Hello Sophtherou, It may be that you have made all the changes but... One thing that would really bounce light back up the stairs is having a long mirror on the back of the front door. You can have plain mirrors following the banister rail going up the wall, either a long one or several.. For warm whites think of trying Little Greene Whitening or White Lead... You could paint the skirting a white white for contrast... Then if you wanted some accent walls, like a chimney breast or opposite wall or something, Portland Stone is a nice one for example.. It's quite a warm colour and would work well with the other suggestions.. Of course my suggestions may be redundant now, as you may have done everything already! : ))

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...

Honestly, I do think white Venetian blinds are the answer. To solve your issue with the window anyway and without involving expensive renovations. My thought was hanging a glass terrarium in the space with some succulents in. But it realised that's no better than the glass shelving you replaced, and won't solve your problem at night either really. If you want to spend a bit more, I'd see how viable it is to get some downlighters installed above the window and maybe extend the mantle piece, so you can have something like a glass vase in the window that will be lit nicely at night and doesn't block light in the day.

Copy and paste from the website link above "Daytime one-way privacy can be achieved by using one of our reflective window films. The privacy is achieved by providing a reflective appearance on one side of the glass, whilst allowing vision from the other side. The film works on the light balance, with the side of the film that is brightest exhibiting the reflective properties. During daylight hours this is always the side of the film facing outwards, making it ideal for daytime privacy. The film is an ideal alternative to blinds or curtains which when drawn block the view both ways, whilst also making rooms dark. Privacy window film is designed to allow good light transmission, ensuring that a good level of natural light is allowed to enter the room whilst also maintaining a view. Unlike blinds and curtains, window film is also easy to clean – it can simply be wiped down with household cleaning products." If you want switchable glass or retrofit film you mean electrochromic glass / film which changes to a milky opaque colour [or hi def tv] when an electric current is passed through it. Mega expensive but this also means you can't see through it so it would possibly not achieve your requirements? If you want a view out and wish to block a view in there has to be a level of compromise so this could be by using the film I've described which does give you a view out. You can increase clearer vision out by using a pattern which is part clear glass and part film. Suggest you get some samples. UV filters don't necessarily stop heat entering a room but slow down UV which fades carpets, fabrics etc. A bit like sun cream with a 30 SPF etc.