Farrow and Ball. Help me decide for new house?

[happy2bhomely]

Is there anyone out there who would help me decide which colours to use in our downstairs? My DH just says cream is cream and pick whatever you like, but I am stuck. We have a west facing living room at the front, with a dingy hall, and a big east facing kitchen diner across the back leading to a patio/garden.

I like cooking apple green with slipper satin for the kitchen/diner and maybe Archive or matchstick for the living room. I just don't know if it will 'work' though. It is quite open plan and I'm not keen on too much colour as it makes me feel claustrophobic! I want it to look light and airy and a little bit country.

Please help!

[Iggly]

Have you got samples up? I've learned with F&B that the colours vary so much in your home.

Also have a look at their website as it gives ideas depending on the orientation in your room.

[MarshaBrady]

I went to the F&B shop and it was really helpful.

The main guy laid out bits of painted board. He was great at the colour matches. Do you have one close by?

[wasabipeanut]

It all depends on your house! I actually have both the colours oh mention - Archive in hall, landing and playroom and cooking apple green on wood panelling in bathroom. What look are you after? Archive works in our Victorian house as we have lots of red and pink stuff so the red tones in Archive pick that up. Cooking apple green works well in a slightly shabby chic, country sort of room. Some dark wood stops it looking too Cath Kidston. But if you are after ultra modern both those course would look crap.

Also a lot depends on light. Archive would look a bit sickly in a very well lit room IMO.

[happy2bhomely]

Thanks.

Yes we have samples up. They do look very different in different lights!

We definitely don't want ultra modern. We are after pretty and homely and I suppose a nod to shabby chic/country. I'm not after anything fashionable. I just want it easy on the eye.

I'm going to see if I'm near a store and go and have a look.

[Stokey]

I quite like Dorset Cream, think am going to use that linden the hall to warm it up a bit. Agree speak to them, they are very helpful. Suggested London Clay for my panelling and it looks lovely.

[BornToShopForcedToWork]

My bedroom is being painted at the moment in Clunch. A beautiful colour that goes everywhere. Happy to take pictures once it is ready.

[BerylStreep]

When I go on Mastermind, my specialist subject is going to be The Colours Of Farrow and Ball (with a back-up subject of The Movies of Barbie).

Our east facing kitchen has lime white on the walls, teamed with downpipe on the chimney breast. Deep red trimmings (i.e. lampshade, border on the blinds etc) lift it. It looks well in our old Edwardian house.

I also did the ceiling in lime white, so it is a sort of 'total' look. The whole thing works well.

[BerylStreep]

Forgot to say, there is an ever so slightly grey tinge to the lime white, that stops it looking too buttery (this is good). Pointing is good for cornice / woodwork, as it is not too stark against the lime white. A word of warning - you need to use proper F&B, not get these colours mixed.

In terms of your hall, ours is also quite dark, and instead of trying to lighten it, we went for drama. We have Hardwick white on the walls, Shaded White on the ceiling, and slipper satin on the cornice. It looks very classy, and a lot of people comment on it.

Matchstick would be good on the west facing living room walls, with Savage Ground on the ceiling, and use Pointing again on the cornice / woodwork. This would work very well with either cream or dark wood blinds, and / or cream coloured curtains, and wooden / leather furniture.

[happy2bhomely]

Oh more replies! Thank you. I'm still no closer to deciding but I have lots of samples and I'm going to start a list of definite 'no way' colours and then see what I'm left with! I'm struggling with finding something that I like in all lights. I think I love something, then I look at a different time of day and think eww yuck!