From bright Edwardian build to dark 1980 build

[NewToDarkSpaces]

Hi all, we've got a project on our hands. We've moved to an entirely new part of the country for a different life. We had a sunny, airy 1st/2nd floor Edwardian maisonette in south London and we've bought a fairly compact 4 bed 1980s house that looks like someone with no aesthetic sensibilities designed it. Also has a smallish north facing back garden. It's going to be a radical change for us but we're hoping with some vision and good advice we can make it 'us' over the next few years and it will become a fun creative challenge. Does anyone have any good tips for a house with crap 1980s cornicing, relatively low ceilings, smallish windows, less light?! We have very little money to do things immediately so it will be a 5-10 year project.
Particularly:
What colour to paint the north facing rooms? Have loads of art/ pictures to hang.
What things have you actioned yourself to make rooms feel less boxy, ceilings a bit higher?
Have you removed that standard issue cornicing and what was involved?
Best way to design a shallow, dark smallish garden that's young kid friendly? It backs on to tall trees. (18 x 24 foot)

Lighting is key. Super bright led light fittings flush on dimmers.

Don't make the walls perfect if the house needs electrical work such as wall lights and more sockets.

thank you Mosaic123. Dimmers is a great thought. Apparently the person before last who lived at the house was an electrician and all the rooms bar the dining room (annoyingly) are spotlights. Actually wall lights is what we need isn't it! Darn!

Dulux do a space and light range which is said to bounce light around in a room although it is a matt finish. We have used it in a north facing study and I think it did help.

Thank you applesandpears33, that's great to know about.

I hear you - went from a lovely high ceiling period flat (rented) to my first owned home in October, 1980s bungalow. Currently renovating at the moment.

Removing the cornicing will most likely leave a marked wall behind it so I would remove as you re-decorate each room, rather than trying to rip it off now. I guess it’s the very thick stuff (I have it in one of my rooms still, it’s going).

Agree with ceiling spots on dimmers, but also look for dimmable table lamps and freestanding lamps too.

Don’t be afraid of going darker if you’d like just because it’s north facing. What colours and styles did you like before in your previous house. I’ve gone a bit wild (living alone and working from home...) deep blue walls for the dining, brighter white in the lounge area for my art, deep mulberry hall with a lemon wall (yeah kinda mental but is fun). I guess don’t think because it’s standard newish build you can’t play with colours, styles and textures. I’ve learned from a couple of horrific painting choices it’s two hours to paint a bad colour choice white again and you’re at a blank canvas. The hard work is making the walls good before the fun of painting starts.

Full length curtains have really helped my rooms look taller - the difference between the bedrooms where I went for the on the radiator length versus the full length is night and day. Wish I’d gone full length in both bedrooms now. In the dining room where the window is above the radiator I’ve gone for a fabulous Roman blind.

Sorry I can’t help with the garden x

I think you need a really good white, and use it throughout: walls, ceilings, architraves, skirting, doors – makes the place feel bigger to not have transitions to different colours/stops it feeling “chopped up”. Ditto flooring – unify flooring with no thresholds (except perhaps bathroom) so space feels more generous.

Airy furniture with legs – so no divan beds, no squat sofas. Being able to see underneath furniture makes a space feel bigger.

Embrace the modern rather than trying to recreate period styles. Have a look at The Modern House for ideas!

As pp said, floor-length curtains – and hang the pole as close to the ceiling as you can, and wider than the window, so when curtains are open, nothing obscures the light; when closed, you get the illusion of a bigger window.

North-facing garden: ferns! Hostas! Damp! Try Beth Chatto for damp garden planting plans. Lawn might be a bit boggy but vital for kids, maybe embrace the mud and go for mud kitchen, interesting exploring, little hidey-hole type garden rather than a lawn?

@ostrom thanks a mill for sharing your experience and learnings. Ooh I would ADORE to see some pics of your spaces... we love colour. Has been a plan for ages and now we'd love to go for it. I will pm you (but of course I totally understand if you don't feel comfy sharing). Anyway I've always had that hunch about long curtains. We hung them in our loft bedroom just before we sold and it was exactly as you say - like night and day in the way it changed the feel of the room. Will be a discussion with my oh as he doesn't like the idea because he worries they get in the way of putting things in front of them. Great advice re lights. Thanks for sharing re the cornicing. Room by room makes sense. We are also gagging to paint the kitchen units. Need to look up how to do this. Thanks again and good luck with your renovation. Sounds like you're doing awesome things

@burritofan thanks so much for the brill advice here. Its a big debate whether to go for bold colour to energise or to find the right white (not yellow but not cold). Will probably have to test both. Love Modern House! Must look at it again! The low, light furniture is a little problematic as we have a v chunky bed and a huge deco walnut side board... I'm actually dreading seeing them in situ! But we're not rich so we'll have to get over that one! Oh brilliant to hear your advice on plants. The previous owners put down fake grass which makes me want to weep and I'd love to rip up immediately and cover in wood chip or whatever to let nature return to life but my oh is not happy at this idea! I look forward to finding Beth thank you!