HELP - emulsion paint colour suggestions for full house renovation

[jmt]

Hi all

We have a rental prooperty that we need to decorate and carpet. We've never had to re-carpet a rental before, just painted and all walls have been Dulux 'Natural Calico' (not quite magnolia ) as the carpets we inherited just seemed to suit this colour.

As tastes have changed we think we need to go more grey, but this is where I want help - what colour? We don't do feature walls - all walls are the same emulsion with white skirting, doors etc. some tenants do feature walls themselves (we have a bright pink bedroom and aubergine in the living room this time )

Not a brand snob, but Dulux is OK odour wise (as I have asthma), Crown seemed very thin and watery when we did the ceilings, needing more coats. Perhaps suggestions for decent quality but budget friendly (not Farrow & Ball ) may also be good.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions

[YorkshireT]

I can’t give a tip as to colour but I can as to paint. Get Johnstone’s TRADE vinyl matt. It’s the best paint I known internally and ideal for a rental as it washes down, but has no shiny ness to it. You get it from Johnston’s paint centres, not B&Q. They’ll make any colour you want.

[marypoppins38]

If you are renting out I would go with Matt White. It will make the whole place look very bright and clean. I would avoid grey as depending on the light in the various rooms and the exact shade of grey you use, I could make the rooms look quite dull. As YorkshireT suggests, Johnstone’s trade is a great budget open for painting everywhere.

[jmt]

Originally Posted by marypoppins38

If you are renting out I would go with Matt White. It will make the whole place look very bright and clean. I would avoid grey as depending on the light in the various rooms and the exact shade of grey you use, I could make the rooms look quite dull. As YorkshireT suggests, Johnstone’s trade is a great budget open for painting everywhere.

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I'm not sure matt white works for a rental, we own another that is an ex-showhome. It has/had feature walls (think turquoise and mirrors ) and the rest is just white with cream carpets. It looks stunning when new tenants move in, not so good when we do gas safe checks/repairs and the carpets will need to be replaced whenever the current tenants move out.

Will look at Johnstone's trade as we have a supplier locally

[Smilesonfaces]

Just asked husband who is a decorator. He said he paints kitchens and bathrooms in a soft sheen emulsion with a fungal additive to stop mould growth. The rest he uses contract matt paint for ceilings and walls, woodwork in satin wood oil based paint. Neutral shades throughout ,usually white.
Contract Matt is easy to touch up. Usually Johnston’s trade or Arnstead which is Dulux trade brand.
He does a lot of work for a landlord with a large property portfolio.

[Rebelrebel]

When I'm trying to decide on colours I go on zoopla and have a look at the colours others have used in similar houses which face the same direction as this is important for the amount of light in the rooms. Personally I'm doing my kitchen/dining room in a few weeks and am looking more towards an oyster colour, I was going for a pale grey but after sitting in the hospital for four hours yesterday looking at their grey walls put me off

[Sweets]

Perfectly Taupe is lovely throughout a home and the white woodwork really pops.
It’s neutral enough so that any furniture will go with it but nicer than magnolia IMO.

[mitch84]

Originally Posted by jmt

I'm not sure matt white works for a rental, we own another that is an ex-showhome. It has/had feature walls (think turquoise and mirrors ) and the rest is just white with cream carpets. It looks stunning when new tenants move in, not so good when we do gas safe checks/repairs and the carpets will need to be replaced whenever the current tenants move out.

Will look at Johnstone's trade as we have a supplier locally

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I think Marypoppins works in interior design 😂

I totally agree with her though, cream carpets aren’t very sensible, I would go a bit darker for more resilience, but I think rental properties should be white/very neutral

My bedrooms are grey, but that’s my taste. Go white and they can accessorise/paint a wall if you allow them

[Cocobean121]

We painted most of our rooms in Timeless, it is a very very pale green, but looks different in different lights, I’m not a fan of green but this is nice. We went to a decorator store and have 5litres at a time made up in soft sheen. We painted our dark skirting and architrave with farrow and ball ‘bone’ and fitted wood flooring and oak doors. Looks modern without being faddy. We were going to go grey but decided that may have had its day already.

[catlady]

Originally Posted by Sweets

Perfectly Taupe is lovely throughout a home and the white woodwork really pops.
It’s neutral enough so that any furniture will go with it but nicer than magnolia IMO.

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I have Perfectly Taupe too! I like it.

Personally if I was doing a rental I'd go off white/pale magnolia colour so it's easy to touch up! Also it goes with anything! If you allow your tenant to paint a feature wall, I'd be getting them to repaint it to the original colour?