Hey, I'm Nicole! I share a shed load of paint tips, how to create beautiful interiors on a budget and our own home renovation projects. I also share my experiences of being a leaseholder and how to navigate the complexities of owning one. I believe that everyone is entitled to a beautiful interior which doesn't need to cost the earth. Please press subscribe to watch more! Nicole x
Due to the amount of emails and direct messages I receive regarding specific paint selections, I cannot respond to everyone individually. However, I do reply to all comments on my videos and this way it helps others looking for ideas please, thank you!
The same principles will apply in narrow spaces like that too:) happy to share some targeted examples if you send a blog comment and attach a photo of the space here; www.sleek-chic.co.uk/2023/04/lighten-a-dark-narrow-hallway.html
I was thinking of buying a flat, thank you so much for letting us know. I rather keep saving than spending money on something that will cause me problems in the future. Looking into houses, probably outside of London
I am looking at a house that is classed as leasehold as part of the kitchen in underneath one of the neighbours bedroom, which was done years and years ago. The current owner has been there 12 years and never had to pay any fees and the lease has another 989 years left. Is it possible for the payment to change say if the neighbours sold and the new owners came up with a price? How does it get agreed? I wouldn’t want this to affect me selling in the future. Thoughts please?
Ideally you need to get a copy of the lease as everything will be pertained in this. As far as charges go, the only thing that would increase would be service charges but it doesn't suggest they even have any. The lease can't be changed without your permission, the only thing that could happen in the future is if they sold the freehold to another company, but again they can only do things which are in-line with the lease.
Great video. We have a North facing hallway. We're probs going to go with dimity/Oxford stone/ jonas on the half height panelling etc paired with a complementary white e.g pointing and like a white on the ceilings and skirts and doors etc What do you think? Also thoughts on accent color may go with studio green handrail...does that mean we need to match the handrail with something else...thanks
Thank you! That sounds like a really good plan with colours so far, and a pop of colour on the rail will pull the scheme together. Not necessarily, although it helps if you can add that shade in somewhere else so it feels intentional, such on a vase or a decor accessory.
I'd go for something warm that is going to balance the darkness of the grey, I'd personally go for a warm white such as Natural Hessian or Almond White. If you're going to do an accent wall, just don't go for something too bold as it will create a really strong contrast rather than making the room flow well and feel cosy. Hope that helps!
Those terms sound really reasonable, nice long lease so you'll never have to worry about extending. Just try and get at least 2 years worth of history of service charges as this is the main expenditure that will go up year on year, good luck!
Thank you for making it harder to sell my flat. I need to move as i have cancer and cant cope with a 2 bed flat anymore. Its a lovely ground floor flat as well.
What would you do when you have a Narrow hallway in a flat but the radiator is on the smaller wall and the front door opens to the bigger one which wall would you put a shoe cabinet and mirror or pictures?
Morning! I'm struggling to visualise what that looks like, if you can upload an image to a comment on my blog I can give you targeted advice for how I would approach this :) - www.sleek-chic.co.uk/2023/04/lighten-a-dark-narrow-hallway.html
You have council tax for flats and houses which is often a monthly payment, generally the larger the property, the higher the band of council tax you pay
Leaning towards Green Smoke in my NE facing living room. I have lots of oak furniture, floors, fireplace (contemplating painting that GS also) and many openings, triple window, front door, staircase on one wall, 2 sets of double openings and one single opening. I'm usually very good at this but this room has been such a challenge. Being here 10 years, last project to tackle. Any words of wisdom?
If you want to lean into the darkness, use green smoke and colour drench everywhere, including the fireplace and ceiling! This will make the room feel darker in the corners that suck light though which is something to be aware of - alternatively, pair with something like Shaded White, green based white which will complement it and balance the depth of green smoke. Sometimes it's easier for me to visualise when I can see the space, so if you would like more advice, please attach an image to a comment on my blog so I can give more targeted advice, thanks! - www.sleek-chic.co.uk/2023/07/farrow-and-ball-north-facing-room.html
I'm painting my hallway, ceiling and upper walls are going to be Wimborne white and bottom half french gray, what would you suggest for doors, skirting and stair rail and bannisters?
