Please help with internal colour scheme

[kristaje]

Hi All,

We'd be doing an overall internal renovation on an IP. Could I please ask for what colour scheme you usually use? We prefer neutral colour scheme that can last long (not get dirty easily). IP is in Orange NSW, ex-housing area, so nothing flashy.

We usually use colour scheme below, but thought I'd look around for other ideas too.

Wall - hogs bristle 1/2
Ceiling - white USA
Wooden trim - white USA
Carpet - riviera mocha
Kitchen cabinet - shiny white
Kitchen bench top - dark brownish stone-like

Thank you

 

[westminster]

I'm finding Hogs Bristle too yellow now.

My current fave is

Walls: Dulux Brume 1/2 strength
Trim: Dulux Lexicon 1/2 strength
Carpet: Riviera Slate

that would probably still go with your kitchen colours.

Brume is a warmish grey - I know that sounds oxymoron but it's grey with a hint of taupe so not cold.

 

[kristaje]

Thanks Westminster!

I know what you mean by hogs bristle a bit yellow. Maybe because it was so popular sometimes ago, it also feels a bit dated somehow.

What do you usually use for the ceiling? White or Lexicon 1/2?

 

[westminster]

Thanks Westminster!

I know what you mean by hogs bristle a bit yellow. Maybe because it was so popular sometimes ago, it also feels a bit dated somehow.

What do you usually use for the ceiling? White or Lexicon 1/2?

Hmmm I've never painted a ceiling so I don't know the rules for matching but I assume if it's not ceiling white then it would be lexicon 1/2

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

I haven't painted myself in a while, but I put myself through high school and uni working in a Bunnings paint department.

Generally go for plain white for a ceiling.

If you do want to match it to the walls, a 25% or 50% mix of the wall colour can work well if they're light colours. It becomes a slightly different colour but complements the walls well.

Make sure it's a flat paint (hides the flaws which almost all ceilings have). Dedicated ceiling paint isn't as durable as regular wall paint, but it's slightly thicker so it won't drip (as much) and goes on well in a single coat.

Antique White (USA) is a long time stable colour. A bit boring but a reliable choice. It matches almost anything. I used to have the formula committed to memory.

 

[vaughan]

I recently discovered Vivid White ceiling, with half-strength Vivid White walls. Looks fresh.

On a more serious note, I've found Hog Bristle to be very dependent on the quality and colour of the light. I have a hall with 12 watt warm white LED, and another room with a 48 watt cool daylight CFL. Looks like a different colour completely, despite both being HB/2.

 

[wobbycarly]

Just done a whole house with "Sandy day" half strength, with full strength on trim; seems to hold its color regardless of time of day. (White ceilings) Also recently started PPOR with "Light Rice" half, but with a white trim and a darkish brown (can't remember the name) for the doors.

(Will have before and afters of the reno when it's finished in a couple of weeks.)

 

[travelbug]

I wouldn't put a dark brown bench top.
We now use Pure Mineralstone. It is laminate and looks like a natural stone.
I did it in gloss finish once and it looked amazing but you could see water marks on it. I do matt finish now. We get gloss poly cupboards. Picture below.
We've changed handles for new ones now. I was getting sick of those ones, too common.

We used Hog Bristle 1/4 on most of our places. Changing to something more modern now. Ceiling just plain ceiling paint.

 

[MIW]

Hi All,

We'd be doing an overall internal renovation on an IP. Could I please ask for what colour scheme you usually use? We prefer neutral colour scheme that can last long (not get dirty easily). IP is in Orange NSW, ex-housing area, so nothing flashy.

We usually use colour scheme below, but thought I'd look around for other ideas too.

Wall - hogs bristle 1/2
Ceiling - white USA
Wooden trim - white USA
Carpet - riviera mocha
Kitchen cabinet - shiny white
Kitchen bench top - dark brownish stone-like

Thank you

Kitchen bench tops I wouldn't make them dark, make them light, like Formica Laminate in "Cocoa Sand" or if more expensive for Caesarstone use "Fresh White Range" or "Osprey". Also, I wouldn't make the carpets too dark!
It really depends on what the property is like an where it is located. Close to water I like sandy colour schemes, cheaper versions I like slightly greyish...

 

[chilliblue]

People in Orange prefer the warmer brighter colours so nothing dark

 

[wylie]

We've just had a house painted in Dulux Whisper White. It is a white with just a hint of green or grey, or putty, very subtle. I cannot put my finger on it. This photo looks "putty" to me but in real life it is harder to pick a tone. The ceilings in this photo are not finished either and look darker than the wall but they are a nice crisp matt white now.

