To redo my house from scratch because of the 'grey' fad?

[StormcloakNord]

DH and I just moved into a new(ish) house. Built in 2014 and the decor is very new and clean etc. Problem is everything, and I mean everything is grey. Grey walls, grey carpet, grey bathrooms and grey kitchen.

It's depressing. We have plans to move out of this house in about 5 years time but we're about to spend a couple thousand redoing everything. Carpets/walls/furniture.

Are we BU? Is the grey thing going to stick around for years and we've wasted money putting everything back to neutral?

Dark is the new trend anyway, whether that be charcoal, green or blue. it definitely makes whatever you put against it , look fabulous, even small rooms look rich and cosy.

I have never understood the concept of having your house a certain way because of 'trends' or 'tastefulness', 'stylish' is the most baffling idea to me. It's your home, where you live. Do what you want with it. DH and I have lived together since I was 18 and we've had all sorts in that time- shocking pink and baby blue walls, a dark, dark hallway that was dark purple and full of black, gothic accessories. Entirely magnolia and pine flat, black tiles with very light pink walled bathroom, grey, magnolia, navy. I'm a goth at heart though so we've always had a lot of black and that's never really in fashion as far as I'm aware. What do you like? I'd paint the lot white and go from there. Keep the expensive stuff like carpets and kitchen/ bathroom suites but rugs, pictures, light fittings, curtains/ blinds can transform a white/ magnolia room easily and can be bought on the cheap in neutral colours or brights, whichever you're into. My DH won't have any black walls so I've had to use my imagination a lot!

My Mother went magnolia late sixties, everything but the kitchen which was orange, I hated it as a child.

I would love it. But its making you sad change it!

Loving the slagging off of grey house interiors, we have a lot of grey in ours and I already that even my toilet has more style then your whole house. Yes I'm being childish and petty just like the rest of you (I'm being truthful too, you have horrible houses).

Or rip off the carpet and do the floors. It may be more expensive than repainting, but it also adds greater value for when you’re ready to resell. I like my Christian Grey 😉

Grey is a neutral, nothing wrong with it, but when everything is one tone and colour it is dull. Easy ways to update it is with cushions, throws and artwork. Shades that work well with grey are dusty/blush pink, blue, teal, mustard yellow and orange. You can also paint a feature wall another colour, say navy or dusty pink, to bring it up to date. Think of what colour you may like to add and get yourself over to Dunelm, Debenhams or Habitat to get accessories (other stores also available!). For a few quid you can make a real difference. Here’s my navy feature wall in my kitchen.

As a renter, I would much rather see grey than bloody awful magnolia, or horrid brown beige office carpets. And it is always worth decorating ASAP than living with it. Make it home sooner rather than later. The few times we have been allowed to decorate our rented homes, we have always loved the home so much more afterwards. Nothing worse than having it nag away at you constantly which is what I have now!!

I think grey can be very nice in a period home or with contrasting lots of white woodwork, or done in combination with natural colours and materials, but personally am not at all keen on the full urban/ modern grey look. I'd lighten it up by painting with soft white chalk paint, lots of green plants, natural woods, coloured accessories and the odd bit of wallpaper.

I like pale grey but anything battleshippy gives me the heeby jeebies.
A friend just has had her kitchen done at enormous cost. The central granite grey unit looks like the sort of thing you would have in an undertaker's. Pale grey and cream or ivory are nice to live with.

Grey all over is too much and will date/has already dated. One or two rooms as per .G20mummy picture looks much more classy and timeless. i

Hague blue by Farrow and Ball, or similar navy shade seems to be the new grey therefore don't go with navy walls - that will date too.

Totally agree- awfully depressing!! Paint the walls and buy cheap accessories!

Grey = school uniform.

I’d pick an choose what to decorate. If it’s grey carpets throughout maybe only change them in the room you most want to change. Painting walls is much cheaper that replacing carpets. I probably wouldn’t spend thousands on completely redecorating a place I was only going to be in for 5 years but still 5 years is 5 years so I would change what I absolutely couldn’t live with and leave what I can. For example a grey bathroom wouldn’t bother me in the slightest bit a grey sitting room would.

Rooms have different uses and should feel different. I like our kitchen to feel bright and cheery and the decor should reflect that, I like the sitting room to feel cosy so again colours to suit and the bathroom I like simple and clean and the kids room they get to choose, within reason. Your home should feel how you

I think that too many of us, myself included, think our choices are completely unaffected by fashion. Truth is most of our choices are influenced by what is available in the shops, and when I redecorated my house, I found that in my price range limited me to what was fashionable at the time.

Agree with seemenow

Oh I've seen houses like this, dreadful and usually done by the building company. It's like living in a black and white TV programme. I would change t cheaper things (paint) and that will make the more expensive things (carpet) easier to live with.

Paint. Leave carpet.

Grey can fuck off. Change it, OP.

If the carpets are a light grey then live with them. I don't think grey is anymore of a fad than boring beige and I had that for years. Paint the walls white or rock salt or timeless to add some light and contrast. It's very expensive to change your flooring and if you decide to do this, seriously consider putting down solid wood rather than carpet as I think it adds value to the property. Personally I love my light grey and white bathroom, And if you liked the house enough to buy it, chances are others will like it in 5 yrs.

I think grey works well as a base colour to add colours to, surely no worse than cream? But do agree that just grey everywhere can be a bit much. Confused as to why you bought a modern house though if you want a country cottage look

Did my living room all different shades of grey and only just realised it was too dull so I have painted one wall a dark navy with a few navy cushions and accessories and it now looks brill!! I do love grey but too much can make things look rather bland.

I love grey - for a nice soft woolly scarf or mittens perhaps - but for a wall, carpet or tiles it can be dull and depressing and unimaginative.

I'd want to change it. Even magnolia, cream or beige would be an improvement. As a PP has suggested, colour can be injected with a few jolly cushions, curtains, etc. I visited a friend in her new house and it was predominantly grey, white and black. I kept my thoughts to myself. Surely the fashion will change soon?

Can we have some pictures??