I know this is going to come as a huge shock to everyone but yes… I am going to be abandoning my glorious deep indigo dining room and turning back to the light side. No, it’s not because Rey is such a kick ass Star Wars character (because oh my god she so is) but because psychologically, I need to.
Ya see, here’s the thing. The dining room has been dark for a very very long time. Before I painted it in Dulux Wild Water 1, I’d painted it in Dulux Night Jewels 3 – a deep grey quite similar to Farrow & Ball’s Downpipe.
what the dining room used to look like in dark grey
Yep, pretty much as long as we’ve lived here (going on 5 1/2 years now!), the room has been painted in a deep shade. Now, I initially wanted to keep it dark. You know how much I love a good moody interior and darker paint colours are just sexy as hell. So yes, I still love that whole look. But just not for in here. Not any more.
The British weather has a lot to answer for in this particular case. We have had a particularly miserable winter which followed on from a particularly miserable summer here in the North West. The sun has been absent to the point where I think I’ve seen it less than a handful of times in the last 6 weeks – and even then, it was only for an hour or so at a time. Little wonder when my Twitter feed explodes with OH MY GOD THERE’S A GIANT FIREBALL IN THE SKY WE’RE ALL DOOMED #Manchester on those rare occasions it managed to come out.
A rare sunny day in the middle of last summer! Happily, we all survived the Giant Fireball of Manchester 2015.
This means this already dark room gets even DARKER. Taking pictures in this space has been challenging – my photos end up grainy due to the lack of light and even though at times the blue colour looks glorious in photographs, in reality, it rarely looks that vivid. I’m tired guys. I’m tired of living in the dark.
Add to that fact, I haven’t been able to use my office nearly as much as I’ve wanted to the last few months. Having a puppy that needs space to run about and needs attention and needs to be able to tell me (by running to the back door) when he needs to ‘go’ means I work very often from the dining room table. Sad but true!
The reality of my working day: A rare shot of Pablo who is never far away and Quito who was obviously smaller when this pic was taken! Also, notice all the crap that piles up on that sideboard. #keepingitreal
And of course, it won’t always be like this – he’s still just a baby (nearly 9 months old right now) but soon he’ll be becoming more and more of an independent adult dog and that means in time, I’ll be able to return to using my office on a more regular basis. But for now, it’s important that I can keep a close eye on him, allow him a little bit of freedom and be with him as much as I can. So, that means using the dining room needs to be a pleasurable experience for me to spend so much time in and right now, it isn’t.
One last point… at the moment, the living room (at the front of the house) is painted in a pale grey and my kitchen (at the back of the house) is painted in a brilliant white. I feel like the dining room (which sits in between) is like a little reverse oreo in my house. It doesn’t feel as connected to the other rooms as I’d like it to because it’s like a little black hole in the middle of two pale rooms. I want more of a connection between them all.
Now, you may think after all this that I might choose to paint the dining room in a brilliant white. Alas, with rooms that don’t get an enormous amount of light, that would actually be a big mistake. Pure white ends up looking dirty in low light and while you might think it will brighten it up, the reverse is true. It would only feel more depressing.
If there’s one thing that totally surprises me, it’s the fact that I painted my living room (a North East facing room) in Dulux Dusted Moss 2 over 5 years ago now (!) and I have never once wanted to change it. I love the colour – it’s soft and neutral and even when I changed the entire colour palette, it still worked. In fact, it’s the one paint colour I get asked about the most by readers! So you guys seem to like it too. So with that experience firmly in my head, I’m going with pale grey in the dining room as well.
Dulux Dusted Moss 2 – not depressing but actually quite lovely
Now, I’ll be honest (see, told you one of my goals is to show flaws and all here on Swoon Worthy) – I actually feel strangely GUILTY about using what could be seen as a bit of a ‘cop out’ colour. It’s like I should be doing something crazy and daring and bold because that’s kind of what people expect of me now ;) However, I want to add that you haven’t seen the rest of the design and yes, there will be risks involved and there will be colour involved – just not in the paint colour!
