The current worldwide situation has a lot of people spending endless hours in their home and thinking about ways they can update or improve it. The easiest way to do this is with paint. It’s cheap, it’s quick and if it doesn’t work out you can always paint over it. Below are some wall painting ideas for you to try at home.
The main thing here is not to take it too seriously. I know from experience if you build it up in your head you will never start. I am not an artist, so I’ve only carried out paint projects that involve straight lines and colouring in the gaps!
Once you have painters tape, an idea of what you want to achieve and a few tester pots you will be amazed at what you can do.
Paint halfway up a wall
Ever if you don’t have a period property with a dado rail, picture rail or other architectural feature you can still update your home by painting part of the wall. All you need is paint and painters tape. You can go half way or three quarters of the way up the wall. It’s a very quick update and makes a statement.
This is the half wall I’ve painted in the girls bedroom to update and highlight this space between the built-in wardrobes. It’s a reading nook for the girls and gives just enough colour to this space.
This example from Fall for DIY is in their home office. It adds interest to the room without overpowering all the other accessories they have on display. The mint green is very much on trend and is similar to Dulux’s colour of the year 2020 – Tranquil Dawn. It is a subtle wall paining idea that you could do in an afternoon.
Paint an archway
If you want to add interest to an archway or small section of wall you can paint on a geometric pattern . This is a fun wall painting idea. You just use some painters tape to mark out the pattern and paint it. This is the pattern I painted on the archway from our kitchen to our playroom. I used a few tins of leftover paint. You can read about how I created it here.
Paint the door and skirting boards
If you want to make an impact in a room another idea is paint the inside of the door and the skirting boards in the same colour as the room. Alternatively you could paint them in a contrasting colour.
Here I’ve painted the walls, skirting and door the same blush pink (Valspar Peaceful Soul) as the walls. Our bedroom isn’t very large. Painting them the same colour makes the space feel bigger because your eye is not drawn to the white door and skirting board. I may even paint the ceiling in here!
In this home Kingston Lafferty Design have gone for a bold blue to contrast with the rich aubergine colour in the hall. As you can see from this picture the idea is to paint the lock edge of the door the same colour as the room you are going into.
Paint the ceiling
If you have a period property and want to do something a little bit different you can use the fifth wall, i.e. the ceiling. Frieda in Dublin has gone for a gorgeous warm terracotta shade on her ceiling which works really well with her mid-century styling. When you have a high ceiling don’t be afraid to go dramatic and paint it a darker shade than the walls.
Zone an area
One simple idea is to use your paint is to highlight a corner of your room to zone a bed, desk or seating area in a room. It’s an effective way to make a statement without painting the whole room.
You can keep it simple and paint around a noticeboard or a piece of art just to add a splash of colour to the room. This highlights a specific area and draws attention to it as in this student rental property in Limerick.
Another option would be to take the paint further up the wall and zone the corner where your desk sits. This example here from Remade with Love shows you how it can be done.
Or you could highlight a cot in a corner of the room like Aimee does in this nursery.
Design on a chalkboard
If however you are a talented artist and want to showcase your skills you can follow the example of Theresa Gromski. You can use your chalk board or chalk wall to create an amazing picture. The beauty here is you can update and change this whenever you like.
Paint a mural
A more complex undertaking in terms of wall painting ideas is to go all out and paint a mural on the wall.
You can make it as simple or complex as you like. You could try colour blocking with large shapes and blocks of colour like this example from Three Six Nine.
Or you can go more abstract with different shapes and styles but in a complementary palette like Abbey Chiavario has done.
If you’re feeling brave and want to embrace a room of colour you can try your hand at something like this, created by Rachael Jackson. Rachael is the absolute queen of murals and you will be blown away by her wall painting ideas. She showcases her creations on Instagram and on her website.
All the colours of the rainbow
Finally if you have time and the creativity be inspired by Gill who has created a magical rainbow wonderland in her home in Limerick.
Always Test Before You Buy
- Getting a colour or finish wrong can be a very expensive mistake. Make sure you test out the paint under all light conditions.
- Always buy tester pots, and buy two if the quantities are small. The colour on a computer screen are not completely reliable.
- Prime raw plaster first or use lining paper.
- Allow paint to fully dry. Acrylic and even water-based emulsion paint can take a couple of hours to properly cure on the wall.
- Paint a large sample. A better area of paint will allow you to stand back and really see the impact and you can bring furniture in close and check to see how it looks. If you don’t want to paint directly on the wall you can paint it on a large sheet of paper and stick it up on the wall.
- Consider aspect and the variety of lighting that will fall on the walls. Draw the curtains back during the day and paint on both a shadowed and bright wall. Turn on the main lights in the evening. Any sheen will appear more obvious in non-directional light. If you only use the room at particular times of the day that makes a difference.
- To check if you need a primer on an already painted surface, press a piece of sticky tape onto old paint and remove it — if the paint comes off it needs priming.
- If you are intending to use more than one colour, test the colours in situ together over different times of the day. Note if anything seems over- whelming or just ‘off’.
- Buy from the same batch, especially if you’re using neutral paints that may alter in minute amounts delivering slight changes in colour. Tins should have a batch code.
I hope you found some inspiration here and some ideas that you can try to brighten up your home. As I said, even painting a small corner of your home can make a big difference to the space. And it’s only paint so you can always paint over it.
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What do you think? Have you been inspired to get your paint brushes out and try out some of these wall painting ideas?
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I found your idea interesting when you said to use paint to highlight a corner of our room if we want an effective way to make a statement without repainting the whole room. I wanted to give my bedroom a makeover, so I might just consider painting the walls in the area around my study table. I’ll keep what you suggested in mind while I look for interior painting services to hire soon.
Thank you so much Elina for your comment.