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Original poster

Is having one different coloured wall is old fashioned?

91 replies

Theendog · 15/12/2025 12:33

My living room is white .. when I moved in I just got every room painted white with the intention of changing it as I decided over time what to go for.

I was thinking of changing the fireplace wall to a much darker colour and leaving the rest of the room white? But is that really dated now?

OP posts:
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Truetoself · 15/12/2025 13:42

So what is in fashion for walls at the moment?

senua · 15/12/2025 13:40

I think that the problem is that people got hold of an idea but misunderstood it. The idea of feature walls is that

  1. the wall has a feature (alcove, chimney breast, etc)
  2. you paint / wallpaper it differently, to accentuate the difference.

You don't try to create a feature by choosing one of the four identical walls and treating it differently.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 15/12/2025 13:40

I’ve just looked at The Ritz in London and The Royal Garden in Hong Kong. As these are both top hotels

The Ritz looks like something out of Downton and The Royal Garden has feature walls. Designed by some top swanky US interior designerHmm

GreenGiant167 · 15/12/2025 13:35

There’s lots of things that I hate that other people love. Do what you like, that’s what I say 🤷‍♀️

Ophy83 · 15/12/2025 13:33

I find the Little Greene website is really helpful for suggestions colour combinations... e.g. this is Arras, which is a red-brown colour. Combos suggested include warm whites, plaster pinks, deeper browns, light blue etc:

https://www.littlegreene.com/arras

BadgernTheGarden · 15/12/2025 13:32

Noshadelamp · 15/12/2025 12:34

Apparently so, I did it twenty odd years ago so unless it's come back I'd say it's old fashioned.
However, if that's what you like, it's your home, you get to decorate it however you want.

Does it matter? If you like it, it's fine, fashion is fickle if it's out now it may be in again next year. Following fashion in interior design will get really expensive, just do what you like, call it retro if you want.

PInkyStarfish · 15/12/2025 13:31

Feature walls are utterly ghastly. Don’t do it.

Nannyfannybanny · 15/12/2025 13:28

Who cares, our bedroom was all white,walls, furniture, floor white/very pale grey. Fancied a change, got William Morris seaweed, bed linen, cushions,wall behind the bed the blue from the pattern,back in the summer.. the bed has a very traditional brass/china head board. Living room has an alcove with a sofa dark grey, other walls light grey. I wanted white throughout, this was the compromise.. our walls are uneven, can't afford replastering,so has to be a paper first, then painted over..

OrangeCrushes · 15/12/2025 13:25

Photos attached now - though I have just realised that you want to go with a darker colour than these examples.

Is having one different coloured wall is old fashioned?
Is having one different coloured wall is old fashioned?
OrangeCrushes · 15/12/2025 13:23

Yes, it's dated.

Colourwashing is quite popular now, and it would probably be considered a brave and wise choice by interior design people to just paint everything floor to ceiling with the rusty red colour.

Here's a fully colourwashed example and one that's a bit less intense

spottybaghottyhag · 15/12/2025 13:19

WhereIsMyLight · 15/12/2025 12:53

Unless you’re prepared to repaint and redecorate every 2-5 years (which will cost a fortune), your house will be dated. But it’s your house, you do what you like to it (within reason e.g. don’t paint it neon green if you’re in a conservation area).

The best thing I saw about worrying about trends, it being dated or using most liked colours is if you do this, you’re renting your house from the next owner. You don’t know what the next owner will like, when you’ll sell and what the trends will be then so you should just enjoy your house in a way that works for you.

Repainting a living room wall every 2-5 years will not cost a fortune!

TallulahBetty · 15/12/2025 13:18

No, but who cares anyway? Decorate for YOU

Dancingsquirrels · 15/12/2025 13:17

Theendog · 15/12/2025 13:02

But what’s in?

I was thinking an earthy red/brown but the whole room might look quite swamped. It’s north facing and dark at the best of times.

Show quote history

Look at swish hotels online. That'll show you what's currently considered to be fashionable

EuclidianGeometryFan · 15/12/2025 13:10

Theendog · 15/12/2025 13:02

But what’s in?

I was thinking an earthy red/brown but the whole room might look quite swamped. It’s north facing and dark at the best of times.

Show quote history

Could you do the doors and skirting in the earthy red/brown, and do all four walls in a much much paler version of the same tone?

Ukefluke · 15/12/2025 13:07

I honestly don't understand following trends in decorating. That's somebody else telling you what is nice. Personally I find a lot of the trends to be hideous. Never could get my head round grey either when that was a thing.

If you like a trend , then do it because you like it. Don't just do it because its "in"

Original poster
Theendog · 15/12/2025 13:07

Icouldabeenalawyer · 15/12/2025 13:04

wondering the same myself op as we will be redecorating after Xmas. What is in? Is panelling still in? What colours? Help!

Exactly … I was happy with white and brights colours for the art and I have good lighting but it’s just missing something…

OP posts:
youarebeingsoextrarightnow · 15/12/2025 13:06

We have 1 main wall wallpapered. Is this old fashioned, I don't know what the fashion is

In the bedrooms we have 1 wall painted a different colour, normally the wall the bed goes on

GreyCloudsLooming · 15/12/2025 13:06

Yes, it’s old-fashioned.

Icouldabeenalawyer · 15/12/2025 13:04

wondering the same myself op as we will be redecorating after Xmas. What is in? Is panelling still in? What colours? Help!

Original poster
Theendog · 15/12/2025 13:03

I like these … but again in small already dark room it might make it look worse. But I’m thinking my white is too clinical.

Is having one different coloured wall is old fashioned?
Is having one different coloured wall is old fashioned?
OP posts:
Original poster
Theendog · 15/12/2025 13:02

MarbleDrive · 15/12/2025 12:53

In the world of interior design and trends, yes, it’s extremely dated.

This is the question the OP asked. I really can’t see the point of lots of posts saying ‘does it matter, do what you like’ etc.

But what’s in?

I was thinking an earthy red/brown but the whole room might look quite swamped. It’s north facing and dark at the best of times.

OP posts:
Dramatic · 15/12/2025 12:58

We have a sort of corner alcove in our living room which goes under the stairs, I painted that a dark blue along with the fireplace wall so approx 50% of the room is a dark blue and the rest is light grey. Looks lovely to me, if the whole room was dark blue it would be really gloomy. It's about 5 years old though so yeah maybe it's getting dated but I don't care, I still love it

Moonlightfrog · 15/12/2025 12:57

Does it matter if it’s old fashioned? If you like it then do it.
my living room is all one colour with a feature wall (wall paper) which is probably not fashionable but I love it.

SmaugTheMagnificent · 15/12/2025 12:55

I've got a room like this. I did it because it's not a very light room but it really needed colour. So three walls are a light shade and one is a deep colour. It works well.

Ineffable23 · 15/12/2025 12:54

I mean if you're planning to be in the house for another few years it might be back in by then 😂 I've been in my house for ten years and have two rooms I haven't repainted still, so they still have feature walls currently. I don't actually mind them - the colour downstairs would be overwhelmingly dark if it wasn't broken up with lighter colours.

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