Help with Farrow and Ball Colours for hallway and stairs.

[deedeelondon]

Help desperately needed with colour scheme for my hallway. Been dithering for ages and have a decorator coming in two weeks time, so need to make a decision pronto!
My hallway, two stairscases and landing are narrow and fairly dark, particularly the hall. Upstairs there are east facing windows on both landings, so lots of light in the morning, but pretty dingy from mid-day onwards.
I have a longing to get away from neutrals, but think that darker colours would be too much in such a narrow space. Also the rooms which come off the landings upstairs are various shades of cream and grey, so I guess I should stick to colours which work with those colour schemes.
I'm at the point where I just want someone to make the decision for me!
I'd prefer to use Farrow and Ball, but willing to consider any other brands!
I would like to steer away from cream/yellow/brown tones - looking for something soft but clean looking which will brighten things up.

First: can you hang some largish mirrors at a right-angle to the windows? They would reflect light back into your hall/staircase and make it much brighter (mirrors opposite the window just reflect light straight back outside again, so aren't effective).

I have just repainted my children's bedrooms in F&B Elephant's Breath, which I think is a lovely modern grey (with slightly mauve undertones). It is a good background for furniture but also paintings, artwork etc.

The colours I've been looking at losing sleep over are Wimborne White, Pale Powder, Pavilion Blue and Borrowed Light. Has anyone used these colours in the hall? How did they turn out?

Bonsoir, great minds think alike! - that's exactly what I plan to do! I have considered Elephant's Breath, but was worried it would come out with a brown tone. Did you find this was the case?

Those colours are very pale for a hall and stairwell, especially if you use mat paint. Think of the finger marks...

Elephant's Breath hasn't come out remotely brown but I used it in bedrooms with quite distinct furniture mixed in with wood (DD has pale pink painted wardrobe and desk, DSSs have loft-style metal furniture).

That's good to know about Elephant's Breath. I was going to use modern emulsion, which I have in the bathroom and it wipes down really well. But you are right - they are very pale colours. I need to be braver...

Do you have cornices or anything to paint in a contrasting colour? The Elephant's Breath is amazing with our cornices...

What colour are your cornices? I don't have them, but of course can do skirtings and door frames to contrast.

I also need to decide on a colour for our bedroom (painter is coming back a week on Monday). Any ideas? High ceilings, cornices, parquet floor. No more Elephant's Breath! I have an anthracite linen bedhead and valance and linens from Caravane, so colour needs to be a bit "off" IYSWIM...

..and lots of spindles and banisters!

My bedroom is Morning Light from the Dulux Light and Space range, with dark grey skirting. It looks really good - the room is west facing, and quite small, so I wanted somthing which really reflected the light. The grey and cream go very well together, and I have teamed it up with Toile de Jouy curtains in charcoal and cream. My bedroom furniture is dark and works very well against the wall colour

What colour is your bedlinen?

We have east facing hall done in cornforth white (actually grey) with facing wall in downpipe (dark teal). Ours is quite a big space but c white works in the dark corners. Have borrowed light in a different room, it's really cold and shows off the wonky plastering a treat. And e breath in another w facing room where it does have a brown tone.

Pink is making a big come back at the moment - would you consider it for your bedroom? Looks great with cream and grey. I don't mean girly pink, but more interesting shades like Fand B Calamine or Cinder Rose

Bonsoir little greene Milk Thistle is beautiful with grey and parquet

Yes calamine is on my list for our new bedroom too!

littleomar - thanks for that. I have considered Cornforth White with Downpipe bannister. Good to know it works in dark space

I think sometimes it is good to go with the dark We are all obsessed with light but sometimes it just isn't possible You can lighten up bits with art and mirrors if you find it too 'strong' initially

noddyholder - yes it looks lovely doesn't it. One more bedroom to decorate here and it's definitely on my list too... Checking out Milk Thistle

I have used it and it is lovely esp in a bedroom.

Just had a look at Milk Thistle - it's lovely. Yes I agree with you about us being obsessed with light - I think we should just go along with dark sometimes. Just need to be more daring..!

The more I look and Cornforth White the more I like it...

My last house was very light at the back big open plan and all white and the front small living room was north facing and much darker and painted it F and B brinjal and it was lovely in the evening really cosy compared to the back

Cornforth white is very nice I like Dimty too

Thanks all for your input Will go to work with mirrors to create more light, and go a bit darker on the walls than I was thnking originally. If anyone else has any feedback on F and B they have used in dark hallway, would love to hear from you...