Morning, if the bottom half is French Gray, I would paint your skirtings in the same colour as well as the architraves and doors. If you add another colour to skirtings you end up segmenting the walls in bands of colours. I would then introduce a punchier colour onto the stairs such as Red Earth. If you want something more traditional, Railings is a popular choice for the stair rail and bannisters or lean into the green tones of French Gray and add something like Treron to the stairs for definition. Hope that helps, Nicole x
Thanks Nicole. I have decided not to have a rail now on my stairway. I love your ides of French Gray on the stair rail and bannisters, I was thinking of maybe a Slipper Satin for ceiling and walls, what colour would you suggest for skirting, architraves and doors?
I have bought a home with south in Aus facing living room and bedroom. The present wall colours are a hideous daggy off white probably a warm white like she showed initially. A tradesman just commented that every home he goes into has walls the same, he agreed they are awful. I am looking to get deep and rich colour . The floors are lovely timber. I usually have very light and airy homes, this is different and needs substance that these weak colours won’t give
Hi I’ve got 82.5 years left on my lease. I’ve decided to extend my lease by 90 years now. I’ve got a £10 ground rent and extending isn’t that expensive. I knew legislation could take years to come through.
That seems really reasonable, good luck with the extension - I think if your predicted costs are exceeding £5k it's worth the wait if you can, but, who knows when the legislation will come in!
Share of freehold does have benefits over standard leasehold but it can create other issues - some of the comments here share their bad experiences of this route
I have a narrow dark hallway and was thinking of painting it School House White…what colour would work on the ceiling and skirting boards? I was going to do just brilliant white but after watching your video I am unsure… please help
Love skimming stone! Yes - so you can either use the same colour onto your skirting if you want to give the illusion of a bigger space, or I would go for something a couple of shades darker to add definition. I would use Dove Tale or elephants breath. If you want something with more of a greige tone, Vitty Green would work well. I also have a video on picking skirting colours with some other F&B examples if of interest :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aWmZsd9sv0U.htmlsi=46RNWKaiZ2vTUayM
It's so good! It does look like there are some distributors in the US, if you contact them they should be able to point you in the right direction; www.multipaneluk.com/distributors :)
It is always very helpful watch your videos, full of information. Thank you. Can you suggest me some color for my hallway. it is east facing but usually have less light throughout the day. Hallway is having grey wood floor. Stairs and doors are eggshell white painted with stairs having grey carpet.
Thank you! As you have those grey tones which are naturally dark, I'd add something warm toned, yellow, red or pink based to bring some warmth in. Look at Dimity, School House White, Oxford Stone or if you don't mind something a bit cooler, Skimming Stone has light grey tones so would pair well with your carpet and flooring. Hope that helps!
Thank you! Super heloful! working on a refresh of large kitchen/dining room with 9 Velux windows.... northfacing but bright. (with black marble work tops, putty coloured sofa and curtains, bamboo flooring Hate the coldness so Dimity/Joa's white top of my list thanks to you!
That's crazy - when you break it down, leasehold can be more expensive monthly, yet mortgage lenders don't ever seem to take service charges into consideration at that stage
I’ve used Sapphire Salute as a feature wall ,but struggling to come up with another colour for rest of walls in an east facing lounge with large patio doors .So good light ,with navy sofas ..Hoping to get a new carpet .there again I sort of liked a sage green one ,but now having second thoughts .🙄 Any advice would be appreciated .Just found your Channel .its just what I was looking for .So thank you
Thank you for watching! I'd go for something that will contrast but balance the darkness of the navy blue hues - are you open to a soft white with a warm undertone? Timeless, Natural Hessian and Almond White are worth considering as they add a bit of an earthy warmth. If you're considering a sage green, Apple White is a good one as it's more like a white with green undertones so you get that warmth but not too overpowering against Sapphire Salute. Alternatively, if you like blue, go for a lighter shade of blue for a coastal feel such as Blueberry White or Bright Skies. I'd get a few sample and paint an A4 sheet of paper so you can move around the room and see how it looks in the light against the navy blues, hope that helps!
What about darker warmer paints for halls?I have kids and unfortunately my walls are always dirty,marks etc..I used to have magnolia but it is too light;/
Totally get this, we have a dog and it's filthy constantly! I would personally use eggshell paint on the walls like skirting, more durable and easier to clean unlike emulsion which generally ends up taking the paint off when you rub it. You could also do panelling if you wanted something darker on the lower part of the wall. Is your hallway dark or does it get a lot of light? I can then suggest some shades that would work best :)
I believe they only came back from summer leave last week, so hopefully should hear something in the coming weeks, at present there is nothing else to go on.
