Maybe you could paint just one wall in the dark colour and the rest light have an accent wall that’s quite popular. Dark colours all over can make the space too dim. I usually flick through my Interior design magazines for inspiration.
If you have even the smallest of areas for a small composter, it’s well worth it. Home composting is cheap and environmental friendly. Keep your egg shells to keep the snails away from eating your herbs. Dry them out in the oven after you have had the oven to utilise the heat after you have finished. Then crutch up and put on top of pots to deter the slugs and snails.
I absolutely love the reds you're thinking of doing. Definitely do the library dark! As the libraries of old grand houses were always dark and moody. I have the same as you, north facing living room, a dark middle room and south facing kitchen dining room. My husband is a professional painter and loves Farrow and Ball, we have dark black blue Haque in our living room and middle room. And you're so right it makes them so cosy. But it's Zara and your home go with your gut feeling and as usual it will look stunning!!!. Its only paint at the end of the day ❤
Thanks the UK has so many great gardeners and so many great inspirations. When I visited my cousins I made sure it was during the Chelsea flower show. Here in Houston Texas we can garden year round. I have many things blooming now. I wish you great success...and two chairs and a table to have coffee out in the garden. 😊
Great chatty vlog, Luke, on house, plants, paints and yummy food. Your dinner looked really tasty 😋The warmth of a rich colour is lovely but maybe not every wall, perhaps try a feature wall to start. We did that with our north facing room and love it. Love watching your updates.
I share all the joys of Spring and Summer with you, Luke. The lighter days, the birds singing, the blossom appearing, just love it, you can stick the winter, absolutely hate it with a passion! That clock is fabulous, really nice. OMG! I would love to come round to yours for tea, that food looks divine!
If you love the Farrow & Ball colours you are better off getting them colour matched. My hubby is a retired Painter & Decorator and he said all these expensive paints are not worth it. He also said don’t do your colour patches on the wall as depending on what colour you finally choose your patch work will show through. Get some A4 paper and do you colour patches on those so you can move them around the room so that you can see the colours in different lights.
Valspar will colour match any sample - so you can choose your Farrow and Ball colour and have it made up by Valspar. Their quality is great and it’s much more cost effective than Farrow and Ball. Also you can choose the type of finish you want - and they will make up sample pots too. I’d definitely recommend giving it a try. It’s the best paint we’ve ever used and I wouldn’t use anything else now.
You beat me to it! Just going to say the same. The decorator we used last year wouldn’t use F and B saying the quality wasn’t great so we had Valspar mixed to the colours we wanted
Valspar covers like a dream but have a look online re unpleasant smell that hangs about for months. That was my experience, had to paint over it. I'm a big fan of Little Greene.
Irrigation is the best water to water plants with out wasting water ! It’s cheep and easy to install but once you decide where and what plants to use the state has to go in as you plant and covered over with mulch .
If you put plants in a flower bed they will come back every year. Also i put flow fertilizer on plants when i plant them. Fertilizing them every month keeps them healthy and they grow bigger. I put sheep manure on flower beds every spring too. My flowers look beautiful because of it. If you have insects that eat leaves put broken egg shells around bottom of plants.
I’m completely obsessed with playing scales and exercises. They revolutionise my playing and I notice when I stop doing them for more than a few days. I play flute - not piano. It’s my job.
I can imagine the library in a darker color-dark and moody with a room filled with books! Add some plants, and perfection! I’m with you when it comes to to staying home. I am a lover of plants, my apartment is filled and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Watching from Florida, USA!! ❤
Your mini daffs can go directly in the garden but I guess you want to work on the borders first. Cut off the spent blooms but leave the greenery so they can renew their energy for next year's blooms :)))🌼 Love all the house and garden reno, paint samples and congratulations Zara on your new car!!! 🏎🏎🏎🏎 vroom ..vroom
Hi - I used Farrow and Ball Matt gloss on dining room chairs 8 years ago and they still look very good. I've never used their emulsion. I have my whole house painted in brilliant white and love the way it reflects the light. It takes on a different appearance in each room dependent upon the furnishings and soft furnishings. It is easy to change the vibe of a room by changing these rather than having to make sure they don't clash with walls. Artwork too looks very good against the walls. Be absolutely sure that you want to put dark colours on your walls. Of course this is my preference but I know so many people who have painted their walls only to have to 're-paint them several times because they are not happy with the colours or they tire of them quickly. Like you I am loving that Spring is just around the corner.
