Living Room Painting Ideas for Hampstead Victorian Homes

The double reception room is the heart of the Hampstead NW3 Victorian villa. Getting the decoration right — colour, finish, ceiling treatment, woodwork — transforms the entire feel of the property.

Colour Choices for North and South-Facing Rooms

Many Hampstead living rooms face north or northeast, meaning cool blue-toned light dominates. In these spaces, warm neutrals like Farrow & Ball String, Dead Salmon, or Little Greene Aged Ivory counteract the cool light beautifully. South-facing rooms have more flexibility — deeper tones like Farrow & Ball Mole's Breath or Hague Blue can work magnificently.

Treating the Ceiling

In Victorian NW3 properties with ceiling heights of 3m+, painting the ceiling in a pale tint of the wall colour (rather than stark white) creates extraordinary depth and warmth. Our decorators in Hampstead frequently use Farrow & Ball White Tie or Cornforth White on ceilings to achieve this effect.

Cornicing and Plasterwork

Original Victorian cornicing should be carefully painted in white or off-white to preserve its definition. We use a thin, flat brush to cut in around each profile. Over-painted cornicing loses its detail — we strip it back where necessary before repainting.

Our painters and decorators serve all of NW3 including Hampstead, Belsize Park, South Hampstead, and Swiss Cottage.