Painting Above & Below a Dado Rail

[Blossie]

I'm going to start decorating the interior of our house.

In all our rooms we have dado rails, so instead of choosing one colour for the room we now have to choose two colours of paint!  I will keep the doors, picture rails and dado rails in gloss white.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a website or something that will tell you what colours match, as I don't want the top and bottom colours of the walls to clash!

Also, does the deeper colour always go on the bottom half?

Oh just one more question, we have a ceiling rose, and I want this in white, but was wondering if it is painted in gloss like the woodwork?

[gazzawazza]

You could try looking in those leaflets which provide colour charts/examples usually found in paint stores. 

If using two colours I would always use the lighter colour on top.  If the darker colour is on top I think it makes the space seem less spacious and airy.  (Listen to me, I sound like one of those TV presenters don't I?)

[inferno]

Why not use the same colour above and below - you don't have to have different colours.

[ludwig]

If you're having different colours, I'd put the darker one on the bottom, otherwise it would look sort of 'top heavy'. Also I'd keep the ceiling rose matt. - it's supposed to be a plaster moulding, so it would look funny if it was shiny. Just my opinions.

[nuoyg]

Defo matt for the ceiling! 

I'd go for the dark at the bottom too...my boyf's parents have the same kind of set up and have a maroon at the bottom and cream on top.  Looks really nice.  Or you could have a darker cream/caramelly colour on bottom and lighter cream on top if you want to keep it neutral. 

[smudge]

I would definitely go for a slightly darker colour beneath the dado rail.

We only ever use eggshell finish on doors, skirting boards, dado rails & architraves, etc. (Not keen on glossy surfaces).

All our ceilings, coving & roses are matt white.

[Clanad]

May I offer another solution?  Consider the same color paint above and below, only do the upper portion in rag finish techique.  This produces rather a wallpaper effect without all the fuss.  It is fairly easy to do... Good luck, at any rate...

[thikasabrik]

Try this site as it gives you mock rooms you can paint with a mouse click. I found it brilliant.

www.dulux.co.uk

[glenis]

just an opinion ,why not remove the dado rails ?

[CleverClogs]

Why not paint the ceiling and down to the top of the dado rail in the same white matt paint, use white gloss on the dado rail so it stands out, then you can either choose wallpaper or paint to best suit your prefered decor for the wall below your dado rail.....

[Oneeyedvic]

I have just finidhed decorating my hall way and have a sky blue above the dado rail and a white with a hint of blue below the rail. I know that this is not normal, but both me and the wife think it looks great this way!

[Blossie]

Thank you for all your suggestions.

I think I will go to one of the DIY shops this weekend and get a colour chart which shows wall paints that complement each other.

Thanks once again.

[Lil-Ol-Me]

You could check out your local library or even on the net for a colour wheel (art shops also sell them) and the opposit colours are complimentary... like red and green, orange and purple, yellow and blue... the hues of these colours move into the more pastel shades and there are around 3 that compliment one another.

Some good ways to match up good colour choices are also to look at nature and food.... coffee and cream, peaches, creams and greens etc!