I agree. A neutral colour on the walls goes a long way. And then refresh with soft furnishings every so often. But never white for me specifically with kids 😝. My last sofas were a light ( leather) colour as I thought kiddies were older enough to live with that colour, and I regretted ever since, so 2023 was the year my sofas got replaced with still leather but a dark midnight blue that actually has a tiny bit of black. Love them! Easy clean and easy going. Then I replaced the rug with a lighter colour mix to be able to bring light in. Our home is big so thankfully can take some dark colours too 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉. Your home sounds lovely! 🥰
@@sleepycat8887 Dulux do wipeable paint. For scuff marks, marker pens, felt tip pen & crayon marks on any paint, apply a little neat dish soap then wipe off gently with a sponge.
Just yesterday I got a sample of f&b from our local family diy shop. When I paid for it the lovely man told me they could mix all the f&b colours using Dulux paint. He said they had more people do it that way than buying the actual paint. Also it's much cheaper!!
Nice to hear your news Zara. A fantastic idea for the irrigation system. Once connected then it's just a matter of setting the timer. A must for a couple like yourselves who holiday at short notice👏🤩😍
Hi Luke. What a lovely relaxing video I really enjoyed it and so nice to see the gorgeous 🥰 Maggie she really is adorable and it makes my day when you show her in your videos. I’m like you I’m all about summer I suffer from SAD so the autumn/winter is a real struggle for me especially living where I do in Scotland. I love the light nights and sunny mornings hearing the birds singing, love the cherry blossom 🌸 too. Can’t wait to see Zara’s new car it sounds lovely. Have a great week ❤️
NO Full dark. You have beautiful light. If you are a summer person, ou really may regret, caise depression with full dark. Enjoy your decoating. Keep safe
I agree, I had painted my living room walls a very dark green. I had to change it to a light color after a while, didn't knew how sensitive I was to the dark moody feel in an active living space. My bedroom is very dark and I love it. From what I can see in your house Luke, It is in the kitchen you get the most light, so I would be careful in the living room. BUT maybe it is a lot brighter in there in real life :)
Hi Luke, lovely blog. We always use Dulux Trade paint. It is hard wearing and covers very well. We painted our kitchen about 10 years ago, and it looks just as good today. Personally, I would keep your hall way bright. A bold colour in the lounge would look lovely. Your creme brulee looked delicious. Talking of foxes, my hubby was in the front garden 11.00am Saturday morning, digging some blue bells up, when a fox, raced down the street, saw some people with a dog walking up, and leapt over our wall right beside my husband, gave him a quick glance and raced off up the street, dont know who was more scared Mr. Fox or Mr. Hall 🦊😂. We caught it all on camera too. You could maybe set up a camera in your back bedroom, you can then watch any foxes who come into your garden. We see lots in our front garden. I love your new wall clock, very stylish and fits in lovely in the kitchen. Take care, have a lovely week. xxx
Our Grandson excels in music at just sixteen he composes his own music. He is to attend Music college then onto Uni. Takes after his father who has much to do within this field. They have a soundproof recording studio on the third floor of their home. All do excell in something. 👍👍👍💗💗💗
I love rooms with color! Color gives rooms such warmth and character. Have you checked Benjamin Moore paint? I know it is being sold in the UK now. My dad swore by it and said it was easy to use and excellent coverage. Don't know if you follow Nicholas Fairford but he painted his living room in mouse's back, I think. He has changed it again but it was so pretty. It's great to learn to read music...it will give you more flexibility when you want to learn new pieces/ Congrats to Zara on her new car!!
