Eight designer tricks for using bold colour in your home

True colours

A coat of colourful paint is the most high-impact, low-commitment change to your home that you can make in a weekend. Tap into colour trends or choose a hue that says ‘you’!.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment. Ensure the room is well ventilated.

1. Take advantage of sample paint pots

The number one rule to finding the right colour for your room is to test your picks in all types of lighting. Sample paint pots, therefore, are your best friends. Try out paint samples on sheets of paper and stick them on the wall. Move the sheets around the space and try them in other rooms to find the right shade for the job.

2. Make a feature wall

Opting for a bold shade on one wall is a good way to become comfortable with colour. The first wall you see when entering a space is typically the one to select for your feature, or consider the wall behind your bed or sofa.

Tip: Choose a wall with the most paintable surface area and one without too many visual interruptions, like multiple doors and windows.

3. Set the tone

Choose a colour that will lend itself to the use of the room. For example, sunny yellow is an invigorating shade for a dining space, stimulating conversation and appetites.

Tip: Using a deeper shade of the same colour on one wall makes it seem to recede, expanding the feel of the room.

4. Add some texture

Try VJ boards to make your own wainscoting. Whether the style is geometric, Hamptons or traditional, panels painted in a bold and beautiful colour make for a spectacular feature wall. They’re also perfect in a hallway taken to dado height, painted one colour below and a complementary shade above.

5. Use furnishings to make a feature wall feel like a natural element of the room

To complement your feature wall and maintain it as the room’s focal point, stick to neutrals in large furniture pieces, and accent the wall with subtle complementary colours. This nautical navy wall is a sophisticated choice that marries beautifully with accents in orange-adjacent shades of rust, tan and walnut timber.

6. Try extending your feature wall colour over your door and trims

Transition spaces like hallways are perfect for making a bold statement with a dark or daring colour; they’re also a great place to create an unconventional feature wall style. “Matching your wall, door and trim colour delivers a dramatic look – the opposite of all-white everything,” says Bunnings magazine style editor Samantha Pointon.

7. Keep the walls from looking too flat

New to solid coloured walls? Ease into the trend by painting over picture frames for a three-dimensional break in the ocean of colour. This is a simple D.I.Y. idea to soften the look of a feature wall.

8. Try colour out, temporarily

Try introducing deep colours through cushions, artwork and feature furniture pieces. These can easily be replaced if you prefer to revert to neutrals.

Keep in mind...

• Take care when removing old paint as it could contain traces of lead.     
• Always use the right ladder for the job. Make sure it has non-slip feet and is set up on a flat, stable and solid surface. Wear sturdy footwear,maintain three points of contact on it at all times (for example, both feet and one hand) and make sure another person is nearby in case you need assistance.

Keen to create an outstanding feature wall?

Follow our ultimate guide to creating the perfect feature wall in your home.

Photo Credit: Brigid Arnott

Artwork Apples by Matilda Michell.