1. Paint The Floor For Instant Appeal Underfoot
Isabelle Lomas’ client wanted a fun, inviting space for her kids' room paint ideas that would still allow for older guests to use the room, as it was also to be rented out. ‘We kept the walls plain,’ says Isabelle, who used Willow V from Paint & Paper Library. ‘This allowed us to incorporate a chequerboard pattern on the floor – a fun element that is also hardwearing. Isabelle thought this was a fun and playful idea that would translate well no matter the furnishings.
2. Use Paint To Update Old Furniture
Painting vintage furniture is a beautiful way to introduce new life and virality into a once-loved antique. Using colored furniture makes it easier to change up an otherwise neutral space. This works particularly well for bedrooms where children may grow out of, or get tired of, particular colors and pieces.
3. Make Your Space Pop
Chinoiserie is re-emerging as an influence in fashion and interiors but it has long been a key aesthetic for de Gournay, eminent specialist in hand-painted wallcoverings.
4. Paint Stripes
Never really out of fashion, the classic stripe is having a particular moment right now and it's less about the country ticking look and more about adding personality through playful paint ideas.
5. Include Details Through Paint
If your space is lacking in architectural interest, you'll be amazed at what paint tricks you can incorporate to add intrigue to an otherwise simple scheme. Using bathroom paint ideas in a room doesn’t have to mean optical overload. ‘This stripe detail adds interest to a room that has few architectural features,’ says interior designer Guinness, who painted neat parallel stripes along this bathroom’s ceiling, a great look for a modern, ceiling trim idea.
6. Use Paint To Create 'Zones'
Gloss paint is back after years in the wilderness. In the main bedroom of this home in Notting Hill, designers Barlow & Barlow created a soothing scheme to turn their clients’ corridor into a dressing room. The paint color is Dulux green, 10GG 15/346.
7. Wow With Statement Color Choices
Colorful homes are an immersive experience that leads from room to room. A carefully considered palette will feature shades that work with the objects in the room – such as these orange walls and the red kimono – and that also flow from one space into another.
8. Paint With A Variety Of Colors From The Same Palette
When planning multiple colors, test various permutations. Stronger shades are used on the lower walls, inside and outside the room. The pink inside is used to frame the windows and complement the red-brown lower wall, softened by the creamy white above.
9. Paint Paneling A Warm Color For An Inviting, Warm Entryway
A hardworking and always on-the-go home space, entryway surfaces demand the toughest of finishes and savvy shade choices to keep them looking great for longer. When searching for hallway paint ideas, choose washable or even scrubbable quality paint, using a satin finish for woodwork. If gloominess is an issue, go for a silk finish to reflect any light for your paneling paint ideas is a good trick.
10. Experiment With Color On Woodwork
It's a classic choice and perfectly natural to reach for a white or off-white color when painting woodwork, especially in hallways, but by choosing a less obvious shade, you can create a far more sophisticated effect – plus you can use this color to connect to adjoining rooms that might use that shade as an accent shade.
11. Build Up Ombre Shades On Your Stairwell
If you are looking for paint ideas that create a visual trick, particularly around making a space look larger, an ombre paint effect – with darker shades lower down and lighter shades above – is a good solution. And, if you are looking for eye-catching and space-stretching stair paint ideas, use it on stair risers in a graduated to make your staircase feel taller and grander. Tester pots of tonal color will work a treat as you won't need much to cover each panel, either.
12. Add Layers Of Tonal Color To Make A Space Appear Larger
Wrapping a space in warming layers of color not only creates a smart, cohesive feel, it can make a room feel bigger than it actually is. Patrick O’ Donnell, brand ambassador at Farrow & Ball agrees: 'Carrying the wall color onto all of your woodwork creates the illusion of more space.'
13. Try A Stylish Paint Effect That's Contemporary, Too
New directions with formulations and decorating techniques means dated paint effects have been replaced with sophisticated washes, textures and brushwork – perfect for living room paint ideas that add a touch of depth to a wall, a must-have in contemporary homes, which can lack architectural detailing.
14. Paint A Ceiling In A Bold Shade
While most people tend to paint walls in a feature color, consider flipping the look by choosing a bold color for your ceiling instead. Compared to an all-white ceiling, a colorful one will add drama and personality to a room, while making it feel cozier, too.
15. Paint A Contrasting Panel To Draw Focus
Just as you would add a rug to create a separate zone in a large room, a painted wall panel can do the job just as effectively. This can particularly work for dining room color schemes, drawing attention to the table, and creating an intimate atmosphere.
16. Zone A Room With Color Blocking
Color blocking is a clever way to divide a space, distinguish an activity, or change the pace in a portion of a room. Paint can be applied to create a backdrop to a desk space, define a reading area, or a creative corner. It's also one of those useful kitchen color ideas if you want to achieve a new look quickly – but ensure you use a wipeable paint.
17. Go For Wraparound Color
Looking for bedroom color ideas that are inviting? Warming paint ideas are always welcome in a bedroom. By taking the same shade across all surfaces, including paneling, skirtings, and even doors and window frames, you can make a space look bigger in just a few brush strokes.
18. Get Creative With Painted Furniture
Using painted furniture ideas is an easy way to create a unique look that's easy to achieve. Pretty-up a cabinet and coat a wall in candy stripes – paint is a chance to add a touch of whimsy to your decor scheme. What keeps the look sophisticated, not saccharine, is the edited color palette, grounded with a deep forest green.
19. Use Paint To Give Children's Rooms A Smart Finish
Strong kids' paint room ideas are a must since these spaces tend to be over-stuffed with toys, gadgets, books and... more toys. So, majoring on one main color, with a neutral accent shade can help it feel less chaotic and much smarter. As in other rooms, putting the same color – in different tones – across walls, woodwork and even furniture can create a sleek finish.
20. Paint A Floor For An Instant New Look
It's likely that you will be using bathroom paint ideas to add character to a washroom, but you can create an all-over cohesive look with a painted floor, picking out a color that complements that of the walls, accessories – and even the bath tub.
21. Add Bold Color To Unexpected Places
Color can be used to emphasize and highlight architectural features, from painting cornicing, pillars or arches in contrasting shades. It's the unusual that makes this particularly effective so so don't shy away from using bolder hues, provided you keep a neutral background to provide the colors with a simple backdrop from which to shine.
22. Use Paint Ideas To Highlight Architectural Details
Paint is the perfect medium to bring personality, add a unique appeal and even introduce an element of humor to a home. It can be a simple idea such as color change on panelling, adding pattern, or murals for an exclusive décor element. For ease, use decorating tape to keep paint smart with clean edges.
23. Use Paint Ideas To Create Faux Effects
When you're short on space, or just want to add a touch of quirky charm to a bedroom, why not paint a headboard on the wall? Use masking tape to create the shape and ensure sharp, straight lines, then simply use a medium-sized brush to paint your design.
24. Paint Woodwork To Match Walls
When painting a small room, think about using color all-over for instant appeal. Snug room ideas are all about curating a warm, cozy space to indulge in at home, and what better way that through bold paint ideas? ‘I like painting small rooms in a dark color to make them feel cozy,’ says interior designer Amelia McNeil, who designed this scheme. ‘I even painted the window and architrave in the same blue so that the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper could be the main focus.