And yes, I’m kind of sad to see the dark blue go. It is a glorious colour and I don’t regret having it for a few years. It’s just time for change now.
Goodbye lovely blue!
Also, if I had total freedom to do whatever I wanted, I would have loved to go blush pink in this room but I know full well that Wayne would KILL ME if I did that. Never. going. to. happen. So yeah, pale grey it is. Possibly the same shade as the living room or possibly Farrow and Ball’s Cornforth White which I know works well in British grey/blue light – I need to get paint samples but that’ll happen soon enough.
There’s more on the walls (and everything else) that I’ll be sharing with you soon, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, do you hate me now? PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME I PROMISE I’LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU JUST WAIT PLEEEEASE!!
Oooh, please tell me you’re going to add the colour to the ceiling!!??
**waits with baited breath**
You’re going to have to help me choose some wallpaper soon too. I’m updating my living room this year. ALL CHANGE!
xx
I’ll be honest, it was a consideration!! But no – you’ll have to wait and see like everyone else, Karen! Ha! ;) And YAY on wallpaper – it may be making an appearance in here too, fingers crossed! xx
Welcome to the world of light! Ha! I’ve had all my walls (I was allowed to paint our rented home) in Swedish White by Dulux which loved! Now that we’re in a Victorian terrace I’ve actually gone lighter with pure brilliant white and loving it because it brings out all the other accents so beautifully like wooden floors and dark window frames :-)
I have brilliant white in my kitchen but that’s it! Ha! It does look beautiful and so many rooms I’ve pinned on Pinterest are white and fabulous ;) There’s definitely room for the whole spectrum in my life! xxx
Ah wonderful! As much as I agree that dark rooms are sexy, I love light rooms for living spaces as I get really bummed out by grey weather and even more when the living space feels dark all the time. But light spaces aren’t boring! I mean, just look at your amazeballs living room. I know you’ll make your new dining room design pretty amazing too! Can’t wait to see your plans :-)
Aww thanks darling and agree – going white or pale does NOT mean boring – not at all! And to be honest, I still adore my black walls in the bedroom but maybe that’s because it gets so much light in there during the day it never feels depressing. This room, however, ughhhh just drains the life out of me lately! Time for change ;) xxx
From one dark blue dining room owner to another, it’s sad to see it go, but isn’t that the best thing about paint? You can take risks and change it up and it’s not nearly as expensive or wasteful as getting all new furniture. For what it’s worth I LOVE that dusted moss color and can totally see it in a dining room. And do I spy the Bangale print in your dining room? Swoon. It’s been a longtime love of mine but it just doesn’t fit into our current house. Can’t wait to see what you do with the space!
Absolutely the best thing about paint! :D It’s so transformative and yet it’s not that expensive, win-win. Oh and yes, it is the Manuel Canovas Bengale fabric! I love it too, wish I’d done all the chairs at the time but they will all end up recovered in a different fabric to fit the new scheme! Thanks so much hun, I’m so happy so many people seem to support the change – yay! I was kind of expecting a lynching! lol xxx
i can’t wait to see! i went from dark to light last year and am so happy! although i truly loved both ways!
Yay! Oh it’s good to know someone’s gone from dark to light and didn’t regret it! :D I can’t wait to get going on it, chomping at the bit now!! xxx
I think it’s good to have a change. Bold design definitely doesn’t have to mean dark walls. I was totally banned from painting our open-plan kitchen dark, but it just forced me to get creative. The walls are now off-white (slaked-lime mid by Little Greene) but the personality has been injected through oversize art, a huge rug, vintage textiles and a strip of log wallpaper! Can’t wait to see what you have planned.
Totally agree that bold doesn’t have to equal dark! Your kitchen sounds amazing, love the sound of that! xxx
I like this almost white walls! Everything looks so pretty
Thanks Anastasia! Looking forward to getting started! xxx
Kimberley,
I don’t think going light and neutral with the wall color will be a problem. You will still be able to use dramatic colors elsewhere in the room. I understand about the light. I am also very much affected by light and need reflective paint colors to enhance the light and keep my mood happier! Dark rooms are the worst! Good luck with the dining room renovation. I can’t wait to see what you do.
