Not actually my question, posted for a friend:
"Some of you will know that I'm still mid-decorating my Victorian semi.
But something has me extremely puzzled....
Why on earth does somebody seem to have painted the lower part of the wall of the hall, stairs and landing in delightful pea green paint? It extends from the skirting, up to about 5'6", maybe 6' in some areas.
There's no clean line at the edge, which varies quite a bit. So it's not up to an area where there might have been a picture rail, or anything like that.
Above the green paint there's just normal plaster, which appears to be original and undisturbed. No sign of the top section having been replastered or anything.
Could the house have been painted by a firm of vertiginous midgets - with a fear of stepladders?
Or temporary accommodation for a branch of "indecisives anonymous"?
Any ideas, anyone?
PS. For now, I'm assuming that the paint is old/original and could therefore have a high lead content. Not scraping at it etc."