Any interior designer types out there? Advice on what colour to paint a room that gets very little natural light?

[peggotty]

Something subtle but not boring old magnolia, beige etc. It's a dining room that's currently a dark red and dark brown, which was all very well when we were childless and actually used the ruddy room, but it's now just a makeshift playroom and I want to make it a bit less mausoleum-like. Any ideas?

Dulux make some paint that has reflective bits in it, although they are all very pale 'hint of' type colours. This might help. I suspect you're gonna need something bright and warm, and though I HATE HATE HATE the colour, perhaps yellow will work?

what kids have you got? Pale yellow? Bright yellow?

Is it for playroom or adult status?

Dulux "hint of"?

apple white (pale green)

hint of cornflower

Hmmm would rather not go down the yellow route tbh. The room will not be an 'official' playroom i.e still to be used as dining room when needs be. Also have to think about the possibility that we'll be moving in next year or so so has to not look too much like a playroom to put off child-less buyers i.e those fools who think they'll actually use a dining room Will have a look at the hint of colours, thanks for the suggestions

I would go for a plae lavendar.
Look at Farrow & ball paints and get a chart,then your local paint shop can make it up for you at a fraction of the price.

Dulux blueberry crush is a lovely pale bluey lavender, not cold but fresh

oh moondog it is the colour in dd;s room"!

here

tis the left hand wall with small table against

We have used a lovely colour in our sitting room which gets no direct sunlight and is quite dark.
Its called Gauze and is from the Kelly Hoppen Criag & Rose range, you can get them at B&Q.
Its a very soft pale khaki/taupe which really glows, its not beige and is much nicer than magnolia and looks great at night too.
Bottom right on this page
www.craigandrose.com/brands/kelly_hoppen/paints?type=953MATTEMU

That is very nice cd, but I think you need quite a light high ceilinged room to cope with a blue (which your dd's is). We had an office in old house which was pale blue but it neve really got the sun and always seemed chilly.

it si being redecorated as we speak/type

one of this lot grab ya?

Just remember to go paler than you think you need. it always comes out darker than oyu think.
I once read that yuo should paint interior of a box with sample pot to get idea of how light bounces it about.

OOh, what are you doing CD?

whole house being re dec as is so grubby!

Ooh I'd like to do that.
I really hate the magnolia/lemon colour scheme chosen by gf of bloke who built this house.
Will have to work on dh...

Laura Ashley do a lovely paint colour called Honey. It is not citrusy at all but a lovely mellow sand colour. It's really good when there's little natural light or to cheer a north facing room.

not changing much in way of colours

We have had some nice floating shelves built above tv and are having F&B lime white in alcove (with shelves white) plus lime white in teh alcove in kitchen with dd#'s pic in it

Everything else the same really, just being freshened up

Twill be lovely, althoguh of course is lovely now. I long for elegant high ceilings with twinkly chandeliers as exist chez Dracs.

I long for SPACE and gorgeousness and bedrooms the size of football pitches as exists chez moondog...

(and a scullery)
(and a garage)
etc
etc

Aye.
We're never happy eh?

Farrow & Ball don't do any colours remotely resembling lavender or lilac - probably because they are horrible colours to paint a room/house.

I must say your colour scheme is hardly offensive moondog!

You need to get filthy grubby fingermarks and dog mud all over it then you can have redone! (shall I pop dd and the dog on teh train they will do it in no time)

actually I have the card right here

Great white is lilacy

In a dark room Great White will just look white. It says in the blurb that it's a warm white. I think it's more grey than lilac tbh but get your drift - in the blurb on the back it says a "bright white one that is neither yellow nor cold".