That’s the plan Debbie! Colour and contrast will be brought in through other means – going light and neutral doesn’t have to mean boring, right? I still love my black bedroom but the dark dining room definitely needs to go! xxx
And that is always my conundrum when it comes to dark walls! We own a small home with deep eaves and tons of shade trees – not exactly light and bright. When I bring in deep colors or grays, the paint literally eats what little light I have. (But I love dark, saturated paint that hugs all the walls and corners!)
So go light and bright! Especially if you work in that space and need more light ; ) Can’t wait to see the transformation!
Dark paint colours really do look so beautiful but I could never bring myself to use dark colours in every room – I would go crazy without a bit of brightness (maybe why I lived with the dining room for so long – because it was sandwiched between two bright rooms!). But agree, it’s difficult to work in here all day long. Not sure how Abigail Ahern does it without getting SAD! ;) xx
I am not surprised at all! I LOVE dark, inky walls with a passion but have come to the conclusion that I will only use them in rooms or areas that have no natural light – in other words, going with it, rather than against it, if you get my drift?! am a big fan of brilliant matt white but have used Cornforth in the past and agree it’s a beautiful version of white. By the way, having read your How to Become a Blogger posts over the weekend, I have taken the plunge and written my first entry as a new hobby. You have honestly inspired me. I love your blogs and my heart skips a beat every time I see a new post from you. So, thank you!
Totally understand that reasoning and I think dining rooms actually can work wonderfully if they are dark as you tend to use them in the evenings generally! It’s just that I use mine all day and it’s sapping my energy :D Nice to know that you’ve used Cornforth as well and loved it – I’ve heard so many good things about it, definitely worth a try! And I’m SO pleased my post helped! Awww that is such a sweet thing to say so thank you for making my day with that comment! Best of luck on your blogging adventure (love the name – ha!) :) xxx
I like that plan! Even though I’m a fan of, and about to go dark, your living room really works and I think the same wall colour in the dining room will compliment your furniture colours. Can’t wait to see what you’ll do in there and whether it will relate to your kitchen plans. also, thank you for introducing me to two of my other favourite bloggers and designers – abigail Ahern & Sarah awkisombe. Even though I’m going dark, it made me realize what a great blogger you are that you’ve ignited my interest so strongly when it very rarely is including a few shops – you’ve a great talent for sharing info.
Aww thanks Nic – it’s so nice reading all these supportive messages, I was expecting a lynch mob! Ha!! And I’m so happy you discovered Abigail Ahern and Sarah as well – they are both fab and inspiring :) Thanks so much for your lovely comment, that is such a sweet thing to say!! Mwah! xx
Also that wrapping paper trick in the frame is so effective.files it in to do later
Ha! Totally a happy accident that one but I’ve left it up because I think it still looks cool :D xxx
Love your blog so I just subscribed and can’t wait to see all the goodies you have lined up for 2016. I do love your blue room but can totally understand you wanting to change. I have cranberry in our dining room for years and still love it but (living in Ireland) I really want to change to either grey or taupe to get more light in there. Looking forward to see what ya got for us.. Woohooo and Best of Luck!!
Marie
Thank you so much for subscribing!! Oh I do love the cranberry colour for walls, it’s just lush but yes, our countries don’t exactly have a monopoly on bright light so it’s a bit of a challenge living with it ;) Good luck with your own plans! xxx
My last house was all darker moody colors. When we moved into our current house, I longed for light and bright. Painted everything white and still loving it. Makes everything look bigger and my dark wood furniture pieces pop. Excited to see what you do, as I could use more color in the “accessories dept”.