Hi! Thanks! I need help. Live in the USA and need a color for a North facing bathroom. My vanity can be painted currently a neutral( brown/grey undertones) and my faucet is a brushed nickel.
Morning! If you're looking at just greens, I'd lean into your sage green tones for a north facing space, have a look at Farrow and Ball Mizzle, Vert De Terre or Moorstone, Sea Salt, Coastal Plain, I have listed my favourite Sherwin Williams greens here www.sleek-chic.co.uk/2024/07/sherwin-williams-green-paint-colors.html - if you are looking for whites, look for ones with a yellow, pink or red based undertone. Hope that helps, Nicole x
We have a navy kitchen with a dark worktop in a north facing kitchen/diner. What colour do you think we should paint the diner side? It's currently a dark grey that I hate! Everything else is standard newbuild white. Any recommendations? What do you think you would go for please?
Morning! I'd definitely go for something warm here that will counteract the blue light from the north facing light and also against the navy kitchen. I'd personally introduce a white or neutral with a yellow or red based undertone, look at Timeless, Natural Hessian or Jasmine White. For Farrow and Ball, they have a much wider selection with better undertones - look at Schoolhouse White, Wimborne White or Dimity which has a soft pink based undertone. Hope that helps, Nicole x
I love how smooth F&B paints are and that their colors do not vary. One thing I do not like about F&B is they keep their LRV values a secret. There is no way to get these values without asking them.
@@NicoleSage I cannot get over how SMOOTH it is!!! And the colors, like you said, are found NOWHERE else. I found a place in my new home for Pink Cloud, Setting Plaster and Templeton Pink. They all actually look more peachy beige than anything, which I LOVE. Thank you for these videos!
Hi! would you recommend kitchen wall color with i) dry kitchen wood cabinet (muji style) & ii) wet kitchen stainless steel cabinet :) im so stuck with choosing color 😭
@@terokasouls Thanks for letting me know! Okay, so I would go for a something warm and neutral here so balance with the wooden tones you have. For Dulux paints, look at Moon Shimmer (light green undertone and one of their brightest whites), Timeless, Fine Cream or Natural Hessian for a more rustic neutral. Do get a tester pot of your favourites and test on an A4 sheet of paper so you can move around the space to see how they feel, hope that helps!
Hi Nicole, I love watching your videos - thank you! I’m looking for some inspiration for my hallway. I’m based in the UK and love the “modern rustic” style. I want the space to feel warm and inviting, with neutral tones and a bold stair runner to add contrast. The hallway is west-facing and gets good light from the windows by the front door, and the layout is similar to a Victorian hallway. I need help with paint colours and where to use them (wood trim, skirting, panelling, ceiling, and walls). I’d like to keep the doors and stair handrail as they are and plan to add half-wall wainscoting. I’m leaning toward striped stair runners and have samples from Roger Oates (Sudbury, Cranborne Lichen, and Morella Emerald), but I’m open to other ideas. We love green but already have two green rooms, so we’d prefer not to paint the hallway green-perhaps something with a green undertone to complement the runner? I’m also considering a vintage-style mirror on the long wall facing the front door and a rustic console table, possibly in black. For reference, we have neutral oak vinyl flooring with sandy and brown tones, oak panel doors, and a simple oak handrail with chrome spindles. If possible, I’d love specific paint suggestions (brand and colours). Thanks again for your videos/blogs and any suggestions you can offer! X
Good morning, thank you so much! Sounds like a gorgeous vision in mind :) If you are doing half wall panelling, I would use the same colour on the panelling as you are on the skirting, if you introduce another colour on the skirting you end up segmenting the walls, and making the hallway feel shorter. I would personally use the same colour on the upper half of the walls and the ceilings so again, you aren't segmenting colour and your eyes will be drawn straight up to the ceiling. Based on the scheme, I would go for a warm neutral and a lighter tone on top of the panelling and instead use a green tone either on the mirror you choose or decor to tie this into the stair runner, you only need something small to match so the colour feels intentional. Alternatively, go for a moodier, darker look with a greige colour on the panelling so you have that tone of green. In terms of colours, here are some suggestions; Panelling colours - Dulux Natural Hessian, Egyptian Cotton or Gentle Fawn with Moon Shimmer above and ceiling or Frosted Dawn, both Dulux (this actually has a light green undertone to it) Farrow and Ball - Panelling - Skimming Stone, Blue Gray (if you want a light green tone and adds definition to lower half, Shadow Gray - and whites above and onto ceiling - All White. Wimborne White. Wevet. I'd also look at Coat paints, this have some great colours in their range. Hope that helps, there is honestly so many to choose from so totally depends what you are leaning towards but happy to send some more recs on here if needed, I'd also get a tester pot beforehand so you can see how it works in your specific light conditions, Nicole x
