Fatjasper
newbie
Reged: 27/06/2009
Posts: 31
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Hi all
I am doing up my Victorian mid-terrace and the refurb includes ripping up the old laminate in the open plan living and dining room and sanding the original floorboards. We are a typical 2 up 2 down with a large sash window (not a bay) at the front in the living room and a smaller sash window at the back in the dining room. We don't get much light through this back window due to a utility room area with a dodgy corrugated plastic roof  . The house is south facing (garden north facing, rubbish...) so we get a lot of light through the front window but its still quite a dark space. At the moment the long walls are Crown Olde English White (which is v cream tbh) and the end walls with the windows in are Dulux Crimson from their Victorian range. I LOVE my red paint but it's too dark and has got to go and the Olde English White isn't white at all.
I have read that Pure Brilliant White can be quite clinical and I don't think it would be right for a period home (we have a repro period fireplace in the dining room, fancy coving but that's all feature wise). Our sofas are brown leather and we have a crazy rug from Habitat (http://www.habitat.co.uk/fcp/product/browse/Rug/973923). That's all that will be staying that might affect colour scheme. We also have two Moroccan iron wall lights in the dining room which we will be keeping.
Our neighbours have used Crown Sail White in their house which is same layout/same stripped floors which looks lovely but I'll look like a stalker if I use the same one   . Crown Milk White looked good in a magazine pic I saw recently (current BBC Good Homes front cover). Have seen that Dulux have special paint which helps rooms look lighter but am a bit skeptical about that. Either way we'll be getting paint mixed up at our local Leyland but I want to try and whittle down the amount of tester pots I buy first!
So my questions are (finally...):-
1. Can anyone recommend a white which would make the room nice and light and work with our features in a period home.
2. Should I paint the ceilings in the same colour white as the walls? (I read somewhere this helps make rooms lighter)
3. Should I still do the woodwork Brilliant White gloss? We are getting all new doors (no original Victorian pine here,  ) and have got to paint them all white for reasons I won't bore you with.
Looking forward to your replies!
Victoria
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houseenvy
Grand master
Reged: 02/08/2007
Posts: 3928
Loc: Room 101
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Hi Victoria, I am having similar dilemmas, having originally painted our (Edwardian) house in neutral stoney colours and now wishing for something brighter. FWIW I have been looking at:
Craig & Rose Pantry White (it looks to me quite similar to milk white but slightly less yellow)
F&B Pointing or Whimbourne White
Paint & Paper library Marble 1 (I'm starting with the spare bedroom and this looks like it has a hint of pink which you might not want... Also blinking expensive!!)
Dulux Chalky Downs 6 -- tbh Dulux has so many near whites, but this one has been favourably reported on here loads of times so am starting with that.
If your wall colours are virtually white, I would be inclined to paint the ceiling and woodwork in the same colours. I read somewhere you shouldn't mix pure white and off whites. Obviously if you do go for pure white on the woodwork, the hint of colour on the walls will look more apparent.
I'd never use gloss on woodwork, always eggshell, especially for white, but that's just me.
Sure there are others who will add more!
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Fatjasper
newbie
Reged: 27/06/2009
Posts: 31
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Tell me more about your views on woodwork!  I'm quite keen to move away from white gloss tbh but not sure about the difference between satinwood and eggshell? Any hints? We've got skirting boards, architraves and 9 (arghhh...) panelled doors to paint so I want to get it right. Never had painted doors before and inclined to think that they wouldn't look right gloss, too 'ne home' maybe?
I got a tester of F&B Pointing this am and that's on the walls as we speak. Will look into Dulux Chalky Downs too. Going to paint most of the house white so unlikely to be able to fork out for Paint & Paper prices!
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dickyryan
enthusiast
Reged: 25/07/2008
Posts: 264
Loc: Camberley in Surrey
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Eggshell and Satinwood...very little difference in the sheen levels however both will yellow very quickly if you go for white. Both much easier to apply than gloss.
Go for an off white and the yellowing wont be so noticeable.
F&B Pointing can be mixed in a decorators merchants using Johnstone paint - they have access to the colour mix codes and the equivalent is not noticeable from F&B product - I used it on very large five bedroom farmhouse - saved the customer a packet in paint costs.
