Thinking about decorating?

[Kia]

Laurence LB if you're reading this I need help! Bring that lovely Irish man round to mine and you can paint up a storm!

I have a hall problem. It has 6 doors leading out of it and the only thing I can't get rid of is the flooring which is large haxagonal terracotta tiles.

I live in an old farmhouse so the whores drawers look and minimalist zen styles are out!

I keep seeing a very pale pink/peachy in halls on designer programmes and wondered if this is what it needs?

Come back Laurence, I love your shirts!!!

I'm no LLB, but have recently decorated my whole house (yes, I am a sucker for punishment!) so I can say what colours worked in my house and which colours my friends liked. As it is a hall, which tend to be cold places, I would go for a warm colour and also, I like light, airy looking halls as I think they give a nice impression when you first enter a house. Your floor sounds gorgeous by the way, so I'm glad that's staying. Hard floors are also so practical in a hall as most kids (and husbands) aren't very good at taking their shoes off straight away! Have you tried a few matchpots for ideas? I think the pinky/peachy colour you mention could work well. Have you thought about a sandy colour (like the Next paint 'Sand')? I have a similar colour in one of my rooms and have had lots of compliments about it, infact lots of my friends have copied and painted it in their houses ( I think it might have been Dulux 'Natural Straw') It would give a Mediterranean-feel to your hall - oh dear, I'm coming over all 'Changing Rooms - better go and get a drink!!

Yes, you do don't you?! One sniff of a paintbrush and the temptation to sand those floors becomes unbearable!! I'm going to B&Q for some matchpots tommorrow so I'll give that one a go as well. Do you know that programme where the American 'house doctor' lady comes round and gives your house a good going over so you can sell it? Well she uses the colour I'm after quite alot. So if you see it, let me know!

Unfortunately my hall isn't full of light and the previous owners painted all the wood mahogany and the walls different shades of barbie pink and coupled with a dimmer light and all the doors leading off it looks like an episode of the crystal maze!

I've got to gird up the loins to get this done because I'm starting to get depressed just looking at it! As you say, with kids and dog flying in and out its got to be up to the job really well. I'm not sure if I dare go really mexicana since it would be a bit of a tardis effect - outside farm inside ay caramba! But you never know!

I thought the 'House Doctor' painted everything white? I agree, if your hall is quite dark, with the mahogany wood (could you sand and stain this a lighter colour, or would it be too much of a nightmare?) you're definitely better off with a lighter colour, but have a look at the sandy colours as they aren't too dark (and are very trendy - not that I'm biased of course!). Also, you've got lots of doors to break up the colour so it wouldn't be too 'in yer face'. The 'House Doctor' usually puts a mirror in the hall to lighten it up and give the illusion of space - could you do this, or am I getting totally carried away now?

I love the House Doctor. She does do everything white or something near white, never a colour. Dont forget to use your trellace as a radiator cover, get the dog in a kennel outside so you have no 'doggey odours' put in some plants, a mirror and not too much clutter. How big was your hall??

I'll measure the hall and let you know. The house was gutted in the 70s and anything architectural or with a bit of character was removed. Yes, I have a choice between the maroon or royal blue 70s bathroom experience too! But that's another story! I've been to B&Q and brought back two colours - one pillar red from their Tate collection (luvvie) and one pale terracotta from crown and the natural straw colour you suggested. My friend suggested I paint them onto a piece of paper rather than the walls, then I can move the colours around and see how they look, and saves painting over 13 times to get rid of them later! The doors and skirting boards are going to have to be changed since the front door is of the double glazed variety and white and everything else is mock mahogany. Oh just wait, I've got a lounge next that has to be done and that really IS a nighmare - yards of blood red carpet that someone thought would warm the room up! Just makes you feel like you're about to be born!! Can't replace it - not enough money at present, and its top quality carpet. The people we bought the house from had a thing about red!!

Kia - glad you've got the natural straw colour, hope you like it! As for the carpet in your lounge, what about trying a warm cream coloured paint, nothing too loud, so the walls and the carpet don't scream at each other! Also, what colour are your sofas? If they are a neutral colour this makes things easier, otherwise you will have to think about incorporating them into your colour scheme. 'Next' do some lovely curtains and accessories with touches of red in them which would help to trendy things up and aren't too expensive. Can't you tell I love doing this sort of thing?

Kia, what about the paints with a chalky finish for your hall? I'd definitely go for pale and something washable for the little grubby hands.

Please don't make the same mistake I did. Don't decorate around a carpet you don't like or buy furnishings to match. You still won't like it at the end. Be bold get rid of the thing, could it go anywhere else? (how about putting it on the borders to stop the weeds coming up!)

For anyone looking for something nice and bright for a nursery or playroom try Zingy Yellow by Dulux. R.

I've been looking at the 'chalk' concept! Going to give the colours I've got a go, and see what the family says! Probably 'bleh!'. I'd love to be able to get rid of the carpet, I really would but it would cost too much to replace at present. I've tried all the old insurance ploys - bleach in all the combinations they tell you not to in case it marks, emulsion paint and various sprays - even the dog has weed on it and nothing has marked it. It comes up like red velvet every time. As somebody carefully blitzed the house in the 70s, there are no mellow floorboards underneath, no tiles just rotten chipboard which you cant do anything with except cover! I'm working on it though. I have 2 settees both blue (aargh! I know) and 2 parker knowl recliners in the lounge part of the room (remember they gutted the farmhouse and made one enormous room out of 3 medium ones!) We were into blue in a big way in our last house which was modern. So its on to throws and tartan I think!! I'm conscious of sounding very sad, but I'm not! well not very!

If anyone is worried about volatile organic compounds in paints I've sent off for matchpots of non voc paints from a company called 'Ecos' in the northwest. It's supposed to be completely safe to use around children and seems babies can sleep in the same room that has been painted that same night. Most paint manufacturers recommend painting a children's room six weeks prior to its being used. I'll report how I get on.