But surely there are many - maybe even the (silent) majority of leaseholders who are ... let's say content with their deal? Obviously most people would prefer to own their property outright, but let's be realistic - that is not always possible for many. And these videos (and comments) makes it seem like all leasehold deals are basically a scam. It's commendable to want to help, inform and warn people about potential pitfalls, but I'm sure there are some good leasehold deals to be had - or at least better than the only other option for many which is renting? I've recently had an offer on a nice leasehold 1 bed flat accepted (£110k), neat double story buildings, 4 flats/block, nice area, close to work (no frustrating daily commute) built in 2006, mostly older owner residents, 133yr lease, ground rent £44/6months, £999 service charge ... I'm single, in my fifties, no kids (actually no family in this country), spend most of my time at work - which I enjoy ... doesn't seem like a CON to me ... well I hope not. After watching some of these videos and reading comments I'm having some serious doubts. Not sure how to word this but the internet usually leaves one with the impression that the extreme cases are the norm... 'normal' not going to attract many views I suppose.
We all have different experiences with leasehold, I am sharing mine to highlight areas to look for so others don't get caught out like I did as it can be an extremely stressful and expensive place to find yourself in. There are good leasehold situations out there which I have heard from people commenting on my other videos, it's mainly those being operated by a large freeholder company in England when it can become complex and expensive. Congrats on having your offer accepted, the terms sound reasonable, if you can just do some research on the freeholder beforehand it will put your mind at rest, looking at reviews etc. Just be mindful that service charges do rise year on year so have a look at the last 2 years of accounts so you can see how much they increase by, going in with eyes wide open is the best way. I would join the national leasehold campaign group on Facebook and you can search in there the freeholders name, you'll also see lots of people with their different experiences within there, good luck.
@@NicoleSage Thanks so much for your response and advice. Sorry if there was an element of "shooting the messenger" in my first comment. The "consumer protection laws" in this country seem so strong that I kinda just assumed that will be the case when buying a leasehold as well - I realise now that was a bit naive of me. Although I do still feel that the internet tends to ... maybe polarize things/people, as the silent majority are usually .. well, silent (haven't heard anyone raving about leasehold though :) Anyway, thanks again.
Sinking charges usually do form the service charge - I’d check your lease if you can and see what it says in there about the charging of a reserve fund as that will allow you to see if it’s legally sound what they’re doing in line with your lease terms
There's a retro building in my seaside town that looks like a ship.. When I was looking to buy I didn't understand why people were trying to sell flats for 50k (which was way below the market value) , or even had no price listed, just "make me an offer". When I looked into it, the monthly service charges were £800 (yes, I said eight hundred)-- they were re-doing the electrics on the building. I always felt sorry for the owners having to endure such a massive price hike forcing people to sell asap.
Thank you! I later realised in my lease I should have told them, I think it’s because you need permission for a for sale sign to go up on the property! Ridiculous - but I didn’t get in any trouble 😅
@@NicoleSage thanks for the reply, I also bought in 2017 and it seemed to have been a year where prices hiked up, so now looks like I may make a loss. I will let my freeholder know im selling it. Keep up the good work, your channel will continue to grow
I live in a rental apartment. My entire apartment is dark. I have a narrow entryway hallway. I would like to use your ideas. You are the first person that has ever expressed not to use a white paint in a dark hallway. I would like to pick your brain if it is possible. I see that this video is a year old. I am hoping you can still help out.
It's a common misconception about a bright white as it's a fail safe route that has been drummed into us that it makes a space feel lighter... but only if you have lots of light available. However, instead you need to lean into white shades with a warm undertone - either yellow, red or pink based. Colour drenching with the same colour on skirting, ceiling and walls is also a good idea in a narrow space as it makes it feel bigger because your eyes aren't distracted by different colours. Then you can bring colour in through decor. Please do fire away with any questions on here and I will give you my recommendations :)