I used B & Q For my paint. They colour match Farrow and Ball and their Valspar paint was brilliant. It was recommended to me by a painter and decorator. I love your idea of bright kitchen, warmer reading room and dark and cosy sitting room. Love love the deep burgundy you’ve chosen and the gorgeous hallway green. Can’t wait for more house updates x
You could get valspa paints who can match the farrow and ball colours, tip don’t use satin, Matt is much better. Little green are also lovely paints. We used Dunelm paints they are beautiful, our whole house is done in these but I think they might be a bit to muted for you. I’m sure whatever you do it will be lovely. Perhaps do a feature wall first see how you like it. I to so love spring, the magnolia tree is bursting into flower at the moment and the nights are getting longer yippee.😊
I’ve just used farrow and ball estate emulsion for a bedroom, I was warned against it by professionals. Yep, they were right. It’s comes out patchy. Best idea which I should have listened you, colour match it by Valspar. Happy decorating.😌
Hi luke I'm a few days late to the comment section, but valspar colour match farrow and ball , uou can get all sorts of finishes . We have the valspar colour matched farrow and ball all through the house we have two big labradors so chose the hard-wearing finish in matt it's so good any marks wipe away with a damp cloth it's been a life saver with two mucky dogs .
Loved One Day. Chemistry between the two characters is so good and the writing and acting is incredible. Hated for it to end. I didn't read the book...reviews weren't that great, said it was slow. Tricky on paint selection. I think it might be best to splurge and get a color specialist. They have pretty good ideas. I hired one to select colors and I did the painting and was so happy. Good luck! Not sure if narcissist will bloom two years in a row. Tried it myself and found they didn't bloom 2nd year. Not sure why...love your vlogs!
Dark paint will make your room much smaller. It will close the room in. Maybd alcoves but keep it bright! However, it is your home and we all have different tastes.
Luke I saw the title again a thought did I miss something last Sunday you planted a pot but I didn't see any real planing for the garden. I know you can't post all the things you are working on but when you moved in you seemed so excited to have a garden. I can't wait to see you dig your first bed if only for herbs for the great meals you cook. All the best from Houston Texas 😊
Just mentioned to Mr.C, that a sweet lady Sheilas shopping and cooking channel, has popped up! I did say she has a LUKE accent, but forgive me if it’s NEW and CASTLE🤫😆 Just the sweetest lady that knits and shops🤧
If you struggle with the winter months and there being less light, then you need to be careful about having too many dark walls in your house. Dark colours will absorb what little light there is in the winter months and instead of feeling cosy, too many dark walls will feel heavy and suffocating. It might look nice, but your mood will suffer as a result. I speak from experience. 🙁
You're an amazing pianist Luke. I'd love to hear more. I learned the piano from aged 6 & I love it. You're so good at everything! Congratulations on your new car Zara❤x
Heavy pigment as in the colors you like from F&B need extensive mixing, taken immediately from the shop shaker and applied immediately, not feasible for diy. Go with Valspar color match
An irrigation system makes a lot of sense; even though your property isn’t large, an irrigation system can save water and money. You can have individual sprinklers to each plant and have them on a timer, so they get watered in the coolness of the evening. You can even have them irrigation system set to come on certain days for a certain amount of time. So I think that this is something that you should definitely look into as you develop your garden. A good sprinkler system is something that you can continually add to as your garden grows.
I know what you mean Luke I am a real homebody I just love being at home and pottering around the garden ❤ your clock is beautiful what a lovely house warming present. Zara lovely to hear your news of the new car ❤ love watching you two go from strength to strength and Maggie is so cute xx
I’ve done my own painting & decorating for years & used a multitude of different brand paints. F & B is very hit & miss in my opinion depending on the colour. Was made redundant a while ago go & had to economise on paint costs so tried B & Q Good Home paint mixed to F & B colours in store. It is a fraction of the cost & has been so good I’ve never gone back to any other brand. The only downside is they don’t do an eggshell finish for woodwork which is my preferred finish. Looking forward to seeing the house & garden updates 🙂
I agree with you Luke when it comes to Spring and Summer. I struggle in the Winter mentally and physically. I am loving the clock and looking forward to how your garden develops and grows. Planting up your own garden is so good for your soul.
