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Original poster

HELP!! What have we done??? Pic attached

233 replies

QuietThyme · 03/09/2020 23:59

DH and I live in military housing and had the bright idea that painting our hallway would be a great idea!

There was some good logic behind it. We moved in when it was newly built in 2017 and the walls just had a matt white base coat on them. With two young kids, the walls have become, let’s just say, less white!

We bought some matt but wipeable sage green paint but it looks awful now it’s done. This pic doesn’t show the severity but it’s much darker than we hoped/expected. We have some things to put on the walls which might help but I’m really upset about it. I think it doesn’t help that every other wall in the house is plain white 😩

DH would definitely throttle me if I say I want to change the colour so that’s not an option.

Any ideas on how I can improve this?

HELP!! What have we done??? Pic attached

OP posts:

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ElsieMc · 04/09/2020 08:40

I have got similar in my dining room. It has stripped wood floors and neutral full length curtains and old ercol furniture. But I am not too sure about it in your hallway. Black and white prints would look good against the walls.

You could repaint in one of the newer (dare I say it) brown tones. They are all called silly names like honey spice and cookie dough. But are a warm neutral. Dulux do a lot like this in other less strong shades. People recommend Farrow and Ball, but it is top price and you mention your children so I wouldnt if I were you.

I would stick away from grey as well as it can be a bit cold and unforgiving. I don't think you will ever like.

SoupDragon · 04/09/2020 08:49

You definitely need to live with it for a while - it was bound to look dark after white.

pipnchops · 04/09/2020 08:52

I like it! Trying to decide what color to paint our hallway instead of white which gets so dirty and this is a strong contender.

Interested in this thread?

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Home improvement

pussycatinboots · 04/09/2020 08:53

deployment decorating

I do this when DH goes to work

OP get a curtain behind the door, a runner on the carpet and some more white framed pictures to cover the colour fill the wall. It's really not that bad. Our hall, stairs and landing were lime green when we moved in - you needed 😎

CrunchyCarrot · 04/09/2020 08:53

I like it actually! I think it's the carpet that's the problem as the colour of it sort of drains the green of the walls. I agree with the poster above who suggests a green runner to go over the carpet.

MadeleineMaxwell · 04/09/2020 08:54

Mirrors, lots of metallic accessories, plants, lamps - sorted. Looks great!

zingally · 04/09/2020 08:55

I quite like it! If I moved into a house with that colour on the wall, I wouldn't be in a rush to paint over it.

How does it look in the daylight? All paint looks darker at night.

I'd just put up some pictures in white frames, and live with it for a couple of months. It'll grow on you.

Redcups64 · 04/09/2020 08:56

I like it! White framed pictures/mirror and a shelf with a hanging plant plus a plant in the corner and your done!

Graciebobcat · 04/09/2020 08:57

My hall is that colour, what on earth is wrong with it?

LemmysAceCard · 04/09/2020 08:57

When i lived in military housing many many many years ago we were not allowed to paint the walls, it has to be painted by the military and you were not allowed to paint it the colour you wanted.

misses point of thread

Grellbunt · 04/09/2020 08:58

So many different opinions here!

Iwouldlikesomecake · 04/09/2020 09:02

Military house-occupier here also!

I love it! I think you can have a mix of white and black and rose gold accessories and stuff and it will look fab.

We have our long living room wall in dulux Sapphire Salute... now that’s one you don’t want to change your mind on

notalwaysalondoner · 04/09/2020 09:02

It’s first rule of home painting - it ALWAYS looks darker than you think it will when you just do a patch or look at the colour book. Especially if you were used to white. I don’t think it’s awful though and agree with others, lots of pictures in white frames and a white runner and lots of plants will help.

AugieMarch · 04/09/2020 09:03

I quite like it! You need some light-toned pictures on the wall and a new hall light to pull it together. Have a look at pmqfortwo on Instagram - she lived in military quarters (although not UK) and her insta is all about decorating. I think they might be out of military quarters now but you can scroll back to see the sort of stuff she did to make the military quarters like home. Loads of bonkers busy bright but amazing things!

JKRsHandmaiden · 04/09/2020 09:07

I think it's really nice! Would much prefer that over white or magnolia.

Livelovebehappy · 04/09/2020 09:08

Doesn’t match with the carpet. I’m big on co-ordinating everything! Change the carpet, or get a runner?

CharityDingle · 04/09/2020 09:09

I like it, and it's very well done. It always takes a little bit of time to get used to something different on the walls, I think.

stophuggingme · 04/09/2020 09:09

This runner is 10feet long pulls the carpet and wall colours together

www.irugs.co.uk/green-10-ft-runner-sahara-area-rug-33138736

I would use a door curtain perhaps a bitter chocolate colour or a soft latte sort of shade.
I would use copper accents or rose gold too I think instead of white as copper is a warmer tone.

I also think dark will do frames and accessories or a fake wooden lampshade would go.

Definitely less overhead lighting and more ambient, placed lighting

Shuffles off now

Sportysporty · 04/09/2020 09:11

Dear god a white runner 😂 she has kids and hopfully lly a life. A mirror and some fairy lights would make a huge differance and give a diffuse glow rather than just the harsh ceiling light x a green runner would pull it together

Flamingolingo · 04/09/2020 09:11

It’s the lighting I think. You need a softer light - is a lamp an option? I think most rooms look better by lamp light. Modern houses often do have quite dark narrow hallways, so anything other than something off white looks quite a dramatic change. Green is also a colour that’s quite hard to do right. I quite like that though, and I think you can rescue it.

stophuggingme · 04/09/2020 09:11

Dark wooden not fake wooden

stophuggingme · 04/09/2020 09:13

@Sportysporty

Is that in reference to me? I have three kids, a dog and three cats. I have a pale grey and white patterned runner in my hall. It survives

Minibea · 04/09/2020 09:14

I really don’t think it’s that bad. I’d put the white framed pics up, add a mirror and would try with a lamp- is there a plug so you could put one on top of the piano? I think that’s the only bit of your pic that looks a bit darker and I don’t think m ceiling lights ever give off a flattering light. Maybe try a more modern lampshade too on the ceiling light! Don’t despair!!

Slippersandgin · 04/09/2020 09:16

We had a similar house (Taylor Wimpy) and it was so dark in the hallway. We needed mirrors and internal doors with glass to let the daylight flow.

I like the colour btw. Maybe a hallway runner? And once your pics are back on the wall it’ll help lift the colour anyway

TaffyandTeenyTaffy · 04/09/2020 09:20

I remember when we did our hallway, stirs and landing sunshine yellow.... which should have been renamed hi-viz yellow or lunar eclipse yellow🤣. It mellowed (or we got used to it!) after a little while .... but we eventually added white emulsion to the colour and got a lovely subtler shade. Hopefully these tips will help.

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