Mid Blue-Grey for Narrow Edwardian Hallway. LOSING MY MIND

[SlightyJaded]

I have had several A4 swatches up for a week. Of these my favourite was Little Greene Juniper Ash, which is a deep blue/grey. I bought it even thought it was by far the strongest/darkest, but now I think it's too dark for the hallway which is narrow and has shit light. I have put the paint aside for another room but could still be persuaded to just 'go with the dark'. Maybe...

I have also got swatches up of:

LG: Bone China Blue - maybe - but bit wishy washy
LG: Celestial Blue - quite nice but too close to the F&B Dix blue which it runs into in the bathroom on the first landing.
Farrow and Ball: Parma Grey - too blue/wedgewoody
Farrow and Ball: Oval Room - too green
Craig and Rose : Steel Pole. Too Grey, too dead, sucks the light out.
Dulux: Denim Drift - don't like - again seems to be look a bit dead

I am attaching two images of the kind of colour I'm after (they are allegedly 'down pipe' - which I don't believe for a minute and 'Oval Room' but oval room on my wall is green).

The third picture isn't my hallway, but it might as well be. Very similar in size and with the same moulding on the ceiling.

I am off to buy more tester pots tomorrow and would love some recommendations please!

Crown naughty step is nice but not sure if it’ll be too blue

Inchyra Blue?

Oh and LG James.

Blues are so very difficult to get right. They can be both chilly and deadening. Is it the grey element you're keener on or the blue? F&B Hardwick White can look brilliant in halls and staircases with white woodwork. It's grey but a warm grey. Goes with lots of other colours too.

I wouldn't have blue. Too dark. Or if you must have something dark, what about wallpaper with a bit of "tracery" in it?

I have an edwardian semi with same flooring, lots of blue everywhere, dark blue notes etc, but I think shaded greyed white rather than yellowy cream white, always looks good. Lots of pictures to give depth. Ive seen houses with anaglypta below dado rail for wearability, or darker colour below dado, lighter above. The only house ive seen with a dark blue hall was by someone who doted on dark colours everywhere and it was smart but overpowering/womblike.

That pic looks seriously pale for downpipe!

Imagine your bright Airy Hall. edwardians valued light airy interiors.

Paint & Paper Library Tablecloth

Thats definitely not Downpipe! Have a look at Benjamin Moore, Province Blue perhaps but they have lots of different blues / greys etc and the website lets you see it in a room. Lots of pinterest photos also seem to reference BM paint as its an American brand I think. Stockists thoughout the UK now though and similar to the likes of LG etc.

Denim Drift

Its Dulux

Sorry

I honestly don't know. I was trying to move away from Grey as we had grey when it was 'new' and then repainted it and now I want a change, but something not to wishy-washy.

Inchyra is lovely but too dark
Denim Drift - have a sample up as per my OP but I don't like it. Too dead.
LG - James might be a bit lilac but I will have a look.
P&P Tablecloth - will have a look
F&B Hardwick - too pale

If not blue/grey, then what? I love a Crown colour called Dancehall but it's too close to the Dix blue bathroom at the top of the stairs.
I also love F&B Calamine but DH doesn't want a pink hallway.

Help !

I know what you mean about some colours looking dead. Would you consider wallpaper?

Oh I'd missed the Crown Naughty Step recommendation. I might try it but it is quite blue...

@Nettleskeins - agree with your whole post. We have had a shaded grey forever though (F&B Dimpse) and it's lovely but I'm so over the nothingness of it.

I've been looking too. Benjamin Green caught my eye.

Beautiful hallway. I will whisper this because I know it's anathema to many people but I would personally investigate restoring a dado rail and putting anaglypta or lincrusta beneath it, painted in blue. I think when you have beautiful coving and tiles like in the picture you have posted, the walls need a bit of texture.

Yippee, it is hardwearing too. Adds interest without busyness.

I have to say, with a narrow darkish hallway I’d probably paint it some kind of clean off white, eg Little Greene Shirting. and then add interest with accessories. Like the third pic in your OP has done.

If you had a dado I’d say colour under the dado, white above, but you don’t and it’s not a small job to put one in.

Monochrome is a really good look for these period halls. Looks sharp and you can liven it up with bright accessories eg a coloured lampshade or paint the back of the door a stand out colour.

@YippieKayakOtherBuckets

Beautiful hallway. I will whisper this because I know it's anathema to many people but I would personally investigate restoring a dado rail and putting anaglypta or lincrusta beneath it, painted in blue. I think when you have beautiful coving and tiles like in the picture you have posted, the walls need a bit of texture.

That's not actually my hall but exactly the same but for the fact that I DO have a dado. I am really adverse to above and below though - no idea why but I think it feels even more claustrophobic and too busy to me.

I need someone to invent a new colour

Since much of the problem is similarity to Dix Blue, could you not just use that?

Since much of the problem is similarity to Dix Blue, could you not just use that?

What about Little Greene Grey Stone? Despite the name, it’s actually blue, We have tried lots of blue swatches for our bedroom and this is what we’re planning to go with.

@LivingInTheBackOfBeyond Already on my list to get a tester of that today. It looks promising!

Dix Blue is gorgeous but too bright for the hall.