We have a new basement family/TV room to decorate. It has some natural light via french doors at one end leading onto a sunken garden but otherwise it is quite dark. The ceiling is not particularly high. We are putting wood effect tiles on the heated floor.
My inclination is to put simple shaker style panelling (just thin wood slats in a largeish square pattern) up to head height and paint it a mid to dark colour with a lighter colour above the panelling and on the ceiling. The french windows are in a grey/green colour similar to F&B Cromarty and cannot be changed so could use that as the ceiling colour? The main sofa is a deep blue velvet. There will be dimmable ceiling spots and four wall lights.
I want it to look like a snug - atmospheric and inviting in the daytime (but would need to use electric lighting anyhow) and night-time. I don't want to go light in whites and creams as I am worried it would look cold and like a white box and with dogs and kids it wouldn't be practical really. I don't want to have to stress too much over them using it!
I was thinking about getting paint mixed to something like F&B Inchyra blue - not sure if Hague Blue would be too dark? Or should I stick with green or go grey? What about Pigeon? I also have a sofa bed with faded covers I am going to dye some colour to co-ordinate.
If anyone has any suggestions or advice I would be infinitely grateful - I am useless with design and colour and petrified of getting it wrong!