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Design Dilemma
lclivingston

Dark grey feature wall?

Lou Ella
7 years ago
Can't decide whether to paint the whole living room light grey or go for a dark grey feature wall?

I have a white/black fireplace and a white unit on the wall I would be painting dark. Then other walls would be a light grey/white?

Just looking for any ideas/suggestions!
Featured Answer
  • Coco Nuts
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I have a dark feature wall in my living room and I like how cosy it makes the room feel.

    Comments (20)

    • PRO
      Renaissance Interiors, Hartley Wintney
      7 years ago

      I would suggest painting the room light grey with a dark grey feature wall. You will make far more of a statement this way. You need a balance of light and dark to give your room life. This will also give you versatility within the room for furniture placement... light against dark, dark against light, light against light, dark against dark, pop of colour against dark etc

    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      Hi. I remember your room from when you posted before. Is the picture rail still in place? which way does the room face in terms of light?

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    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Yes it is, I was planning on just painting the colour all the way up to the coving including the picture rail.

      Just now it is a white picture rail with white paint above it.

      My fireplace and unit are white now x
    • PRO
      Normanton Designs
      7 years ago

      Although it's a matter of personal taste different coloured 'feature' walls can look a bit out of date. My suggestion would be to paint the whole room in one colour.

      Where I would place my attention is getting the colour of the woodwork and ceiling correct to compliment the walls. Although woodwork and ceilings often look white I would suggest that it is very rarely correct to use brilliant white in a house (maybe if it's uber modern and in a sunny climate). Instead look for off whites that tone with your wall colour. A good rule of thumb is 'the lower the darker' e.g woodwork slightly darker off white, ceiling slightly lighter.

      Hope this helps.

    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      If you mean the built in unit has been painted white then I'd go a lightish grey all over. Just been flicking through previous posts and I think the room faces north (?) so would look for a warm grey. I thought you'd mentioned painting it F&B blackened previously which I would avoid as it has a blue undertone so could look rather cold. F&B elephants breath or skimming stone can work in north facing rooms but you'd need to test them as they don't work for all

    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Yes the room is north facing, sun comes in at the first half of the day.

      We used farrow and ball blackened in our front porch as we have a bit of blue in our stained glass and it works really well.

      I tried a patch of blackened on the living room wall yesterday and you're right it looks to blue and cold! Also tried dulux polished pebble and again it looks cold!

      I will have a try at the little greene paints, off to get more testers!

      Thanks
    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      Good luck! Their dash of soot or Rubine ashes might be worth looking at

    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Normanton designs, thanks for your comment.

      I'm never sure what to do with skirting boards etc...this is our fireplace now which is a chalk white....

      What would u suggest with the woodwork?
    • PRO
      Normanton Designs
      7 years ago

      Hi Lou,

      I suggest that you need to focus on the wall colour first as the colour of the woodwork should tie into your scheme.

      Once you have decided your wall colour then I would suggest painting up several sheets of a4 with colours that you think might work for the skirting and looking at them next to the colour you have picked for the wall. What you are looking for is both the toning and the temperature (colour) of the combination.

      If you are really stuck for a starting point then the websites for a lot of the 'designer' paint companies, F&B etc, have schemes below each of their colours, almost all of which contain an off white. However, every room has different light so I would advise you use your own judgement at the end as the same paint scheme can look completely different in different spaces.

      As for the fireplace/skirting combination having the skirting a shade darker will help to make the fireplace stand out. Beneficial as it should be the focus of the room.

      Happy painting.

    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      So I couldn't get any little greene paint testers so I tried Farrow and Ball Cornforth White and Purbeck Stone.

      Cornforth white looks lovely, warm grey shade! Definitely not a blue undertone like the others I've tried.

      Purbeck stone is also warm grey which is slightly darker than Cornforth white.

      Decisions decisions!
    • minnie101
      7 years ago

      Have you got large testers on all walls? I'd see how they change in the different lights. Cornforth can be a little chilly although it's a lovely grey. If these don't work have a look at shaded white. The colour online is nothing like the colour chart if you happen to have one!

    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Checked and my room is actually east facing. Do you think elephants breath on the fireplace wall and strong white elsewhere would work?

      Thanks!
    • rona7770
      7 years ago
      Yes I think it will my front room is in the process of being painted in same colours will send pic mine faces north east
    • rona7770
      7 years ago
      Here it is
    • rav1234
      7 years ago
      Rona7770 Love the colour looks great
    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      I went with strong white and Cornforth white.

      I'm hoping it works...will see tomorrow!

      Thanks for all your advice
    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      It needs another coat but it looks pretty gorgeous already
    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      Which mirror goes better do you think?
    • Lou Ella
      Original Author
      7 years ago
      .
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