Just remember, the placement of furniture around the room can change the appearance of the paint, impacting how the colour is reflected on the walls, so be mindful of this when planning your scheme.' This lounge just cries out for an update of airy white on those ugly, dull peach walls! But which shade of Dulux white would be be be fine, without the white being too stark or too yellow or too bluish grey??? Brilliant white, or almond white?? Timeless white, or chiffon white?? Very confused lady in a decor dilemma here.

Matt and flat matt finishes hide a multitude of sins so it’s a popular choice for walls and ceilings. Satinwood and eggshell finishes work beautifully on woodwork, particularly skirting boards and doors that need a little extra coverage. Consequently, if you want to achieve the appearance of true white in a south-facing room, it's best to err on the side of cooler tones which will balance out the warmth of the natural light. Am I likely to be able to find a fresh-looking white or off-white to suit the whole area that won’t look dodgy in certain areas at certain times of day? I should mention that the kitchen units will be pale grey and worktops white…. Alternatively, opt for warm neutrals. ‘Maybe Maggie’ is a popular choice, as is ‘Flutterby’– an almost white. If you want something a bit creamier ‘Up Up Away’ and ‘Marbles’ are good choices.'

While white is versatile enough to work in almost any style, Marianne at Dulux, advises choosing something robust that’s easy to keep clean and pristine. ‘The finish is less important than the formulation, because white paint has the tendency to show up every little mark,' she says. 'You need to be confident that it will resist spills, scuffs and everyday wear-and-tear. When choosing the best white for your ceiling consider which option will coordinate best with your home's interiors, wall colours and furnishings,' explains Dominic Myland. 'Again pay attention to the undertones. Mylands Pure White No. 1 and Whitehall No.9 are great options available in our Marble Matt Emulsions. This is suitable for all interior walls and ceilings, including high traffic areas as they can be re-touched, wiped, washed or even scrubbed with no effect on colour or sheen.'

I don’t have any snaps of two of the most recently decorated areas in my house but if you’re after a hard-wearing mellow, creamy white (without a yellow tinge) then you could consider Dulux Timeless. This colour has been around for yonks and was apparently one of Dulux’s best selling shades for a while. James has recently used the Endurance version to cover our hall, stairs and landing and I’m loving the results. It’s a dark area with very little natural light but Timeless has warmed it up a treat as the colour seems to reflect the oak doors and skirtings around it. I know I really need to investigate and do lots of testers and monitor over time but full-time work and small kids mean that more than likely it will be a last minute snap decision based on internet colour charts – not good!!!! There are two killer questions to ask when it comes to choosing the right white paint', says Aaron Markwell, Colour Curator at Coat Paints.The lounge has recently been carpeted but when we bought our cottage we inherited a beautiful, yet deathly-cold slate floor. With the strong dark grey tiles, I felt I needed a white with a very slight grey undertone for the walls and set out to find the perfect chalky winter white. Eventually I settled on Sail White Emulsion from Crown. The lounge is multi-aspect and I’d say the room looks a lot cosier in the afternoon sun than in the morning. It’s not stark by any means but definitely looks better in the west-facing part of the room. Farrow & Ball Cornforth White is also a good shout if you’d like a more distinctive greyish white. Soft White For an alternative smooth and creamy white (without any hint of yellow) I’ve been very pleased with Dulux White Chiffon that James used to paint our other west-facing bedroom. It’s very similar to B&Q Antique White that unfortunately proved to be disastrous for us in terms of application; four patchy coats later we plumped for this ivory shade from Dulux that looks fab with pink accents. Mellow White Am facing the dilemma of wanting to decorate the whole of our ground floor in the same colour, so incorporating a kitchen/dining space, north east facing with lots of light (big window in kitchen and 3m wide bi-folds in the dining area), then also a living room which faces S/SW with floor to ceiling windows, and relatively large entrance hall area – S/SW facing but no windows, just a front door with some stained glass in it. White Clay, our most popular selling white, is balanced and traditional. Not as harsh as a brilliant white, it flatters all decors, and both north and south facing rooms.'

Aaron at Coat Paints adds, 'Water-based emulsion will work just fine on the ceiling and it’s the default choice - but how about this. Choose a white Soft Sheen emulsion paint for the ceiling which has a subtle shine to it and can be really effective at bouncing light around the room. It’s not for everyone, but it can look super effective especially in low lit spaces or at night with lamps.' For this reason warm white paints with undertones of yellow or red are generally recommended for north-facing rooms, where they'll look a lot less 'creamy' than they would painted in a room with a south-facing aspect. To get the best from a crisp white paint you need to put in a bit of prep. Charlotte Cosby, Head of Creative at Farrow & Ball, recommends applying a primer and undercoat to make the finish long-lasting and to fill in any small defects. If you're concerned that these extras will bump up the budget too much, then it can be useful to see what relevant home decor discount codes are currently live.Because south-facing rooms are generally the brightest in the house, a brilliant white paint can often feel quite harsh, bouncing that strong light around even more. After all, no-one wants to have to wear sunglasses in their white living room idea! Emma at YesColours adds, 'A south-facing room will need a cooler white to counteract the warm glow of natural daylight, any white with a hint of blue or green is ideal.' Ruth Mottershead at Little Greene adds, 'Many choose to use bright white in small rooms assuming white will the room appear larger, however light neutrals and soft colours used in a tonal scheme will have the same effect whilst not appearing too stark or cold.' Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux explains, 'It’s easy to understand why it can be so difficult to choose just the right white for your walls when there is so much choice.' Pure white paint is a good option for small living rooms with a healthy source of natural light, but should generally be avoided in north-facing rooms where it can reflect blue tones and make a room feel cold and drab.