Nicola's living room is spacious and light with one wall opening onto the garden with folding doors.  But Nicola was struggling with the room layout and decor.  The previous owners F&B Ammonite paint choice, a grey neutral correctly named by Farrow and Ball as it definitely gave this room a fossilised mood and the full length vertical blinds further emphasised the gloomy ambience.  Nicola had also inherited dark, walnut furniture solidly fixed to the wall, too costly to remove. House moves come with inherited decor, but are especially difficult if you can't replace the fixed-to-the wall cabinetry.