hi all, update is I have finally found a photo of someones stairs done in Brintons timorous beastie yellow Ruskin butterfly and its made me decide we are definitely 100% going for this as I love it (see attached pics) on stairs and landing... Floor in hall will be oak herringbone parquet, just wall colour to decide and we have bought new tall skirting so colour to paint this also? i have attcahed apic of the hall currently so you can see our front door with stain glass.. As Ive mentioned before the banister and spindles will be replaces with square spindles with an oak top banister and oak end cap - similar to this houzz pic ... So just to deicide on wall colour and new skirting colour... I really like f&b light blue in a hall with oak parquet but I don't feel this will go with the carpet... Kitchen and dining room will be one of the sage shades and lounge Wimborne white and downpipe...

dark carpet or carpet that flows. what are peoples thoughts?

Your best bet is to buy an 80% wool and 20% nylon carpet, otherwise known as 80/20. There are many manufacturers around but when you look at the samples it is the density of pile, otherwise known as the pile weight, that you need to look at. A cheap carpet will have a smaller pile weight and will not look as good, feel as good under foot or last as long. I would also strongly advise that you use an underlay! Not the cheap and nasty options that are generally offered in carpet shops, but something like that manufactured by Duralay - https://www.interfloor.com/duralay/choose-perfect-underlay/ Interestingly enough they offer product via Screwfix these days. My preference when carrying out residential projects was for either the 7mm or 10mm Durafit product and using the modern method of installation combined with the carpet. When I say modern i should say that the technique that is used commercially and in hotels but for reason is not used by residential floor layers. The technique is to directly stick your carpet to the underlay. This increase the longevity of the carpet by a significant amount and does not need perimeter carpet grippers. What is more it never needs stretching and the weight of the carpet combined with the underlay holds it in place. It never fails to surprise me why residential carpet layers are not using this option as often as they should bacause it is good for them and for the customer!

Painting could be an alternative to carpet.