To Zampa: Sorry if I haven't been clear ! The house is two years old and the people who built it painted the hall wall in Dulux Soft Sheen 'Pale Primrose'. I know this because I found the empty tin. The colour actually looks a strong acid lemon yellow on the walls. I want to change this yellow to a very pale milky coffee or a non-yellowy cream colour. I first chose a very pale milky coffee colour matt emulsion from the Dulux colour strips (the ones that are mixed up for you). I tried a bit from the tin on the lemon yellow wall and it came up the colour of tinned salmon...... I painted a patch of matt white emulsion on the wall and tried the colour over that (after it was dry of course). It was a little better but not much. As the paint had been specially mixed and I hadn't a leg to stand on I decided to abandon it for the time being and bought some Fleetwood matt emulsion in a colour called Biscuit. This is a clotted cream colour in the tin. I tried a bit over the lemon yellow and it came up pale lilac ! I tried another bit over the white patch and that was not much better. I asked the neighbour what colour she thought the patch on the wall was. Without hesitation she said 'mauve' ! She was gobsmacked when I showed her the actual paint....... Incidentally I tried both paints out on a piece of white card and they came up exactly as they looked in the tins.
To John D: The troublesome wall is in the hall, which is not only south facing but has a glass door and glass side panels the whole width of the hall. My 'test' painting has been done close up to the door so receives excellent natural light. So it is not artificial light changing the colour.
To everyone: I have been reading back-posts on painting queries and wonder whether the first painting was done before the new plaster had properly dried out, as that little sin seems to have repercussions of one kind or another.
But whatever the cause, how do I get out of it ? Mauve or salmon pink is not going to look too good with a dark oak floor.......
