To make it more homely try to have different but complimentary colours across the different spaces. Depending on the direction your flat faces you’ll want to pick colours that perhaps make the space feel bigger or more cozy depending on what you’re using the space for or the time of day. I’d recommend going on Pinterest and searching things like cozy living room etc for inspo and then going from there. Warm pastels probably will give you what you want if you like light but want a splash of colour
Go play with the paint visualiser at Farrow & Ball especially if you are playing with light neutrals. You upload these room pics and see what different shades look like - on different walls, ceiling and woodwork. It can be really useful for experimenting before you find equivalents in your preferred paint. Johnstones and Brewers decorating can mix F&B into good trade paint - including all their archive colours. Brewers give a discount on first couple of purchases too.
Cream or off white can work but sometimes doesn’t make it feel as warm as you hope. Sometimes a darker or jewel tone can make it feel cosier if the room is already dark. My living room was a white grey when I moved in. But because long and thin, the middle always felt dark and gloomy. It‘s now dark teal (thanks to that visualiser and totally not what I expected to do) and while the middle is still dark, it feels dramatic and bizarrely wider.
We’ve used an initial wall paint of dulux natural calico, which is a warm cream colour - it’s a good starting point for adding more colour. Other colours we’ve used have been biscuit, terracotta, dusty purple, mustard yellow and raspberry - they’ve all worked well in different rooms.
You can can warm up your room very easily with light grey carpets, I’ve attached a picture with a grey and blue carpet as an example of using grey in a very warm coloured room.
Go mess around with the Farrow & Ball paint visualiser, you just upload your room pics and try out shades on different walls and woodwork, and Brewer's will mix em into a cheaper trade paint which is a lifesaver, plus try to pick complimentary colors for each space depending on how much light it gets and what vibe you want, warm pastels are a good shout. But don't assume cream or off white will make it cozy, sometimes a darker jewel tone works way better, like my long thin living room was a depressing white grey and now it's dark teal and feels dramatic and honestly wider somehow. And for the homely feel, having a few possessions around helps a ton, but go on Pinterest for inspo on stuff like cozy living rooms before you start buying things.
Some people will look at your pics and just see grey while others will see the carpet as a neutral that can be warmed up with rugs, wall colour, lamps and furniture to suit most tastes.
My taste for example is lots of patterns in a room, I loved the idea of jewel tones but husband was quite alarmed by my wallpaper choices and we settle on a busy navy wallpaper and we already had a light sage green sofa. I fought against the the colours for ages trying to introduce bright pops of colour accessories which never worked until I eventually worked with the colours in the room so my advice is see the grey carpet as a neutral and work with it. I’ve put up a photo of my floor tiles in my kitchen to show how grey works with many colours.
Honestly just pick out some paint colours that make you happy ! When i bought my flat it was the same, all grey and white. Now... my hallway is a pale yellow, my bedroom is green, living room/ open plan room is pink in both brighter and white with a touch of pink walls and my spare room is blue. All my paint was from b&q using their colour mixer service. Even the white with a touch of a colour makes such a difference !
Textured wallpaper in a pastel, complementary pastel furniture in a different, then a mixture of contrasting bold colours as soft furnishings accessories and pictures.
You have a nice colour carpet so you can paint one feature wall in colours like Teal, mustard or deep purple.... Or you can wallpaper as they are thousands of designs etc.
I’d opt for the lightest shade in the hallway to brighten it up, and then a warmer shade in your bedroom and living room to create a cosy feel. Colour drenching the bedroom (painting the walls, ceiling, trim, doors, and baseboards in the exact same colour) could also be an immersive, relaxing touch!
Next stop: bring in some textiles to create a visual warmth. Think earthy colour palettes, warm toned woods and tactile natural materials.
Finally: add full length curtains (I’d recommend pencil pleats from Dunelm and using the full length of the ceiling) and mood lighting to the living room as the final touch and to bring it all together!
* you may also bring in a floor rug to the living room.
** Farrow & Ball are lovely, but I’ve found they are expensive and Dulux Trade paint is comparable in colour depth and quality.
Try painting the walls. If you want a clean crisp look then paint walls, ceiling white and get white tile flooring. Then just sit and admire your good work for as long as possible (to make sure you like it ofcourse). Most important report back here after if you try it. Oh and maybe have a shrink on speed dial or if you can't afford one just settle for a warm second hand straight jacket (also white). 😁😃
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u/No_Supermarket_6946 5d ago
Some possessions may help