Neutral paint colours

eddddy

Those of you that have been looking at new builds, new conversions and newly refurbished properties - what paint colours are you seeing being used? And what looks best to you?

A few years back the standard neutral colours were magnolia walls and brilliant white woodwork.

For period property conversions/refurbs especially, I'm now seeing a lot of pale grey walls and contrasting pale grey woodwork (or white woodwork).

Is that what others are seeing and liking?

I'm interested in opinions on neutral inoffensive colours - rather than anything bold, which some people might love, but others hate.

TripleH

Our new build has white walls and grey carpets, with the bright white bulbs it gave us a headache but that is 'the fashion'

We've painted one bathroom almond white and another pale green.

I think anything off-white but with a very small hint of colour unless the preference is uniformity. Changing some bulbs for yellow helps break up the whiteness which to me is cold and clinical and a house not a home.

propertyhunter

A relative of mine bought a new build in the past year, and most walls were brilliant white. The kitchens tend to have units that are dark blue shaker style, such is the fashion. 

Agree about the cool white bulbs - awful inside, leave them for the car headlights. 

Doozergirl

I hate the grey.  Really hate it.  Developers
seem to pick really steely greys that have no warmth to them at all and they make everything grey; walls, woodwork, floors, kitchens.  It can clash terribly with other choices, particularly warm coloured woods - which most woods are.
 

I'd much rather see natural coloured neutrals and woods that are genuinely inoffensive to most people.  

If I were developing a house as a blank canvas, I might choose something similar to F&B's School House White.  Warmer than brilliant white, cooler than the yellow tones of Magnolia and would probably suit people with different tastes in furnishings and definitely not clash.  
 

tizerbelle

Not grey, please no, no more grey, there's too much grey.  You look on rightmove and think "black & white pics?" No, its just every room has been painted grey.  And its not just inside - have seen a few houses with grey render.  It's awful, dreary and dismal. 

TripleH

Our cats are doing their best to sort the grey carpets out.

I know you're not meant to decorate a new build but as ours was finished in May and we bought in October, we have painted some rooms and have the paint left to touch up.

My parents had their holiday cottage white, but it had exposed beams they emphasised. Also hanging stuff on walls can help break up the white.

Mahsroh

The house we’ve bought has a mixture of mostly grey or white painted by the previous owners (obviously).

Personally we quite like the grey (it is quite soft/light though) but i can’t stand the plain white walls. The two rooms that have it are the ones i intend to paint first and put our own stamp on it. It just looks to clinical. If the landing had blue Lino (thankfully it doesn’t) it would look like the corridor at our doctors surgery! 

There will never be a right or wrong answer though, it’s down to personal preference as emphasised by this thread! 

MovingForwards

New builds and the majority of old(er) properties seem to be grey, it's refreshing to see an unmodernised property with vibrant wallpaper and carpets!

Flugelhorn

oh yes the GREY! awful, I see places recently refurbed or new and I just think I would have to change it all. I mean do they do bathroom tiles / walls  / floors in anything other than grey these days ?

deannagone

Another grey intolerant person too.  Its such a dull colour although I am aware you can get blue greys or pink greys.  I look around at people dressed in those awful grey hoodies and joggers, they always look dirty and dull.  I prefer light coloured walls with just a little bit of contrasting bright colours to liven the area up.  I live in a fairly dark house (lounge is very dark), so anything to lighten it up, I love.  I have lived in lighter places and loved them (i.e. they received more sunlight, this house is surrounded by high buildings and the windows aren't massive so its quite dark all the time).  So mirrors and white/light paints with contrasting colours dotted around.  I am fine with white light bulbs as personally I like that tone of light.

You are generally ok decorating a new build as long as its a water based paint so the walls can breathe.  

You learn by your mistakes, the first house I lived in (DIY Newbie) I painted peach thinking it would lighten it up.  Never again (it was years ago).  

firsttimespender

I quite like the greys, but my mother (a grey loather) yesterday rewound some property programme that was on specifically so I could rewatch the bit where they said grey is on the way out. So there’s that. I think classic ivory or magnolia is the best neutral base but if it looks at all scuffed or knocked about you can get that depressing unloved former rental impression so it does have to be immaculate. You might consider a very soft pink.