Oh it’s always good to hear from others who’ve gone from dark to light and didn’t regret it ;) Thanks so much hun and yep, there will definitely be more colour by way of the accessories and accents! Stay tuned xxx
I get really narked when people say that light colours in interiors aren’t daring or confident. Not because I live in an almost all white house and happen to love it (photos are easier to take with the light too!) but because it leaves you feeling that you’re not being experimental enough. Well screw that! I know you’ll still inject your glamour and make a statement out of the space and I can’t wait to see it! X
Totally agree that light does NOT equal boring and your home is testament to that! Thanks so much lovely, I can’t wait to get started! :) xxx
Okkkkk now i understand the picture s you have been putting on pin interest. I ave the same problem my kitchen /diner is north facing, at the moment it is light blue but it can still be quite dark. I would like something light but different, back to the mood board lol xxx
Ha! Yes there’s always a method to my madness ;) It’s a difficult thing working with the lack of light in our part of the country! Best of luck on your moodboard Pauline! xxx
Dude, if it’s not working for you anymore, change it! You certainly don’t owe us dark and moody walls.
Also: YAY PABLO!!! :D
Aww cheers my dear! I am so happy so many people are supporting my decision – I honestly was expecting a lynch mob! LOL! And YAY PABLO INDEED! He so rarely gets a showing here, bless him ;) xxx
Don’t worry. We won’t leave you whatever you do. I’m sure it’ll be great and I can’t wait to see what else you have in store.
Thank you so much Sueli! I’m looking forward to getting started!! xxx
I could never hate you! Part of your allure is your willingness to explore what you love and what works. You are not afraid to do what you want no matter what the current “trend” and that is what I love about you. I have some dark walls, some medium walls and have been getting into more light walls in my house. Go with what you need and what feels right for you. We are all just along for the ride :) Just tell the judgy people to hush. Oh, and that pale gray is quite lovely and about the shade I’ve been considering for my great room.
Awww THANK YOU Lynne!! That’s exactly the thing though – it’s great to experiment and figure it all out along the way and I’ve loved the blue walls (still do in fact) but it’s just not working for me any longer so time for change :) xxx
Don’t blame you one bit! Just having a week of rain over the holiday was depressing. I cannot imagine not having sunshine! I cannot wait to see what you do. I know it will be fabulous!
The rain can be SO depressing! The sun has come out today and I can already feel my mood lifting ;) Can’t wait to get started to take advantage of what little light we’re getting at the moment! Thanks so much! xxx
I hear you about the lack of light as I live close by in Huddersfield. Originally from Dublin where we lived close to the coast and the light was different. As a Dog Trainer I applaud your dedication to Quito, you are giving him the security that will teach him that his folks are reliable and that life is good.Love that Dulux colour.
Ahh yes, we’re not getting much sunshine at the moment are we, Trish? It’s bloody depressing!! And thank you so much for your comment about Quito – his happiness is really important to us and we want a healthy well-adjusted dog (and not one that gets ignored all day). He’s a little star, we love him to bits :) xxx
I’m loving dark rooms right now and I find them really cocooning and cosy, however I agree that they are totally rubbish for taking photographs. I also get what you mean about working in a dark room, not very motivating or energizing. They are more suited to relaxing and snuggling up with a blanket. I’m excited to see what you do with the space though. Looking forward to your updates x
There is DEFINITELY a place for dark rooms and I still love the way they look so totally agree with you there! I still love it in my bedroom too but working all day in this room has gotten depressing – ha! Time for change ;) xx
I think you have to do it! I live in Manchester – quite close to you and we have very similar shaped and aged houses. My dining room at the back is painted Hick’s Blue, which I love, and my front is Cornforth White. I too tried to take pictures in my back room over the dark ages (otherwise known as Christmas) and it looked like I lived in a cave! Luckily I don’t photograph that room often, but I hear you! The thing I do really like about it though is that things ‘pop’ against it really well especially brass, white and yellow (as you will know). I use this room mainly at night so it’s staying as it is for now. Having said that the front room that is CW is amazing! It changes with the light (when we get it) and makes the room feel really ‘open’ in a way I can’t quite put my finger on. I will warn you that when you first use it, it looks lilac! I nearly fainted when I started to paint, but it got a lot better after the first coat had dried. I love it now. I’m really interested to see how you’ll translate the boho-vibe in a lighter room again. Bring on the mood board I can’t wait! (Sorry for so many words…slow day at the coalface today!)
