Help me, plllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease

[MuffinBaker]

Hallway, landing and little loo currently painted in Honey Cream. Done Jan 1st 2008.

Has finger marks, pen, pencil, ink, muck, etc etc all over it. What colour can I use to redecorate that won't make the area too dark?

I am sick of cleaning it and touching it up.

I don't expect to live in a show home with 3 kids of 8 and under but I am sick of it looking like a sh*t hole.

[SlightlyMadSimnelCake]

muck coloured beige?

TBH I think all colours show the much to some degree. Just keep baby wipes handy for touch-ps regularly until they are all 18+

[psychomum5]

our hallway is painted a buttery yellow, and I go thru packs of wipes washing the walls down.....especially on the stairs where they seem to think that supporting themselves on the wall rather than the banister is the way to go..............gets VERY grubby

I also think that we notice more than other people do anyway. I am certainly very critical of my house and any mess, yet I am 95% certain that no one elses sees what I see.

plus, with children in the house............tis never gonna stay 100% clean anyway!

[MuffinBaker]

My house will never look great but I do need to repaint so would love some colour ideas please.

[MuffinBaker]

Anyone got any colour ideas?

[Fizzylemonade]

black??

I think you have to accept the cleaning up and touching up part. Even darker colours show up marks depending on what the children put on the walls. Sticky handprints seem to show up on every colour

Start with what you can't/won't change so carpet for example

What colour are the rooms off the hall?

I did interior design as an evening class, you would be amazed that people forget that rooms off halls and landings have to be toned into the colour of the hall.

By tone I mean that blue goes with yellow but navy blue does not go with pale lemon

What colour is your carpet?

Sadly my house is cream and I have 2 mucky pup boys

[MuffinBaker]

I accept mess. What I want to do is redecorate in a family friendly colour and then keep on top of it. Most of the mess on the walls has been there goodness knows how long and it pretty much uncleanoffable.

The rooms off the hall are from the cream colour palette I would guess and the floors are cream, tan coloured or dark cream.

[Fizzylemonade]

Cream is all good as it means you won't have any clashing.

Creams tend towards two colours so there are yellow creams and brown creams, honey cream suggests brown as honey is golden. (I could be waaaaaaay off here)

I would head towards browns, you could have a feature wall which is all the better if it is your stair wall. Like psychomum5 says children ignore bannisters and use the wall.

Use mirrors to bounce light around if it seems a little dark.

Always use tester pots and paint them on every wall, the light works in different ways with paint so you need to see it on every wall.

You can use white A4 paper, paint 4 sheets and when they are dry blu tack one to each wall.

Or if you are feeling bold, you can use a bright colour such as a raspberry or a deep turquoise, all you need to remember is that you will see it from the cream rooms.

Good luck. I have lots of B&Q value mini roller heads and just dip those into the can of paint when it needs touching up, no paint tray, and sadly I bin it when I am done as the amount of water needed to clean it is astronomical.

[MuffinBaker]

I am liking the raspberry colour idea...

[MuffinBaker]

Paint bought.

Tester pot tried.

DS2 shocked.

[Fizzylemonade]

I love very bright colours use in moderation

I find that re-decorating baffles children, it is funny to see their faces.

Raspberry is great but unless you have a rambling old pile then keep it to one wall otherwise dark colours bring the walls in visually.

[MuffinBaker]

Love the colour but it doesn't go with the carpet so no go.