What colour paint to refresh dated house

[potas]

Hi
We are moving in a few weeks and our new house needs a lot of cosmetic and a little bit of structural work. It's very dated, with crazy carpets etc.
We won't be doing structural work (knocking down a wall/new kitchen and bathroom) for a year or two so don't want to spend to much on decorative work but feel a plain paint job would tone down the carpets and eighties decor while we get to know the house and plan future changes.
Is white too 'white'! Should I go for a softer colour. I like the idea of just painting ceilings and walls all the way through to get a blank canvas.
Has anyone got experience of doing this and able to advise on what they feel works best?

look at Little Greene. They have a huge number of different shades of 'white'. I think painting everything the same is a good plan ...

Wilko Delicate Chalk is an exact match for one of most popular F&B whites, the name of which escapes me without digging out my charts. It's great as a paint everywhere colour.

www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-flat-matt-delicate-chalk-emulsion-paint-25l/p/0489252

We did that a few years ago and it definitely made things much easier to paint. We were very short on time between getting the keys and needing to move in so we roped in a couple of friends, bought gallons of white paint and did walls, ceilings and woodwork. Meant we didn't have to waste time taping everything and didn't have to have perfect 'lines'. Worked for us until we had more time and money. By the time you've got curtains and furniture in it looks fine.

[quote CorrBlimeyGG]Wilko Delicate Chalk is an exact match for one of most popular F&B whites, the name of which escapes me without digging out my charts. It's great as a paint everywhere colour.

www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-flat-matt-delicate-chalk-emulsion-paint-25l/p/0489252[/quote]
Good choice- looks almost like Dulux Gardenia, which would have been my suggestion. Dulux Trade tends to be much better quality than Wilko, not just better coverage and durability but goes on more smoothly. If it's just for 2 years though, I expect Wilko might be okay.

What period is your house and what kind of styling do you tend to go for? Here's a before and after pic of my livingroom I am currently renovating and it is a Victorian house.

I added details such as wall panelling and a ceiling rose. I went for Craig and Rose paints and I mixed my own colour for the ceiling by diluting a Craig and Rose paint. Can you post some pics. Soft colours do work but can look a bit bland if that's all there is. Really depends what else is going to go into the room.

Timeless is an off white

Thank you!
The house is fifty years old and nice but not anything special architecturally. We haven't moved yet so no photos to share but imagine flowery carpets, textured wallpaper and frosted glass internal doors!
Was just doubting my plans for while I think it will help tone everything else down while we get planning/building organised.
The flat matt not quite white white sounds like the winner.

So 1970s house. Can't go wrong with off white everywhere then.

I did that - moved in and painted everything white then did up each room slowly. It really helps to get a sense of the rooms before choosing colours. Don’t bother with expensive paint if it’s only for a few years - I literally used Dulux pure brilliant white. One piece of advice though: if you have any ceilings etc that are already white, give them a coat of paint anyway as they will look so dingy afterwards if you don’t! Guess how I know?

Agree as you have a modern house, an off white would be great all the way through. I imagine strong lines and bold furniture, with soft accent accessories.

I wouldn't waste hundreds of pounds on beautiful paint if it's just to make it a bit more liveable and freshen it up - good old Timeless throughout will do the job nicely plus rip up carpets where possible and it will be transformed. We left the bedroom carpets put some cheap clic loc tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen as I couldn't bare shag pile in those rooms

When you come to properly decorate, that's the time to invest in a really good quality paint (I'd suggest Little Greene over F&B).

I also recommend a cheap white paint throughout, then get a sense of the colours needed once you’ve settled in. I’m doing that for most of my rooms. Basically got buckets of Wickes budget brilliant white.

Definitely plain old white.
Ceilings and walls all the so that you don't need to be too tidy.

A friend recently bought a 50s house, all swirly carpets and peach and yellow walls.
Ripping out the carpet (to discover parquet) and white everywhere and it already looks pretty decent while they design reno.and apply for planning permission

@lechatnoir

I wouldn't waste hundreds of pounds on beautiful paint if it's just to make it a bit more liveable and freshen it up - good old Timeless throughout will do the job nicely plus rip up carpets where possible and it will be transformed. We left the bedroom carpets put some cheap clic loc tiles in the bathrooms and kitchen as I couldn't bare shag pile in those rooms

When you come to properly decorate, that's the time to invest in a really good quality paint (I'd suggest Little Greene over F&B).

Agree with this - especially re Little Greene when it comes to decorating properly. Pricy, but it goes a long way and I won’t use anything else now.