How awful is this colour?

[RachyB86]

We have just spent a small fortune having the majority of our home decorated for the first time ever, it’s still ongoing. It has been a huge upheaval and I am fed up of living around the decorator, it is actually making me quite depressed as we are now 4 weeks in…however - I hate this colour paint!! I adore the emerald and gold wallpaper, but the colour is just so drab. Should I book a repaint?! If so - what colour?! (In case it’s not clear, I am not good with this stuff, I thought this would look nice but clearly I got it wrong 😩) everyone is telling me to live with it because I am finding the whole decorating process so stressful they think I’m crazy to voluntarily go through it again, partner included even though he doesn’t like the colour either.

YABU - it’s not that bad, just live with it

YANBU - yes it’s awful, change it (please give a suggested colour too!)

Wallpaper: Boutique Marquise Emerald Geometric
Paint: Dulux Natural Wicker

Going against the grain here, but I actually so like it. I'd accessorise and buy large framed prints, and hang them up. You won't notice after a while. It will need doing again in 5 years time anyway.

i agree, just hang pictures on the walls.
dont waste time and money

Probably in a minority but I like the paint colour! Not keen on the wallpaper, however.

What's important though is what YOU think OP. I would live with it awhile before knee-jerking and changing things again.

Dulux Egyptian cotton goes with everything as it takes on the huesaround it

I like the paint colour I think it looks nice. I’m not particularly keen on the wallpaper though. I wouldn’t do anything just yet I would put pictures up on the walls and live with it for a while. Save your money. If it really bothers you after the new year get it redone.

If you redo it I think I would go with a white paint rather than trying to match it.

Paper's nice but the paint is rank. The colour is something my nan would have had or what I've seen in student accommodation. Cream or Buttermilk. Clashes with the green which looks quite blue hued in the photos. White would look better comparatively but that's white cold and stark. I would go for something darker or similar to the paper itself with enough contrast to show a bit of a difference. Keep one wall lighter for further contrast as well as your wood/door white.

I think it’s neutral and inoffensive and the colour goes with the gold in the wallpaper. I’d be living with it & expect to stop thinking about it after a few weeks.

I actually like at all! But I do agree with a pp who suggested Dulux Egyptian cotton - it does go with everything, if you did want to go ahead and change the paint

We had that colour in our hall. I never liked it and it annoyed me every day. It's not landlord magnolia it's more a primrose yellow. We've just had the hall painted a lovely mushroom colour (brown bunny) and I love it! Definitely go for an earthy colour - oyster white or champagne white would go really well. Oyster white has a green undertone that would really complement the wallpaper.

An alternative to beige / white would be a dusky sage.

Whatever you pick, get a sample pot and buy a big bit of plywood. Paint the ply and put it in different places to see how it changes throughout the day.

I'd suggest trying a couple of colours. Don't forget you can do half and quarter strength too. That makes a big difference.

Change it. You might get away with a light green but think the wallpaper is a hard one to compliment.

I would get it repainted. You’re obviously not happy and it’s not the right colour. It needs something warmer- something that looks like it was intentionally chosen to go with the paper, not a standard yellowy cream.

Have a look at Lick or Coat on Instagram or Facebook
and look at the neutral/beige/taupe categories. They sell card swatches that are a good size to get an idea. Or something like Dulux Egyptian Cotton if you look at that shade on Dulux and see what is similar.

The wallpaper is lovely, but the paint does look like magnolia, and I've always thought that it contrasts badly with white.

I'd get some paint colour matched to the emerald green in the wallpaper and paint over the Walls yourself.

Try valspar colour mixing at B and Q.

BS 22 B 15 - the best neutral colour around. Goes with absolutely anything and always looks sophisticated. It's a very light grey. Have it all over my house with accent walls of all different colours.

I LOVE the wallpaper, but the paint is too dated and magnolia-like. I've got magnolia in my lounge from when we had just moved in, were skint, had to repaint fast and it was the cheapest big tub we could find. Hate it with a passion now although DH thinks it's "fine" 🙄 Banish all magnolia I say!
Hope you find a good alternative.

Amazing wallpaper OP. Looks so good.
Would a vibrant emerald green look too ott?

I don't have a problem with the paint colour but there's a really odd sheen on the wall which I don't like. Did you use matt paint?
Shiny walls are tacky.

There are lots of elements here that need to be considered as a piece whether you keep the wall colour or not. I say this because unless you consider all the elements together it's basically pot luck as to whether you land on a colour that actually works. A colour that works is a) one you like but b) one that works in harmony with what else is in the space - and that can hugely affect (a)!

For example you have a yellow-toned wall paint but brilliant white ceiling, woodwork and floor tiles, plus brilliant white bulbs from what I can see, plus cool grey carpet tiles. Brilliant white and cool grey are blue-based, so when you have that alongside a warm-based colour like your walls, it simultaneously makes the white look chilly and harsh, and the warmer colour look drab - hence the "landlord magnolia" effect.

I can't say exactly what colour you should go for but I would urge you to think holistically about the space so that whether you decide to keep the other elements and change the walls, or vice versa, you find something that works as a piece.

Most colour wheels/books from major paint brands are organised by colour family, so if for example you decided you didn't want to change the ceiling/woodwork etc, you could find a neutral from a cool-based family to replace your current one. Given your wallpaper is emerald green, the cooler-toned neutral route might be the best option, as yellow and green aren't usually happy bedfellows.

Dulux emerald green and Dulux natural Hessian try testers first

We have natural Hessian in our hall and landing and kitchen, it's a warm bright cream definitely no yellow undertones

I agree OP it's too yellowy I have just had to correct our kitchen as I didn't like it. Hope you can get sorted

TBH, I'm going to be the voice of dissent and say "it's fine".

Frankly, anything is better than that awful grey tinge that everyone is into these days!

You yourself said in OP, you are not good with this stuff. Now people are giving suggestions based on what they know and you are insulting them.

Your wall paper will stick out with any light colour paint. If you live in a stately home style house with big windows, high ceiling and dado rails then yes paint the walls in dark colours or even gold.

Wall paper irrespective of colour and design should be planned.

Safe bet here is to go with a white paint with undertone of grey or mushroom skirting and door in same the same colour.

If you can afford to get walls redecorated again, can you not hire one of those interior people who also have a team of decorators. They can tell you what best will go with these wall paper.

Wallpaper on hallway staircase is tricky. But this link has good idea of putting paper with dado rail and highlighting paint

https://justdecorate.wordpress.com/2013/12/21/top-12-decorating-trends-for-2013-that-will-continue/contemporary-houndstooth-wallpaper-entryway-2/

Sage would complement the wallpaper beautifully, allowing the subtle gold to stand out. A beige/mushroom colour will take away from the beauty of the wallpaper in my opinion.

That said, I really like Brown Bunny’s paint. That’s beautiful

Also don’t go for white. It’ll look like a hotel