Can totally understand why they don’t want to paint over the woodwork. A few years back it was all the rage to have stripped woodwork but then interior fashions change and everyone’s painting them again. Ok, spare rooms, if the divan base is ok then keep it if it’s still a bedroom and just change the headboard. Maybe change some of the bulky furniture for something more traditional looking, have a look on gumtree, eBay, second hand shops for some bargains. With regards decor, well like I said, lots can be done. Will you be stripping the wallpaper or just painting over it? I’ll see if can do some mock ups with photoshop. You could also possibly look at different colors yourself with the Dulux visualiser. One thing I definitely would do in the hallway is paint the window and stair spindles white. The window looks like it needs a few repairs but because of the white arch on top it looks unfinished. The stair rail looks beautiful but the pine spindles don’t do it any justice imo, white will make it look a lot classier.

A paintstaking scraping method. Not so bad on the flaky bits but they had what looked like a red gloss paint covered with a Matt grey paint. Some of it just flakes off but the harder stuff I had to use a Dial paint stripper suitable for masonry. It’s a slow process though and I wouldn’t advise it. The previous person using a heavy duty paint stripper which you needed a mask and proper gloves for but he said it was a nightmare! So unless yours is flaking badly, I would just sand off the flaky bits then cover it in a similar colour. Save yourself weeks of stress. There are companies that will strip it for you or sandblast it but I think that could damage the bricks (some of ours are damaged as they left the acid on too long!) and also, if you jet wash it then it can cause damp if you have cavity walls.

Hi all-I'm back:). Happy New Year! After a much needed holiday and some down-time, I am back on track! I decided to postpone the redecoration of my office till week after next so that I could take my time in choosing paint colours. I ordered 10 tester colours from Dulux and have been playing with them at work this morning. It's quite incredible how colours on your computer screen look nothing like they do when rolled on white paper or your wall! I'm so pleased I got these tester samples. My plan was to paint my 3 main walls (the only walls that will be painted) a light lilac with the false wall (below my window) a darker grey. But having seen the colours on the wall I could probably get away with a light grey for my 3 main walls and a darker lilac for the false wall-ledge. I want the false wall to stand out and be approx. 2 shades darker than the main walls. Having spoke to Dulux on the phone the woman advised against certain colours as they would make the room feel "closed in". Because it's a small space I do need to be careful not to use too dark a colour for the main walls. I've decided I'm keeping my purple blind so am basing my paint colour choice around the blind, and the grey chairs that I will be ordering from IKEA...attached/uploaded somewhere earlier in this thread:). I've already eliminated a couple of the tester colours simply because I find them too "baby pink"-as if for a newborn baby girl's room (i.e., Lavender Blossom=bottom colour on left) & Soft Montelimar 4=bottom colour on right). I don't want anything too girlie-most of my clients are men:). I've painted 5 colours on the left and 5 colours on the right-hopefully you can make out top to bottom, etc. I like Violet White (the top colour on the left) as a possibility for the 3 main walls, or Goose Down (top left), with Lavender Quartz (4th down on left), Grey Steel 2 (4th down on right) or Chic Shadow (2nd from top on left) as possible colours for my accent false wall (below the window). I love Lavender Quartz but fear it may be too dark for the 3 main walls. So this is where I'm at at the mo! If any of you talented designers have any preferences or colour combination recommendations (I need two colours-a lighter one for the 3 main walls and a darker one for my accent false wall/ledge)-I'm all ears. xx

Hello HU-34916151, How about a compromise. Blue and yellow make green so, one wall blue one wall yellow and the next green.... Yay sorted? probably not. But in all seriousness, how about a graphic solution. Divide the walls in two. How about (NB monitor colours) Khaki and green So if just dividing, just paint the 2 colours you like on a piece of paper and see if they fit. Also try the others you did not like as when you put two colours together they may look good and compliment each other. Tiling with different greens A green mural A botanical green theme Abstract Mural I hope these start some ideas or at least what you do not want. Have fun :)