AIBU to be lazy-ish redecorating my hallway?

[Whatsnewwithyou]

We are moving in about 2 years so don't want to spend a ton of money on the house - but we do want to make it nice and appealing to buyers.

Our plan was to get the hallway replastered and painted, however this is a big, messy, expensive job requiring scaffolding due to the height, all old paper removed, old plaster repaied, etc.

Last night I was watching George Clarke old house new home and he put up textured paper in a hallway, then painted the bottom half of the hallway navy blue including the skirting boards.

Should I do that with mine instead? The problem is I have areas of textured paper that don't match. Should I try to replace these first and then paint the top half and ceiling white, the bottom half and skirting boards navy?

Any other ideas please? Thank you, I am hopeless with decoration and decisions so really appreciate any advice!!!

I probably should have posted in home decoration. Sorry. Can this thread be moved?

I think in all likelihood a buyer would be wanting to remove the textured paper and have the walls replastered - how obvious is the mismatch of wall papers? Is it noticeable unless you really look? ...... I’d be tempted to just repaint to be honest, but I wouldn’t paint the woodwork navy blue, that’s really off putting and a massive ball ache to paint over for the new buyer

That's a fairly cluttered hall - stairs and two doorways - if you're painting with one eye on the eventual reselling, I'd be inclined to paint the ceilings and walls in a pale neutral colour, then either match the woodwork to the walls, or, if the neutral is more than one shade away from white, do the woodwork in white.

You probably do need to remove the textured paper and, sadly, it's probably there for a reason - you may not be able to get away with just filling holes.

I would paint everything (top and bottom) a pale grey and keep all woodwork white. It will trick the eye into not noticing the mismatch as much.

Agree wouldn’t paint any woodwork blue as I think that would put buyers off. I would paint it a very neutral, light colour if you can live with it until you sell. I’d want the hallway to be as light as possible

I would strip wallpaper. Replace with neutral textured wallpaper. We have lovely heavy cream paper that hides multitude of bad walls.

If the walls are a bit dodgy do not start removing wallpaper!

I would not paint woodwork dark, future painters will not be impressed. Keep it light and plain, and paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls so you can use a brush on a pole and not worry about edging and cutting in with those high ceilings.

Bigger pictures to add some colour would be good.

I think the photos look fine op. In the photos if you didn't know the parts you have mentioned, it would look fine. I would replace the light fitting with something a bit nicer. By the time someone has viewed photos with an agent or on rightmove, that is when they are deciding whether to view your home or not. I honestly don't think paint colour would make that much difference. Don't break a ball trying to get it perfect looking. I say all this as someone who moved house 8 months ago. Good luck with selling! Ps dont paint the skirting or door frames navy please!

Maybe get a longer, more neutral runner in the hall. Stripes maybe. Ditch the 2, just have one long one foe the middle.

Paint the ceiling white.

@foreverblessedbee What would you have in mind as a "nicer" light fitting?

Don't paint the woodwork navy! When doing it think about how you would feel if you saw it and wanted to change it, changing wallpaper is one thing but trying to cover very dark or navy paint is another!

A previous poster described it as busy. I agree.

Get rid of the green. Keep woodwork white. Use neutral colours and white for the ceiling. Minimise the ‘busyness’.

I don't know MereDinto, is just get rid of that one

• I'd

Any light fixture suggestions would be great please. Particularly ones that aren't too expensive! Maybe one from Dunelm Mill?

Thanks very much for all the suggestions so far. I'm leaning towards just painting everything white. Also will get a different runner. These ideas are all brilliant, thank you, thank you, thank you!

I really wouldn't do that. Dark colours are a pain to paint out it would put me right off if the skirting boards were navy and and the hall dark.

Just paint it all one neutral colour inc the ceiling. White, cream or very pale grey, leave the skirtings white. And it will be fine.

Honestly I think it depends what sort of market you are looking at for a buyer. If you want to sell at the top of your bracket you’ll need to do it properly - plastering, paint etc - especially in the Hall because it sets the tone for the house. If the hall looks tired / like it will be a ball ache to sort out then buyers will offer accordingly. At the very least I would neutralise the colours and change the light fitting. It’s a beautiful space, I’m sure you can make it look fab.

Maybe this one? www.dunelm.com/product/marie-therese-chrome-led-ceiling-fitting-1000111924

Same as some previous posters. I wouldn't change the paper, I would emulsion all the walls (also) pale grey or my favourite Eqyption Cotton and then paint all the woodwork, banisters and doors in white. I would also change the artwork and the light fitting and get a lovely long runner.

I agree with those saying one uniform colour throughout will be better- but I do love the shape of the upper flight of stairs, it gives a great deal of interest to the hallway.

I'm afraid the light you linked to is really not to my taste! (Though from what I can see of the rest of the house it looks right up my street!)
I would go for something far simpler, maybe geometric. You can get ceiling pendants with three or five different drop flexes and geometric shades, those are quite nice, or simple plain white glass shades in a classic shape (the kind BHS used to do at v reasonable prices, but they are no more I'm afraid)

Oooh I was looking for one like you suggested PhilODox and came across this one...It's nothing like you describe but I think I love it...do I? www.dunelm.com/product/knightsbridge-antique-brass-ceiling-fitting-1000084119

I'm now leaning towards Egyptian cotton over the duck egg with pure brilliantwhote on woodwork, ceiling and top half of walls. Sound ok?

I'm now leaning towards just painting over the wallpaper. The house is in the northwest and so isn't worth what it would be down south...therefore not as much profit in making it perfect iyswim. Most houses like it here are quite tired o have found so just painting this one will I think make it stand out.

On entering a house it's usually the hall that gives the first impression of the inside so imo not the place to cut corners on decorating standards ,it needs to be clean , light, spacious, clutter free , flowing , and beautifully finished in a pale neutral such as white
To maximise size ( and a Hall is never big enough however large it might be ) it's better to use one colour on walls & ceiling with wood work in white and also what you use as flooring is better to be consistent and not broken up
So Personally I would get the old paper stripped off especially as it's at least two different patterns - (it just leans the decor to being very dated and a quick paint job over the top of it would look exactly that ) and have the walls skimmed then repainted , most guys I know who skim / plaster would work from stilts or stilts & platforms so shouldn't need scaffold inside , the money spent would be recouped on resale if the entrance is wow

Oh no, prettgreywalls, now I'm torn again! I see your points however the thing is if I go for the best possible finish it seems like it would be a drop in the ocean as there are other things that also need doing that we don't plan to do. New windows for example plus the conservatory is in a bad way. It's hard to know where to stop.