Grey Hallway MELTDOWN. Please help

[SnotandBothered]

DESPERATE!

Quite narrow victorian terrace hallway. Loft conversion, so lots of stairs up. Wooden floor downstairs and pale, neutral carpet up the rest and landings etc.

I have wanted to paint the hall grey for ages - not too dark but not insipid - defo not a 'hint of...'. Strong enough so that framed prints stand out and look quite contemporary, but not gloomy. Definitely prefer the greys that go towards the warmer lilacs and puttys to the green grey like F&B French grey.

So after starring at pinned up painted sheets of a4 paper for 6 months, I whittled it down to a couple and decided on F&B Calluna which was slightly towards the lilac and F&B strong white woodwork. Decorators are now in and did first coat yesterday. It is lovely but utterly purple and not what I want for the hall. I slept on it, woke up today hoping it wouldn't be quite so purple and it is even more so - it will have to go.

But I am now on an expensive clock as the decorators are here now and I'm under pressure to pick something tomorrow. I have spent all day today dragging friends and strangers off the street demanding that they 'choose' out of the random paint sample pots that I rushed out and bought this morning but I am not really any the wiser.

I like:

Crown spotlight - on some walls. ON others it just disappears to almost white 'with a hint of...'

Crown Cloudburst - on some walls. On others it is quite dark and I wonder if it will be gloomy

F&B Blackened. But again disappears on some of the walls and doesn't act as a backdrop to set of pictures. I have dismissed all other F&B greys as being too green or dark (Elephants Breath nice but dark)

Dulux - can't find anything I like

Fired Earth - like the look of light umber online, but scared to add more testers to the wall unless someone really thinks this might be the solution.
www.firedearth.com/paint/colour/creams-neutrals/light-umber
...also might be insipid?

Johnstones Moonlit sky looks nice on paper but might be too blue....

Can anyone guage where I am going with this and make any suggestions? Crown 'smoky mist' looks potentially good online but, again, who can tell?

And I daren't even go down the Craig and Rose route as I don't think I'd get it in time and, time (in this instance) really is money.

Please help of wise and stylish MNers.

Someone on here recommended Dulux Perfectly Taupe - I found an old thread last year and the Mnetter said it's a ridiculous name for a pure grey witha tiny purple hint. It's beautiful and stunning with white. I would not have believed it either and ignored the colour/tester all because of the name. It sounds ideal for your space.

Petronellas the spare room is that very colour....

Dulux Quartz Flint 1 is the colour you're looking for. We painted our hallway a shade of grey which turned out to be far too purple. Had an emergency switch to this colour. It's perfect. Definitely grey without being too dark.

Good luck X

I have pavilion grey on a huge cupboard in my dining room, and little Greene French grey in my bathroom. the French grey is the easier colour to work round IMO, pavilion is nice but deffo a bit green.

I've just had my hallway painted in a Dulux paint called something to do with Pebble - sorry I can't remember the exact name and don't have the colour chart any more.

It's a mid grey colour and looks really nice, much better than it did in the tester pot.

Just pondering how grey can be intensified. Isn't that just black?

As you were.

Can I throw into the mix dulux dusted moss? A lovely proper grey. I tried most of the colours mentioned in this thread and they were all blue grey or green grey or brown grey or purple grey. Dusted moss is grey grey!

How about F&B strong white on the walls with a brighter/whiter woodwork (Wevet?)

We're in a narrow Victorian semi, long dark landing and this combo works a treat.

Crown smoulder is the answer! I had twenty different grey testers and picked this for my hall and love it. Def grey but a warm grey. Lovely colour.

Marking place as I have a hallway o paint once we move

We opted for Crown Smoky Mist for our hallway and have bright white woodwork. Also have cream carpet - Absolutely love the colour and would recommend :)

I love F&B Hardwick White. It's a gorgeous true grey which looks great with pictures. It's warm under artificial light too which is a bonus. Good luck with your choice. If you find the perfect grey, please let us know.

Also, our hall is painted in F&B Light Grey, lovely and warm, great with pictures but may be too brown for your needs.

F&b Cornforth White is a true grey, pale but not off white, it's lovely. I think it has lilac undertones but once a whole room is painted out it's totally grey. I agree with the Calluna being a lilac grey and also with the poster who said Elephants Breath is greige.

You need Cornforth (and as someone said above, dusted moss is supposed to be a true grey, haven't tried it myself but have heard it said before).

We have paint library slate 3, works very well. Your decorator can always match it & get it made by dulux/crown. We have to have our hall & stairs repainted regularly - handprints & dogs shaking themselves dry don't really help.

Reading this Dimpse springs to mind, although maybe too pale?

Sorry for the triple post?! Also agree with not going by the tin, definitely not true likeness.

Good luck today, hope you get what you want. I really don't think you'd be disappointed with Pavillion Grey. I bought a lot of samples that were very similar and they looked so different on the wall.

I wasn't 100% about the PG, but I am really pleased with it now.

Saying that, if you're in a rush and on the clock, why not go for a warm white for now? Milk White (think it's crown) is a good colour. Not stark white but warm?

My PG has no green in it, but Lamp Room Grey definitely does. Too many greys out there!

Also. It does depend in the batch.

Let us know how you get on.

Off to get testers now.

Am getting:

Little Greene French Grey
Crown Mist thingy and Smoulder
F&B Pav Grey
and will take phone to check threads for ones I've missed.

I will report back!

Okay, I am Dulux grey queen.

Dulux Heritage Engraved Locket - this is a proper grey-grey (with perhaps just the tiniest weeniest simgeon hint of lilac, but maybe avoid if your hall is prone to turning things lilac)

Dulux Heritage Thimble Case - this is a warm neutral grey, possibly not grey enough for you, but has to be my all time favourite colour, looks stunning.

Dulux Just Walnut - slightly purpley (but warm) light neutral grey

Dulux Perfectly Taupe - Great colour, tho I find this very slightly browny (which I like, got this in my bathroom)

Don't go anywhere near Dulux Misty Heather (it's purple) or Mercury Shower (it's pink).

Whatever colour you choose, from whatever manufacturer, do a google images search because there usually lots of images from blogs where people have used that colour. Here for example are some good pictures of a before and after Perfectly Taupe bedroom makeover
www.home-organisation.co.uk/2012/11/master-bedroom-makeover.html

Not read entire thread, but Sanderson-Turtle Dove is a true grey but kind of "bright" wouldn't make a hall look dark!

I have lots of decorating to do soon, this is very useful, need to work out which grey paint goes with the grey velvet curtains from IKEA.

Also if anyone is interested...spent a long time looking for a good white that wasn't dazzling and no other colour undertones in it for woodwork and above picture rails, ceilings etc (also had to be matt) and the winner was Zoffany- Quarter linen-previously known as Paper white.

Another vote for Pavillion Grey. We have it in two rooms now and will probably stretch to a third. Lovely lovely colour.

Let us know what you pick...