I LOL’d at ‘the dark ages aka Christmas’ – hahaha! God yes, that’s what it’s felt like!! And I think if we only used this room as it was intended (so generally in the evenings), I’d not mind it as it is but goodness, it’s tough working all day in the dark, I’m not enjoying it! So good to know you have used Cornforth and love it – oh and thanks for the tip on the lilac when it first goes on wet. I shall expect that then when I do my samples! I geniunely can not WAIT to get started xxx
Hey Kimberley! a controversial move, yes, but I totally get why you’re doing it. I also have a relatively light coloured house (though there is a bit of cheeky matt black in my living room now) with one completely indigo room. I know what you mean therefore about it sitting oddly with the rest of the house. I think there is probably something in that school of thought that talks about the flow of a house…! A useful tip too about white looking dirty in a room with little natural white – one to remember definitely – thanks!
Best of luck with the inevitable 6 coats of paint you’ll need to cover the blue (one of the reasons mine will probably stay blue for the rest of time!). really looking forward to seeing the end result.
Jill :)
Isn’t it funny that I’ve always rebelled a little bit in that regard – in terms of having a very set colour palette in my home (I mean, upstairs I have a black room, a mint green room and a pink room!) because I didn’t want to feel limited in how I tackled a space. But yes, while the ‘flow’ hasn’t bothered me up until now, suddenly I have this urge to have the downstairs quite unified and ‘flowing’!! :) I think that’s why design is just so cool – it allows you to express yourself in different ways at different times. As for the 6 coats, I am SO not looking forward to that at all! Ha! Thanks so much hun! xxx
I’m sure it will pull the downstairs rooms together really well, I am a fan of the dark side at present but think you have to go with what your heart and intuition tells you too. Good luck with it and I can’t wait to see the end result!!
Thanks so much Heather! I’m still a huge fan of dark interiors – I think they can be utterly gorgeous and I don’t regret having this room dark for all those years. Just time for a change I guess! :D xx
Hah! I absolutely knew it from reading your last blog post, in fact I wanted to state the obvious right there and then, but felt my comment might have appeared a little too cocky. We shouldn’t decorate our homes for our readers but for ourselves, and if that’s light or dark or wallpaper then that’s how it should be. Our homes should be a reflection of who we are as individuals not what other people feel we should be doing. I’m looking forward to seeing the design. Sharon x
Couldn’t agree more! Which is why I’m doing it! HA! I think if I took a public vote, most people would probably say to leave it ;) But well, I’m the one that gets to live with it so… it’s going! xxx
Whoop! Do you know what? It doesn’t matter what colour you choose, I just love change. Change is good for the soul. FACT. Besides, pale grey will ALWAYS be a winner, and from one ex dark blue girl to another, trust me, not only is it going to be amazing, but your mood will lighten with the wall colour. X
Hell yeah, I like change too and it’s just time for something different! I’m so excited!! xxx
I love that light gray! It looks similar to what I painted my living room. I love the navy too and was dying to have a dark/moody bedroom, but it gets very little light and I was afraid it would be depressing, so we did one dark navy accent wall and the others are white. I was afraid it would look tacky but we really like it so far! And that’s the great thing about paint. If you get tired of it, just paint over it! (Actually I make my husband. I hate painting).
Haha Kaylee! Sounds like you found a great compromise ;) Oh I do all the painting here so I’m kind of dreading all those coats that are going to be needed! Loved the room like this for ages but it’s definitely time for a change ;) xx
Oh I think it’ll be gorgeous! I’m with you on the “no sunlight” problem, I love a dramatic colour but I’ve gone for lighter shades on most of my walls cos I was afraid it would be like living in a cave otherwise. Can’t wait to see what else you have planned :)
Aww thanks my dear! I just feel like it’s been miserable here for far too long and I’m done being desperate for a bit of brightness! Bring on the light dammit!! :D xxx
Six months ago I painted most of my living space bm chantilly lace. I really wanted pink damask but was out voted. I love all the white. A breath of fresh air. So I’ll be looking forward to your changes. Even though I was voting for the burgundy!
