[gemmanz]

Following a comment on C&D's housebuild and also something FOM mentioned re rentals about grey paint,I am rather amazed that it seems a lot of Kiwi homes are covered in grey paint. Indeed what real estate homes I have looked at all seem to be very dark. Is this the same all over NZ or is it an Auckland thing. I find grey is so depressing and when I eventually come over I really want to find a place with light colouring. All rentals I have had in the UK are all light colours which I find gives a far better feel to a house than dark colouring. I could handle some reddish colouring or yellow. but grey? I might as well live in a battleship.

Gemma

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Gemma,
I can't say about other areas but certainly Auckland is awash with grey painted rentals. It is possible to find some lighter rentals but we looked at many apartments and the majority were grey or dark. the other thing is if you find a landlord who will allow you to redecorate the cost of paint here is expensive. Having said that we have 3 apartments we rent out and they are all cream with light kitchen units so they can be found. I wouldn't let this put you off coming here though as the beautiful scenery more than makes up for the grey interiors.

[KerryS]

I'd rather have grey than cream any day - magnolia paint makes me want to gauge my eyes out with a rusty spoon.
Personally I don't mind grey, it's quite a neutral colour, and goes with most decor. I haven't had a problem finding houses that aren't grey though, in fact of all my friends who rent, I think I'm the only one who has any grey in their house. And grey is light - most of my current house is painted a very pale shade.

[mylesdw]

There's a whole range of colours very popular in this part of the world that we know collectively as Kiwi Sludge. You can choose from

- wet cement
- coffee dregs
- slurry tank
- cow pat

to name but a few

:-)

[tigerlily]

I think gray carpets pop up a lot too. Coming from a very gray part of the USA it does seem weird to me that people like gray here. But I think it's considered modern, and people here like modern! I'm not into it myself, just because things start to look dated very fast. I'm sure the 1980s kitchen in our rental was the height of modern fashion when it was put in.

[Familyofmonkeys]

We're in our third rental house now and all 3 have been painted grey with grey kitchens, grey tiling in the kitchens and bathrooms, 2 of the houses have had grey carpets too. When we are in our own house again one day we most definitely will not be having any more grey :)

[miep]

I have to agree with KerryS, I much prefer grey to any shade of beige. We live in a completely beige-free house, I went to great lenghts to get that! I drove the people at the paint shop nearly mad by having them open all the different white paints they had to find the whitest one. They kept saying white would be too bight in NZ but it isn't and I'm very happy with it. We have lots of colour in the furniture and artwork and white does the trick.
I also really really don't like the Kiwi Sludge, in my own terminology "pee and poo" colours inside and on the outside of most "modern" houses, Yuck!
Some of the greys are a bit too close to beige though which defeats the purpose.
Real estate agents actually advise their clients to stick to "natural" colours which tends to result in lots of magnolia and murky greys.

[Carey]

There's a whole range of colours very popular in this part of the world that we know collectively as Kiwi Sludge. You can choose from

- wet cement
- coffee dregs
- slurry tank
- cow pat

to name but a few

:-)

Yes I agree and it surprised me but I find that I like them! On the outside of houses. They kinda blend in with the surroundings and don't jar the eye. However some of the same colours inside are very dreary and dark and in the winter must be quite depressing.

[Mrs Pony]

Our living room is grey... what's the problem?!

I guess we'll fit in!


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/2961530097_e5459f1f94_b.jpg

[Jules]

I'd rather have grey than cream any day - magnolia paint makes me want to gauge my eyes out with a rusty spoon.
Personally I don't mind grey, it's quite a neutral colour, and goes with most decor.

I totally agree KerryS, I hate magnolia :yes, my new house interior is painted grey :nice1

Jules

[dilanium]

at least it isn't the horrid pink that my bathroom is. Blech!

[aberdian]

We live in a battleship - awful is the right word.