This house was so dark we needed a light colour. I am happy with this as it looks different in different rooms. This photo is the internal rooms which were the darkest. We put in four LEDs per room. The gloss in this photo is not done. It is just undercoated. Once glossed, it will pop.

I'm thinking of using this colour in other houses. Over the years I've painted houses, thought to myself "I'll put this in a glass jar and label it so I know what to use for any touch ups" but I've never done that. There is always a mad scramble trying to find the right tin, and then it usually has gone off.

Glass jar is the way to go.

 

[EN710]

We've just had a house painted in Dulux Whisper White. It is a white with just a hint of green or grey, or putty, very subtle. I cannot put my finger on it. This photo looks "putty" to me but in real life it is harder to pick a tone. The ceilings in this photo are not finished either and look darker than the wall but they are a nice crisp matt white now.

I think it's mainly the lighting. Whisper White looks a tint of greenish/grey on my previous reno - bottom pic. Love the tone, I much prefer this than yellowish/ warmer white

 

[kristaje]

Thank you so much!

Thank you, All, for the sharing your colour schemes. Many good suggestions there, some colour I haven't come across before, so I'll google them and check them out!

Seems like most people are using flat white for ceiling, so will stick to this. I noticed Wobbycarly is using stronger colour for trim, I never thought about that!

I'll check out lighter colour benchtop. Re. carpet, I'm actually not personally a fan of dark colour myself. I usually use cream or pebble-ish colour for our more expensive IPs, but use darker colours for cheaper ones - as turnaround on this IPs are usually higher and lighter colour is easier to get dirty, plus sometimes the stain won't come off! The colour I usually use (mocha) is a very strong though, and also very brown/yellow tone, so I may go with darker grey/slate this time.

Wylie, that's a really nice looking house! Nice floorboard too!

About lighting, do you usually use yellow/white-ish tone? I usually use yellow-ish tone in living room and bedrooms, but whitish one in dining, bath, and laundry. Definitely lightbulb, not big fan of fluorescence

 

[chilliblue]

Thank you, All, for the sharing your colour schemes. Many good suggestions there, some colour I haven't come across before, so I'll google them and check them out!

Seems like most people are using flat white for ceiling, so will stick to this. I noticed Wobbycarly is using stronger colour for trim, I never thought about that!

I'll check out lighter colour benchtop. Re. carpet, I'm actually not personally a fan of dark colour myself. I usually use cream or pebble-ish colour for our more expensive IPs, but use darker colours for cheaper ones - as turnaround on this IPs are usually higher and lighter colour is easier to get dirty, plus sometimes the stain won't come off! The colour I usually use (mocha) is a very strong though, and also very brown/yellow tone, so I may go with darker grey/slate this time.

Wylie, that's a really nice looking house! Nice floorboard too!

About lighting, do you usually use yellow/white-ish tone? I usually use yellow-ish tone in living room and bedrooms, but whitish one in dining, bath, and laundry. Definitely lightbulb, not big fan of fluorescence

Warm lights for residential.

 

[wylie]

Warm lights for residential.

I like warm white too, mostly. Cool white can work in certain places but warm white gives a more "warm" feeling. The cool white can feel cold and clinical, depending on style of house, furnishing, room use etc.

 

[Allgood]

"I haven't painted myself in a while, but I put myself through high school and uni working in a Bunnings paint department"

Peter, how often did you used to paint yourself?? Ahem, sorry!

 

[BayView]

Half China White - no yellow, warm, contemporary.

Look up our house on the link in my sig, and you will see a whole house of it.

 

[travelbug]

I'm thinking of using this colour in other houses. Over the years I've painted houses, thought to myself "I'll put this in a glass jar and label it so I know what to use for any touch ups" but I've never done that. There is always a mad scramble trying to find the right tin, and then it usually has gone off.

Glass jar is the way to go.
]

This is why I stuck with Hogs Bristle 1/4. All houses pre 2012 are Hog Bristle 1/4 with same feature wall colour. So easy for touch ups.

 

[DaveM]

Just did my ppor in Dulux Silkwort 1/4, silkwort full and british paints universal.

Apart from one wall I am not happy with, happy with the rest

 

[kristaje]

Thank you, All, for sharing your preferences on paint colour and lighting.

Seems like most people use warm white lighting for resi.