Oh I would have loved going for a blush in here but no way he would have let me! lol It’ll be a nice change regardless I hope and I’m so looking forward to getting started – eek!! xxx
Hell, change is as good as a rest girl! We don’t love you just for your blue walls, we love you and your style. It’s your home and you’ve got to love it, AA hasn’t got the monopoly on colour, don’t forget it was once Kelly Hoppens neutrals that got us fired up. Nothing is constant except for change, you could be ahead of the curve! Jx
Aww thank you so much Jane!! You are too sweet. And just wait – everyone will be going grey soon thanks to me! (Ooops wait, everyone already has done! LOL!) xxx
I think the weather is a reason the Germans love light colors so much too ;) can’t wait to see it and I adore the photos of the furry kiddos.
Aww thanks darling and yes, I can see why they do it! The room has been great and I loved the deep blue but I’m really looking forward to just lightening and brightening everything up :D xxx
We’ve just finished replacing all our bold and dark rooms (sudbury yellow lounge, picture gallery red master and moss green spare soon to be nursery) with dulux chic shadow and pure brilliant white woodwork and I absolutely love how fresh and bright it all feels, also all the rooms feel bigger and my accent colour accessories really stand out now. I wish we’d done this a while a go. I’m also based NW (East Cheshire) so the sun is a distant memory for us too.
Aww see this is what I’m looking forward to Jo – just a nice fresh looking space! Goodness, it’s been SO grim lately, whatever bit of light I can get is desperately needed ;) xxx
Many people don’t realise that dark walls work only in certain interiors and under certain conditions. Light and lighting plan play a major role. Lack of natural light should be substituted with lots of artificial day and night light/scenes. It all comes down to experience. Also dark colours covering large areas never last as long as lighter shades, exactly as you said. You get bored quicker. I use dark colours mainly in bathroom design but work predominantly with grey, neutral colours upon which we build the colour scheme. It doesn’t mean it’s boring or lazy. There are tons of ways to introduce colours onto a neutral canvas like you did in your living room. I’m glad you’re on the right track. Let the colours flow. See your home as one cohesive space but each room has it’s own character, purpose and function. Xkb
The thing is, I actually don’t mind this room being a bit dark, I just can’t work in it all day as I’ve been doing with so little light outside as well. I don’t think it was a mistake or anything and as it’s been dark for 5 years, I’ve loved it but it’s just time for a change :) Agree though that it really depends upon the space! xx
Great post- I think its fantastic that you are having a redec, what a fabulous way to start the new year. Its really feeding creativity to play around with colour in your home and you know what works for you and your home. (I too love the indigo by the way!)I’ve written a blog, hilariously at the same time as you, giving my advice on how to tackle decorating a dark room with limited natural light. It’s quite a contradiction but that’s what I love about design- it’s subjective and in my view, the best actions taken, is buy the person who has to live there! Looking forward to you posting more pictures
http://www.sophierobinson.co.uk/how-to-decorate-dark-rooms/
Oh ya know, I actually totally agree with your post! Ha! The funny thing is, thinking about it – it’s really because the function of this room has changed. While it’s fabulously cosy as a dining room to be used in an evening, it’s just not great for a working environment (especially when it’s been so grim lately). I’ve loved it for a long time dark but it’s definitely time for change ;) Thanks so much for your comment Sophie! xx
Surprised? Yep. But your rationale makes total sense. With the gallery wall gone too, your dining room is really transforming. I’ll be here following along as always!
Aww thanks Hollie! I know, I’m a little sad if I’m honest but really looking forward to the changes in here ;) xx
Excited…Surprised…but I know that no matter what your dining room will still look HOTT. You are super talented and I look forward to seeing what you do!
Aww that’s so sweet of you Jessica!! Thank you, can’t wait – bring on the changes!! xx
I’m so with you! We’re moving next month and I’m unsure whether to go dark and follow my heart with the living room…or start light x
http://www.digital-diva.co.uk
Oooh exciting! I’ll always say follow your heart – if you want dark, why not? You can always repaint it ;) xxx
Not gonna lie. I kinda hate you just a smidge because you know #teammoody and all. BUT youre amazing and i know it will look amazing no matter what. Cant wait to see the transformation babe.