Good luck!
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www.alteredimagesdecorating.co.uk
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amyoliver
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 19/06/2007
Posts: 2775
Loc: Awaiting further instructions
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I also prefer eggshell on my woodwork. I think it is a much more modern look. I have Chalky Downs 6 throughout my hall stairs and landings. I would say it is a creamy white, almost an oyster colour. I actually really like pure brilliant white in a period house, I think it looks fantastic against floorboards. Another one I have seen work very well is Swedish White (Dulux) which looks lovely, I would say it is more grey toned than cream toned (if that makes sense). The lovely HelenT has it in her house in the hall stairs and landings. http://www.livingetc.com/houses/Victorian_villa_restoration_article_283236.html#showpic
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amyoliver
Carpal \'Tunnel
Reged: 19/06/2007
Posts: 2775
Loc: Awaiting further instructions
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another view of swedish white.
http://www.livingetc.com/showcase/houses...tart=13#gallery
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Beastie
stranger
Reged: 22/12/2008
Posts: 22
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If your budget can do it, I'd go eco-friendly and use Earthborn Claypaint. I've used the 'soft white' and plain 'white' (which is less harsh than brilliant white) throughout my flat. It's great stuff to use - no smell, and allows the walls in an old house to breathe (though if there's already standard emulsion on your walls it obviously won't achieve this). Cost-wise it is slightly cheaper than Farrow & Ball. Wichever colour you end up with I'd say the most important thing is lighting: the old adage of not just using overhead lights but including wall lights, table lamps etc.
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FoxyBrown
journeyman
Reged: 06/03/2008
Posts: 53
Loc: Nirvana
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we have literally just finished (yesterday) painting our open plan space! We used Dulux brill white and dulux brill white eggshell on the woodwork. We are so pleased with the end result. Our room does not look clinical as we have quite a few 'bright' art pictures and most of our furtniture is quite dark. I guess the shade of white depends on what else is in the room and your lighting.
To be honest I was agonising what shade/make white paint to use - in my humble opinion I don't think we could of achieved a better result.
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griffo68
Supreme being
Reged: 13/09/2006
Posts: 8602
Loc: ...in a galaxy far far away
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I've been repainting our flat with Dulux absolute white and I love it.
It is the whitest cleanest looking white I have ever seen or used!
It uses "Lumitec technology" which apparently reflects up to twice the amount of light.
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http://yumalum.etsy.com
http://www.obsessilicious.blogspot.com/
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vicky_cb
enthusiast
Reged: 13/11/2007
Posts: 318
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Hi Victoria
I have the same house with the same aspect and the corrugated plastic roof!
We initially painted the sitting / dining room in F&B Elephants Breath but it was way too dingy and 18 months later I have just finished painting again. I didn't want to use pure white as I find that woodwork and walls age differently and end up being quite different colours plus I personally like the subtle difference between pure white wood (eggshell) and off-white walls.
... so I used an off white - Dulux Velvet Truffle 6 http://www.dulux.co.uk/servlet/SiteAdvancedSearchHandler for the walls which has turned out a slightly grey / pinky white in dull light / evenings and looks a bright white in strong daylight / sunlight. It goes well with colour (we have the same colours in a rug) and with browns in wood (or leather sofas!) I have some furniture painted in Dulux Chalky Downs 6 but decided against painting the walls this colour as, to me, it looks slightly yellower/creamier in some lights (but others on the forum swear by it!)
I don't know what your stairs do but ours run up the side of the dining room and are very dark so I did paint that wall with the Absolute White that Griffo loves and it has helped to lighten it up - the join at the bottom of the stairs is visible but looks likes a change in light due to the angle of the wall (if that makes sense??!!)
I did waver about painting the whole room in Absolute to bounce the light around but our space is cold in Winter and I was worried that this would make it feel more so...
Good luck with it - it's so hard to choose a white / off-white - I empathise!!! Vicky
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Stephen
member
Reged: 25/07/2008
Posts: 150
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F&B All White is a nice one too, although it doesn't cover as well as Dulux. Not an off white as such, but a sort of 'soft' but true white. Worth a tester pot....
S
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Stephen
Residence Interior Design London
How to choose a London Interior Designer
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