I'm no expert but have done a fair bit of decorating / painting over the years and can't say my experience with Crown emulsion has been very positive. Yes, sometimes quite watery (although I'm not a fan of really thick paints like 'one coat' ones), yes multiple coats needed and not very washable once on the walls. Farrow and Ball is certainly way better in all these respects but exorbitantly expensive. I've had good results with Dulux (although some of the white gloss paints have turned quite yellow) but also with Wickes paints. There are many DIY outlets that offer colour matching. I'm sure you'll get some good pointers here on Houzz

Thanks Jonathan. I’m not totally adverse to the yellow and perhaps your right less yellowish window might help crisp up. I like the warmth statement and blending with greenery that current colour has but it needs painting badly and so having moved in last year feel need to make a change and loose yellow. I suppose as it is tired and everything in the house is either yellow or green (avocado) and tired!!! I’ll look at greys with off white windows as you suggest......

There are virtually no paint colours that are true 'grey' as in made from pure black and pure white. They are all a 'colour'. Paint companies could help us out by naming the 'mother hue' - for example, Downpipe would be blue, but if they were to do that, we would not buy millions of test pots and that would mean they would make a lot less profit. Additionally, they could simply explain what hue the various colours belong to and describe how the colour may change in different lights. If only companies such as Farrow and Ball had on their website a boxy North, South, East and West facing room which showed their colours at different times of day we would all be so well informed. Of course, they pay lip service to this by making little suggestions, but in reality they could go much further. In addition I do wonder if we are often seduced by a beautiful room with lovely period details than the actual 'colour'. I sound cynical because I am.

I'm in Northern Ireland and used Dee Light Furniture Facelifts NI. He has a Facebook page with lots of photos of his work showing lots of colours so its worth a look there. His standard of work is excellent and came highly recommended by word of mouth. He also builds this tear drop caravans to order! I think it was worth paying someone as he made our existing doors and drawers look brand new filling the holes from the old handles. We could never have done that to his standard