please explain why not to use "wall" emulsion on the ceiling? I just used normal matt white and it looks fine to my untrained eye!
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No reason why not, I've just found slightly better coverage with ceiling paint. If it's a room with high humidity.

Regarding Dulux trade - I have found the quality much better than their standard paint, which doesn't really say much for the standard stuff.

I'm not basing my opinion on scientific research or anything but after owning two houses, renovating them both and my current house (lived in it for 13 years) now decorated twice.

I stick to: Dulux white emulsion for ceiling, Johnstone's covaplus for walls and F&B estate eggshell for the skirtings, door frames and any wood that needs painting.
 
Funny really, just redecorated all upstairs with deluxe trade and it's been very good.

The bad was when I used Johnstone white.
 
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