decorating help!

[Kveta]

We have 2 rooms to decorate, and it's proving impossible to decide on colours! (I know, first world problem, but hey)

what colour would you paint a long lounge/diner with cheap wood effect orange laminate flooring (we can't change the flooring)? It can't be green, and furniture is either white or oak. the room has a window at each end, so is technically both south west and north east facing, although most light comes from the south west window.

and a child's bedroom - for a boy and girl (both under 3), with a pink carpet which we can't afford to change? Again, can't be green. It's currently got flock wallpaper in a beige/magnolia/heavy smokers colour, and a dark bronw/teracotta set of curtains (but we can change them if necessary).

are there any useful websites out there with decent decorating ideas on them, for real houses? Most seem to be very upmarket houses, and ours is decidedly not upmarket! We want to paint the walls btw, as we have removed so much bonded flock and vinyl wallpaper from them since moving in, we'd be happy never to see another roll of bloody wallpaper!

(we already have an olive green kitchen which has a hatch into the dining area, an aqua blue bathroom, and a 'hint of pink' bedroom (which is almost white), so want to try and avoid duplicating them as much as possible.)

thanks in advance :o

Child's bedroom - boring suggestion, but I would paint it white or a nice off white (like Jasmine White, or lots of people on here recommend Dulux Timeless) and then use coloured wall stickers to add interest. You could have some pinky stickers and some browny stickets to tie in with the carpet/curtains.

Lounge/diner - I would go with a pale grey. Ideally a grey with a bit of colour in it (like a slightly browny grey or pinky grey or bluey grey) rather than a totally flat staineless steel-type grey.

I know what you mean about decorating websites for real houses - I can't think of any...

Be prepared that the plaster under the wallpaper may be in poor nick!

I'm feeling very keen on pale grey at the moment. Could you put a large rug or two over some of the flooring if you don't like it?

What colour are the curtains? Do you need something that goes with those?

thank you! I have been erring towards a bluey-grey today in my musings, so that's possibly the way forward!

We are actually getting a decorator in, as want this all done before June (when DC2 is due) and DH just does not have time, even at the weekends, plus DS always wants to get involved! Anyway, she is going to put lining paper up, then paint over it, we just need to decide on colours. The walls are in a pretty shocking state, and getting them plastered over was just too expensive sadly.

We are getting new curtains for the lounge, and could probably get some for the children's room too, but mum gave me some old ones which fit his room for now, so we don't want to replace them.

I was thinking maybe a pale colour with some stencils or stickers for the DC's room, so that sounds like a good plan too. Now just to get DH to agree :o

thanks again :)