Luke some paint shops will mix you Farrow and ball colours with trade paint. Also once your daffodils finish you need to dead head them and put pebbles in bottom of pot for drainage .😊x
Hi Luke I love the shades of Farrow and Ball but hate the price, so I take my farrow and ball colour chart to Jonstons trade shop and they take the number and punch it in the mixing machine and its the perfect shade and very hard wearing. More people are doing this.. good luck xx
Hi luke haven't read all the comments so sorry if I am repeating others. Whatever high end colours you like get b&q valspar premium range will colour match. I love dulux heritage dead flat but b&q colour matched so I saved so much money and I can't tell the difference. Good Lucy with picking colours I once got 10 matchpots to pick one room!!
this may be contensious but i recently painted the bedroom with Wilkos tough white it was a lovely paint to use i would alway use it from now on comes in all colours you can find it on line or sometimes at the range x
Love the new clock. It was so good to see you happily pottering in the garden, it is so good for your stress levels. You must get some nice seating for you and Zara for the summer. I love being at home like you. I think the cutting you have is a fuchsia. 🐈⬛🌱🌱🌱
I don't know about your plan to engulf that small room with color. It's already a small space, and your color everywhere is going to make it that much smaller to the eye. If you find a color you love, I would do an accent wall, and also put some accessories in the other adjoining rooms in that color to tie it all together. A pillow or two, a book, some candles, a beautiful bowl, an upholstered piece, that kind of thing. Also I would shy away from making each room a different color............it just won't flow. You can do that sort of thing when you have a huge house, but even then you need to think about how the colors work together in harmony. You did ask for our thoughts! :) I also think for your comfort you should look for a little potting bench! Easier transplanting and a place for your extra pots.
Morning Luke , you never waffle in your vlogs . We all love a chatty update vlog. Maggie has such a pretty pupping looking face, bless her. ❤🐶 All the plant look nice but I still think it is still a bit frosty and cold to plant spring plants as yet. I think your clock would look better on the wall between the doors , where your plates are on the wall . I think the brick red ‘ Etonroom Red’ would look the best the one you are swaying towards ‘ preference red ‘ would make the room look too dark . Don’t go too dark in your house Luke. Your piano playing was lovely and relaxing . You short do a vlog with you playing some tunes. This is going to be such a great hobby for you to learn Luke. Hope you both have a great week a head. 👍👍
I love the idea of the library and living room in the same colour i think it would look amazing in the colour you have chosen it will be all cozy. Another great vlog xx
The self watering pots are great. On quick crops, they do self watering tomato pots, which you can use for anything. Also, tomato grow bag slef watering pots. They last for 2 weeks
An old house like yours call out for dark colours, but they make rooms look smaller. Also, as you don't have so much light and bright in the UK, it might make you feel down. Both Zara and you love Mediterranean, we use light colours, we love brightness. Maybe just paint an accent wall dark and the rest in a brighter colour. I'm sure that if you paint it dark it will look wonderful, but also think that you spend a lot of time at home. Anyway, colour can be easily replaced if you are not convinced or get tired of it. In a couple of years or three, you can repaint again. Do what your heart tells you. ❤ The panelling is a great idea. I would surely panel a house like yours. You've inspired me to repot my daffodils. The flowers are withering, but maybe new ones will sprout. Congratulations to Zara for her new car. I'm sure that she will have great adventures driving it. I'll be waiting for you two to show it to us. Have a lovely Sunday.
You can choose a farrow and ball colour and get the Valspar paint at B&Q. I love Fiat 500, can’t wait to see it. Like, I can’t find your creme brulee recipe. Loving how the house is looking.xx
Hempel group own farrow and ball . It’s the amount of pigment that is used that make a good paint, as an artist I know this to be true ! Dulux which I’ve always used is not as good as it once was , the pigment quality has changed and dark colours fade very quickly so be aware if you paint dulux in a room with good light it will fade. . If I was to go with a more expensive paint now ,I’d use Lick or graham and brown as decorators rate it.
