Painting

[Cerise]

We have had the whole of our roof replaced including new ceilings so the whole of our upstairs needs redecorating. I have found a decorator - I've never done this before but he reckons he can do the whole lot including stairs and landing in 4 days and it would take me forever to do in bits and bobs while DS is at pre-school. anyway, one of the blokes that came to quote recommended a particular type of trade paint, but I don't like the colour choices. So, after my waffle, it's question time:

1. Is there a major difference in quality between trade paint and dulux / crown / laura ashley / B&Q stuff?

2. Has anyone ever tried a paint with light reflecting particles that is supposed to brighten up small or dark rooms?

3. Has anyone ever painted their ceiling the same colour as the walls rather than white? And did it look nice?

4. What colour would you go for in a small hall with dark stairs and beams? The whole house was magnoliad before we bought it and I need to give it some personality just to make it ours.

5. Can a green room ever look right with red curtains and a red accent wall? If so, what kind of green? DS is adamant that is what he wants and whilst I like his red wall I just can't picture red and green looking anything other than horrific. Please someone prove me wrong.



Bubblewrap, is that enough to get you started?! You wanted to know when it got to decorating time :-)

[Peony]

Different decorators prefer different paint. Mine recommened Dulux and luckily it comes in any colour you can think of. He also uses Johnstones undercoat and we're more than happy with the finish. He also suggested to use silk paint on the walls for cleaning up after small children - it also bounces light around.

We're boring an stick with white ceilings but I have seen some fab examples of colours painted on ceilings - I'd just avoid anything that could look 'nicotine-y'

Green and red might look a bit christmassy but green and purple go well (we have lots of green and purple upstairs) if you're willing to compromise?

What about a pale grey or taupe to de-magnolia-ise?

[*Holly*]

My OHs dad is a decorator and prefers trade paint. You can get it mixed in whatever colours you want. You can't go in and ask for say farrow and ball pink but a good idea is to paint a sample onto paper, give it to the decorator and just say you want that. He can take it to the dulux centre or wherever and have it mixed in trade paint. Then no one is any the wiser about what colour it really is and you get the quality of trade paint.

Does that ramble make any sense?!

[bubbasweet]

I wouldn't bother with light reflecting paint. We did our sitting room with it and I'm not sure it's made a huge amount of difference than if we'd just done it normally. We also have a red accent wall and matchy-ish red curtains in our sitting room, and a green carpet (grass colour) and I wish we'd replaced the carpet when we'd decorated the rest of the room, as the green annoys me every day. The carpet was there when we moved in and it's in ok condition, just that the colour isn't to our taste at all At the time though we just thought that we'd replace it down the line when it was a bit more worn out/had some spare cash but of course with all the furniture and a piano in there it's a much bigger job than it would have been if we'd just done it straight away

[Cerise]

Peony - his other colour that he wants is gold so maybe he is a Christmas child?! I'm trying to persuade him into a bold green accent wall with a paler tone for the rest of the room. We will then replace the curtains as soon as we can.

Holly, that made sense. I have the Johnstone's colour card but there are less options so I prefer some of the dulux colours. What I want to know now is what is in trade paint to make it different / how is it different?

My MiL has a heather colour on her walls and ceiling. Her decorator told her that it is trendy to do the ceiling the same colour, but I suspect it was just easier and quicker. She never opens her blinds anyway and the whole place just looks grey.

I really like the Laura Ashely duck egg colours so I think my bedroom is sorted. And DD wants a malibu turquoise/blue colour. It's too bright for her small room, but I have seen a few that look like a paler version so I think she will be happy. DS2 changes his mind every time we ask him so I will make that decision, so it's just the steering DS1 that is going to be the real problem. I really do want it to be his choice - but I don't think he visualises the colours over a larger area and just looks at what colours he would like for a t-shirt!

[lisnic]

My decorator used johnstones durable matt and it's great as I can really wash any marks from kids with soap or whatever and it doesn't come off whereas dulux I have in other areas does

I found a wallpaper and my decorator took it and they scanned the background and mixed paint to that colour for the other walls so you aren't restricted to the charts