Please help me make an interior design decision!

[Invisiblewoman1]

The plumber needs to order my radiators today. Please help! I will try to upload photos but if that fails - I have a Victorian house I am renovating. I plan to have neutral decor, I am putting in wooden floors, stripped wooden floors, wood burner, original cast iron fireplaces, sash windows back in. All door and window furniture is antique black.
I’ve chosen traditional looking column rads. Shall I go for anthracite grey or stick with white?

I love how the grey looks in traditional homes with neutral decor. It adds a Morden flare and is striking. But I worry it will end up looking old fashioned and maybe white is safer but also white against neutral decor is very calming.

Yes - anthracite grey
No - white

@MiaowMiaow99

White, Grey is going to datestamp our interiors quicker than you can say 'rag rolling'.

But going for a traditional look is fine for a period house. Who can afford to keep up with trends constantly?

You can have a mixture! We have almost black rads in our hallway and landings as that area is decorated more period style and I didn’t mind the rads making a statement there. But chose white for the bedrooms as I wanted to keep those rooms light and airy and softer colours.

[quote Greenmarmalade]I’m more concerned with the wood burner plan- really bad for air quality in your home.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/01/avoid-using-wood-burning-stoves-if-possible-warn-health-experts[/quote]
Every thread that mentions a new stove has this link. New stoves are very efficient at minimising pollution. Well seasoned logs also minimise pollution. The problem is fire pits and chimineas where people burn fence panels and wood they cut down a few days before. Our house needs a fire. We didn’t have a gas supply to that room and electric wouldn’t have warmed the massive room, what were our options? We went for the highest efficiency stove that fit the new regs, buy well seasoned wood and check it’s moisture content before burning.

I really like the look of the anthracite ones - they look like a more deliberate design choice than the default white ones. I’m not sure that very dark, almost black, charcoal grey will date in the same way mid-light grey walls, sofas etc will. Besides if you like it what does it matter.

I'd go with white walls and black radiators in your house.

I've just ordered a new white one. Ummed and aahed as I really loved the look of the anthracite ones, but I thought that was probably a sign it's a trend that will date soon, rather than me *actually loving them.

grey will look better with the scheme you already have.

Grey interiors are going out but white radiators are not in anyway in!

Grey already looks dated. And those saying it won't date in a victorian house are nuts. Victorian houses are pretty common and people still like them to look good rather than following the 2010 trendy look.

I would a ideally do them the colour of the walls or cast iron black to look traditional.

I would a ideally do them the colour of the walls or cast iron black to look traditional.

Came to say the same thing.

Grey is already looking dated, imo. I'd go for classic white.

Grey walls and sofas and kitchens are dated already yes. Almost black radiators are pretty much as classic as white ones especially in older houses.

Thanks all!! I decided I really wanted anthracite grey as it’s so dark it looks just like my door furniture and fireplaces. However, due focthff ec sash windows I can only have 500 high rads and the make my plumber is getting only does 500 high rads in white! So that’s that.

For those concerned - my wood burner is electric. I don’t need it for heating but wanted to finish my chimney off nicely. It’s a second hand one!

Victorian house here. We got our reconditioned cast iron radiators out of a salvage yard 20 years ago. They are painted a mixture of black, antique gold or grey. I have redecorated several times but those 3 colours go with all the different colour schemes I have chosen over the years.

White rads give off more heat than other colours iirc.