How to use paint to transform any space in your home

Bedrooms

As the first thing you see when you wake in the morning and the place you retreat at the end of a long day, your bedroom should be a space that you truly love. Diane O’Connor, a colour consultant from Colourtrend, says that finding the perfect colour for your bedroom walls is a great way to start creating your desired home atmosphere, whether that’s warmth, serenity or freshness.

She advises looking for inspiration to give you a sense of the look you want to create. “Another great place to begin a painting project is actually with your furnishings,” Diane explains. “It is often easier to find a paint to work with your textiles, furniture and flooring than it is to match those items to your paint colour.”

When it comes to choosing a paint finish, a bedroom is a chance to go for matte, as it’s a relatively low-traffic area, and as it has no sheen, it creates a softer, cosier finish.

Living rooms

As one of the main spaces in your home, it is tempting to play it safe with your living room when it comes to colour. However, Olha Kelly, colour consultant at MRCB, insists that a living space can take deeper and more dramatic colours that most other rooms in the house.

Detail

When you’re painting, considering all the details of your space such as radiators, woodwork, and even floors and stairs will really elevate the finish. When it comes to surfaces like this, it’s important to research what kind of paint will be most suitable. Paints designed for wood or metal will be more hardwearing, and will adhere properly to these surfaces. They also may need more preparation than walls, such as sanding and undercoats – ask your local paint supplier for advice. The colour you choose will either help to make a feature out of these details, or blend them in with the rest of your room.

Bathrooms

Typically one of the smallest rooms in the house, and notorious for lacking natural light, the temptation with bathrooms is often to stick to pale neutrals. However, Diane advises that by breaking up the wall and using two colours, you can actually make the room feel bigger. “Using two colours from the same family, making sure one is darker than the other will give a colour contrast, and a sense of depth.” What’s more, she points out that “bathrooms can be a great place to experiment and be brave with colour. You can use a shade you love but might be a bit hesitant to try in a different room, as you don’t spend as much time in this space.”

As a high-moisture area, you should be careful about what finish of paint you choose for your bathroom. Matte and eggshell do not stand up well to humid environments, so opt for a paint with a sheen. There are also specially designed bathroom paints which help protect against mould.

If your bathroom has wooden floors, painting them can also be a good option. It will also make the wood more resistant to water. If you’re doing this, ensure to sand, clean and prime the floor thoroughly before you start – it’s a time-consuming job, but it will provide much smoother and longer-lasting results.