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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To paint all four walls of my small living room a very dark green?

94 replies

SoupForLunch · 09/12/2021 17:14

It's Christmas very soon and we're throwing our living room together, otherwise I would give a bit more time to thinking this through. We live in a pretty small 1930s semi. We have a large, lovely light, south-facing kitchen diner and a tiny north-facing living room (I have started called it the snug, like a twat). Would it be unreasonable to just ignore all the people wringing their hands and saying 'Oh, a dark colour will shrink your room' and paint it F&B Calke green? I want to embrace the smallness, and the darkness and make it cosy. I'm thinking all four walls as I find feature walls a bit twee / coy / dated. We have a lovely velvet sofa in dark denim blue, a little open fire and very nice 1930s lighting (main and wall). What do you think? Anyone else done similar? Anyone got any photos?What have you hung on the walls, frame and art-wise? Also, for extra info, my partner is a painter decorator so the finish will be great and we can paint over quickly. I'm talking myself into this. Thank you Mumsnet.

To paint all four walls of my small living room a very dark green?
To paint all four walls of my small living room a very dark green?
OP posts:
JustWonderingIfYou · 09/12/2021 17:39

Do it! We have enchanted ivy which is a bit brighter yet darker than yours. I love it.

So much nicer than grey or off white Grin

JaninaDuszejko · 09/12/2021 17:41

Our bathroom (including the ceiling) is Bancha which is even darker. It does have two windows and the suite is white, I've also got rattan mirrors and light linen blinds. A lot cheaper than a new suite and I love it.

I say go for it and do the ceiling and woodwork either the same colour, a blue or a lighter green or possibly a light pink. Don't have a white ceiling and don't take the ceiling colour down to picture rail height, unless you want to pretend it's the 80s.

Shockedbutnotsurprised · 09/12/2021 17:42

Sounds lovely. And it's not actually going to make the room smaller, whatever anyone says. It'll just be cosier Smile

KirstenBlest · 09/12/2021 17:46

Make sure it goes with the flooring.

I changed the bathroom flooring but will need to either change it again or redo the bathroom as it makes the rest of the room look grubby

Fortunately the bathroom is tiny, so not a big deal

CheesyFootballsAreEvil · 09/12/2021 17:47

Whatever makes your heart sing

Marylou2 · 09/12/2021 17:49

Do you follow Abigail Aherne on Instagram she's the queen of dark decorating. Loads of inspiration and videos. She'd definitely recommend painting the ceiling and all the woodwork dark too. It'll look amazing.

Topseyt · 09/12/2021 17:51

Horses for courses I suppose. Plenty seem to like it but I personally just hate green. I prefer paler colours rather than very bold ones.

That could be just me though.

PooWillyNameChange · 09/12/2021 17:52

We did a small north facing dining room in our old Victorian house in F&B stiffkey blue, including ceiling. It was lovely. It was never going to be a light and airy room so we embraced the moodiness and had a lit cocktail cabinet etc. It was lovely. We now have a dining room with a 14 seater table and I'm still thinking of dark because colour is lovely!

yourestandingonmyneck · 09/12/2021 17:57

Go for it. I love rooms like that.

As it's 1930s put a picture rail up and you can paint white / a lighter colour above it if you don't want it all dark.

Senorasurf · 09/12/2021 17:59

I did it and it's the best decision I made (also in a 1930s semi!)

Softwonder · 09/12/2021 18:01

We have a Snug! Its tiny, only room for one sofa with the TV opposite it. We also have a huge sitting room and a sofa area in a big kitchen, but we all fight over the snug. Its so cosy. Its Little Greene's Hicks Blue, which is almost the same colour as F&B Stifkey Blue. Heres a photo of it, looking very scruffy and one of the pictures has fallen down inside the frame, but you get the idea....

To paint all four walls of my small living room a very dark green?
midlifecrash · 09/12/2021 18:05

Love it. Go for the pale grey dark yellow jade and orange/gilt highlights rather than cream brown etc sort of Suzie Cooper colours (I think?) ebony too

namechangetheworld · 09/12/2021 18:05

Honestly, we painted one wall of our small, north facing living room in Normandy Grey (although it's actually sage green) from The Little Green Company. It made a small, dark room feel even smaller and darker and was, quite frankly, stifling. We painted over it after a few months in a dove grey, which is much better.

JuicySatsuma85 · 09/12/2021 18:07

Do it! It’ll look amazing. & it is nowhere near as hard to paint over as some drama queens are making out. It’s a very fitting style for your period of house. We live in an old Edwardian police station & we’ve embraced the moody/coziness of it.

There’s nothing more dull than white and grey 🙄

namechangetheworld · 09/12/2021 18:07
  • Oops, Little Greene sorry, not The Little Green Company!
MilduraS · 09/12/2021 18:09

Do it, It will look lovely. We moved into a house owned by a painter decorator and loved it. He'd chosen colours we wouldn't be brave enough to use but it all worked and the finish was perfect.

JaninaDuszejko · 09/12/2021 18:16

Honestly, we painted one wall

I think this is your problem, painting just one wall just makes no sense (unless it's the ceiling, MIL has dark ceilings and light walls and it looks fab). Painting all the walls dark makes the corners disappear, in the same way painting everything white does.

JaninaDuszejko · 09/12/2021 18:19

There’s nothing more dull than white and grey

My default is white (with bright accessories) but I still love a dark room. I wouldn't want my sitting room to be dark (one is white and one is light pink) but can appreciate them in someone elses house and I love my dark bathrooms.

MiniCooperLover · 09/12/2021 18:21

I painted our downstairs loo the same colour L recently and you can't get much smaller than that !! It's transformed it !! 👍👍

GlamourSpider · 09/12/2021 18:21

Do it (I'd paint the ceiling too)!

Madcats · 09/12/2021 18:22

Funnily enough I had an email from F&B yesterday that I actually opened and linked to this article: www.farrow-ball.com/the-chromologist/inspiration/more-tips-colour-consultants-3?utm_source=F%26B_Warm_Up_Group&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter+-+UK+-+Colour+Consultancy+Tips+Part+3+-+December+2021

We lived for quite a few years with an original Victorian dark green painted hallway and landings before getting round to painting it.

Whatever you do, get a sample pot on some paper and try it under daylight and your lighting. We have a couple of kitchen/utility room walls painted Churlish Green and it is a really vibrant under our kitchen lights.

HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule · 09/12/2021 18:22

It’ll be wonderful. Do it.

Small rooms become very cosy with dark, warm colours.

WhoopsWhatsMyNameAgain · 09/12/2021 18:24

Dark walls are great BUT the skirting, flooring and ceiling need to all be on point for it to look trendy. And paint needs to be matt. Otherwise it looks naff.

Do you use it much in the daytime? If so, you'll likely need a light on a lot of the time. If not, I say go for it!

NdujaWannaDance · 09/12/2021 18:28

Do it. It's only paint, it's cheap and easy to change if you get sick of it after a few months.

Pallisers · 09/12/2021 18:31

We did this in our small living room. Painted it a deep almost navy blue - white trim and bookshelves and lots of pictures on the walls. I love it. it is so cosy.