Hi Luke! The piano playing is coming along nicely. 😉 Can't wait to see that new color on the wall and what your spring garden is going to look like. I'm sure it will be lovely. Have a blessed week ahead! Much love from Fort Worth, Texas! 😊⛅🌱
Farrow & Ball’s new dead flat emulsion is beautiful. Just did our bedroom in green smoke, ceiling in dead salmon and woodwork in down pipe. Love it all! Also congratulations to Zara for getting a Fiat 500. I have one and it is perfect! ♥️
Happy Sunday My Dearest Friends: Luke, Zara And Maggie- What A Way To Start My Sunday By Watching Your Video😊❤ And Having A Cup Of Coffee ☕️ With My Friends. I Too Also Love To Stay In And Relax And Enjoy My Home. Have A Wonderful Day My Friends- From: Your Friend In San Antonio, Texas USA🤠🇺🇸🥰❤️❤️❤️
We have had a dark burgundy hall for years, with a sandy colour above it up the stairs and landing above. Our lr and dr are a sage green, and the small hall with guest loo and laundry room are all a dusty We also painted every last piece of molding, trim, and woodwork bits in an off white, so much warmer looking than stark white. We love it! Go for the dark colours! There is too much beige, white and grey in houses nowadays. ❤ from 🇨🇦
If possible, put daffodils into the garden bed, because the green leaves die back as summer weather arrives. Daffodils love to naturalize in the garden bed. Mine are more than 20 years old.
Luke, you can colour match F & B paint in Johnstones paint. You can get it at a trade centre if your B & Q doesn’t have Johnstones. My painter says Johnstones is the best paint, painters love it and you get quality and good value. Much cheaper and an excellent match. That’s what I have done in my rooms. I have shaded white in my hallway and it has green undertones. Really lovely colour. I Hope this helps.
Good morning from Sunny cool Northern California to you Luke, Zara and sweet Maggie. Lilly Rose says hi too.🐾 Maggie is very adorable and her facial expressions are like she knows exactly what you are telling us. That clock is stunning and I’m like “WOW”. I loved the darker color maybe for the front room for its cozy vibe but not as dark for your library room. Nicholas Fairford used that Mouse color and after awhile he got tired of it and repainted so you may want to rethink that color. Whatever you decide as you stated it only takes a redo on painting. Beautiful plants. Your daffodils will not rebloom and the leaves will die down so you can put some annuals on the top layer of dirt on the top, next February the bulbs will rebloom. Congratulations Zara on your new car. Very excited for you. Very much enjoyed the video. Have a great week.❤❤❤
Luke, kee your eye on Costco this year - we got a HUGE mature olive tree for £89 last spring… it’s beautiful. Pop your bulbs in the ground after they’ve flowered they’ll coke back year after year and they spread and multiply ❤
Don't hesitate to get a better quality paint to color match the colors you like best. I did that with most of the shades in my house. I also recommend setting up a house binder and include the paint names, original brand name, location you purchased the paint from and the color formula from the paint can. I've taken screen shots of the formulation label on the paint can and printed out stickers for it to include in my binder.
My Neice works for F&B they bought a house in London in a mews, they decided to just sell up and move back up to Yorkshire to re-assess ( when the interest rates went high)
As you asked for opinions, I really wouldn’t go with dark paint. If you are determined, then I think the library would be the room to do it in, not in the living room. But, that’s only my opinion and above all you should do what makes you and Zara happy. 😊
A tip for watering plants when you are away. Fill your sink with water, put two tea towels (Old ones) into the sink water, trailing the tea towels onto the draining board so the pots sit on them, then the wet towels will water all the plants, Longterm watering as the plants need it…👍👍👍👍.
I think the colours you’re going for will look very rich 😊. Loved Zara’s main event ❤. I have to say you two seem so very happy since moving into your home. It’s lovely to see 🥰
Morning Luke Zara. Love The New Clock. How Kind Giving You all Those Plants. The Paint Colours are Fabulous, Very Cold here This Morning in west Yorkshire 🥶But dry , Enjoy your Sunday and Week. Xx 😘😊Luke the plant in The Window is a Anthurium. 🌿
I enjoyed this vlog so much. How exciting getting to decorate your very own home just as you both would like it. Your ideas sound so beautiful, cozy and elegant as are the two of you. I’m the opposite of you Luke. I get anxious and down in the spring. I love the fall and winter. I’m a weirdo. Congratulations on your first new car, Zara. Very happy for you. Stay safe in it and enjoy.
