What colour for my hallway? Pictures included

[NigellaWannabe1]

Hi, I have a very early Edwardian house and I'd like to redecorate the hallway in a colour that does it justice. It's a very characterful space, with a lot of stained glass and a massive picture window at the top of the stairs. It's really gorgeous. Currently we are decorating the woodwork in Winbourne White but it's tricky to decide on a colour for the walls.

The pictures are taken in morning light and they are not great, sorry. The front door wall is south facing, so we get lot s of light through, and the side wall where the large picture window is faces west. It's a very light area generally. The door is painted a blue-based red.

I'd like quite a dark colour in the sections currently painted green. I'm toying with a dark, greying green, a deep teal (like Inchyra blue) or a darker greying brown (London Clay, although I worry it might be too dark, or Mouse's back). Would they look ok, particularly around the red door and picture windows?

The living room off the hallway is Elephant Grey, so I like the colour in the hallway to complement that.

Thanks!!!!

As soon as I saw it, I thought about a colour like London Clay. It's a beautiful space and I think the warmer tone would be a better fit with that gorgeous red in the windows.

Thanks!! You know, looking at the photos I realise there's already too much colour - in the windows, the door, the stair runner. A deep real (gorgeous though the colour is, definitively my favourite) might be too much.

Is London Clay too dark, though? Is it a very yellow, milk-chocolatey brown or is it like a very dark greige? And will there be too much contrast with the woodwork (just painted in Winbourne White so don't want to repaint it now).

Thanks!

Hi, if anybody else has any other suggestions I'd love to hear them!

Would you be prepared to change the stair runner?

Personally I’d go for Dulux jasmine White which goes pink to white depending on time of day.

If I was going for colour, I’d be tempted by golden yellow or deep pink.

But only if the stair runner is changed.

Hi, realistically we'd rather not paint the stair runner for now. I quite like the idea of going for a dark colour - it's quite a light area and I think it can take those kind of shades. Im not sure the yellow / pink you suggest would work in a south / west facing area. That's why I was thinking a dark neutral might work well instead.

What about salon drab; it’s less red than London clay and I think would let the architectural features shine?

We're in a Victorian house, we also have elephant's breath in our living room and Wimborne white paintwork in all rooms through the house.

We haven't done our hall yet but are probably going for Hardwicke white (a greyish neutral).

I looked at London Clay but found it too dark though our hallway is already dark so different from yours.

I read recently a designer saying the hall colour should be a neutral palate cleanser with stronger shades in the rooms themselves.

Ps - in my wilder moments I've considered all sorts of deep or even bright colours for my hall - dark blue (Hague blue), bright red, yellow, even black!

I would go for a pale grey colour so that the windows are the focus

Argh.... now I'm wondering if a light colour would be better! Don't know what to do...

I have London Clay (from the previous owners, in the conservatory) - it's actually quite a dark brown. Nice, warm colour. To be perfectly honest, it's a proper poo brown.

Erm - poo wasn't the affect I was after! Ok, I think I'm coming round to the idea of choosing a lighter neutral for the area. Back to square one....

Have you spent time looking on Pinterest? I found that really helpful for hallway inspiration.

It's so confusing isn't it?! I feel bad now that I mentioned that interiors designer talking about light colours in the hall. Because I also remember conflicting advice from Farrow and Ball - if your hallway colour is darker then the rooms coming off it will appear lighter.

I'm personally not keen on London Clay as to me it reminds me of the dark brown used in the 70s.

But with the period details you have in that beautiful hallway I think that all of the colours you mention would look gorgeous.

Have I spent time looking on Pinterest? You bet I have!!

Ok. What about Charleston Gary as the main colour, Pavillion Gray above and then Winbourne White on the woodwork? Still too dark? Will those colours combine well?

No idea on colours but that hallway is so beautiful

Thanks, Paddington! It is gorgeous and we're very lucky to live in a house with so much character. But we just do it justice and the wrong colours can ruin it.

Another idea, much more muted his time, would be French Gray and Skimming Stone above?

Both those ideas sound nice (Charleston and Pavillion or French Grey and Skimming Stone). I'm not always great at knowing how well colours / shades go together so find it hard to tell without the paint samples.

If you live anywhere near a Farrow & Ball it's worth going in there as you can use their large paint samples to put together a scheme (you might have already done that maybe).

Here is my hall, op.
Looks very dark but it’s lovely at night.
The door is north facing and in a dip so it doesn’t get much light.
I love it.

What colours are those SimonBridges? It looks gorgeous.

Thank you.

All the same colour. It’s called Between Wolf and Dog and it’s from the Paper and Paint Library, who I think are part of Little Greene.
I got my local Dulux trade place to mix it in wood paint and emulsion.
www.paintandpaperlibrary.com/paint/btwn-dog-wolf?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI74CsttGw3AIVTbftCh25SwZrEAAYASAAEgLNnfD_BwE

We have similar stained glass windows and red door and chose a light colour (Dulux light and space, it looks white but can't remember exact name). I think it's fantastic as it really brings out the colour in the stained glass and door. Even with a darker choice, I agree it's better to go for something 'neutral' because why take attention away from such beautiful windows/door.

The other thing I would say is lighting makes a huge difference! We got stained glass pendant lights with bright bulbs and it worked a treat. With a darker colour you'd probably want pools of light or little lights (like candles!) which would make it very atmospheric.

Do come back and show us what you did!

I would be tempted to go white. I know it is the exact opposite to what you are thinking, but I always drool over the stained glass hallways with maximum light on Pinterest.

If you are keeping the carpet than I would say a dark olive green would look cool. Or you could opt for a sage green type colour if you are not fond of darker colours. I wouldn't advise doing anything that is not green though because of the carpet although you could probably get away with blossom white or a dirty pink if you really wanted to but dark olive would look best.

Hi and thank you again for your suggestions. I hear what you say about going for white or off white to bring out the stained glass, but I have three young kids and i just know the walls would look mucky in no time. Part of the gorgeous white walls effect is the ability to keep the area very clean and uncluttered, which is simply not realistic in my case. Darker, moody neutrals are more forgiving and tie in better with the chaotic mood we favour here ;-)

I think we'll gsee for Charlestone Gray to replace the existing tree and then Elephant's breath above. Will post pics!

Oh my god - my husband has just painted most of the walls downstairs, and I hate it. I want to cry. The colour looks purple! It clashes with the red door and it just looks ugly.

My husband tells me to wait until it dries properly and then we'll decide again tomorrow. But I know he'll hate it if I say I want it redone.

Argh. It's so difficult. I can't believe I've researched and agonised over the colours it's for so long, and still get it this wrong.