Why Important
These are a common feature of Georgian buildings and are included in the guide as they are a public space.
What to look for
The stair wall is split by a dado line between a lower gloss painted area and the upper matt painted area. This upper area would have originally been painted with distemper, but are nowadays almost always painted with matt emulsion paint.
When to look
How to fix
The dado line itself is sometimes marked by an ornamental beading, but often is just a painted line on the wall. It would traditionally be about shoulder height, or around 1500mm (5 feet), above the stairs.
Avoiding creating problems
The lower section was always glossy to give protection and durability.
Historical background
Distempers were the fore-runners of modern emulsion paints used from the 18th Century.