Edwardian Hallway — Bear Flat

This spacious Edwardian semi on Wellsway in Bear Flat had a grand hallway with original dado rail, picture rail, and ornate cornice — but years of bad paint choices had masked its potential. The woodwork was buried under dark varnish, and the walls were a tired magnolia that did nothing for the proportions.

Stripping the dado and picture rails required Nitromors varnish remover and careful scraping to avoid damaging the soft Edwardian timber. Missing sections of cornice were rebuilt using mouldable filler and small silicone moulds taken from intact sections. We painted the walls in Farrow & Ball "Manor House Grey" below the dado rail and "Skimming Stone" above. The ceiling was finished in "Pointing" — a warm off-white that flatters period plaster.

The dado rail, picture rail, and cornice were highlighted in "Mizzle" — a soft sage-grey that picks out the plaster detail without overpowering the space. Throughout the work we protected the original Minton-style tiled floor with hardboard sheeting. The hallway now feels like the entrance to a boutique hotel.