The larger surfaces in a house, namely the walls and floors, tend to take the brunt of day-to-day life and are therefore prone to damage, stains, scuffs and smears. As these same surfaces form the backdrop for the rest of your interiors, once they start to show signs of wear-and-tear, they can really let the entire scheme down.
The has definitely happened in my own home. From the once bright white walls in the kitchen, which are now covered in a myriad of sauce stains, grease spots and inexplicable dents, to the pale pink walls in the living room showing soot stains from the open fire – and don't even get me started on the stony grey bathroom walls. As a result of two bathroom-hogging teenagers and their array of sprays, lotions and gadgetry, these too are now something of an eyesore.
