As we’ve set about painting our son’s bedroom predominantly in one colour, I got to thinking how much more there is to paint and our homes. With this in mind, I thought, we’d seek some inspiration on How To Use Paint Creatively In Your Home from those who have thought outside the box and just gone for it! Today’s post may just inspire you to get creative with your own home. I know I’m tempted to try a few out myself!
How To Use Paint Creatively In Your Home
It has to be said that paint is one of the easiest/quickest ways to transform and update our homes. It’s also relatively easy to change if you find you don’t quite like the colour you’ve chosen.
One point I would stress before you get too carried away painting is to test your chosen colour/s. Painting a large enough swatch (preferably A3) is essential. As is seeing how different light affects how a colour will look and feel throughout the day/evening. I would also suggest moving your swatch around to see how the colour looks in different parts of a room to be sure you’re happy with it too.
Whilst most of us will just decide upon a colour palette and go just go ahead and paint, there are some and fun creative ways you can use this medium in your homes. I’ve picked a selection to whet your appetite and have plenty more for future posts. So watch this space!
So without further ado, let me introduce you to some amazing women and their creative ability to transform their homes with paint.
Colour Blocking
First up, and in no particular order, is Jo from @retrojo5 . Her colour confidence and painting skills literally hold no boundaries. It’s a home filled to the brim with fun colour loving inspiration that sits perfectly with her love of all things retro. I thought we’d take a closer look at her amazing colour blocking skills.
Modern homes tend to lack the architectural qualities of older properties and more or less provide you with a blank canvas to add your own personality and, ultimately have fun. Colour blocking is a fantastic way to add interest and colour to modern and traditional homes.
Colour Blocking – The Interior Editor
Jo has definitely mastered the art of creating a unique and personal home with her colour blocking skills. Using an existing colour palette of predominately pink and yellow, with some yellow/green thrown in, Jo has created a fabulous statement art piece to her reading area. The white backdrop pays homage to her painting skills and let’s this feature stand proud without being overwhelming. It also allows Jo to play with a variance of tones/shades with accessories. For example, the red lamp and candles are derivative of pink and work well in this playful seating area.
Design Tip: Your chosen colour palette doesn’t mean you can’t play around with the shades/tones of the colours you have chosen with accessories/furniture.
I love that Jo has kept it simple with two blocks of colour. Her design uses asymmetrical balance which adds the unexpected and is less formal. The key with asymmetrical designs is to balance visual weights, textures and colour. All of which Jo has achieved and particularly love the use of her starburst mirror.
DESIGN TIP: Consider your colour palette before undertaking a colour blocking project. If you’re not sure, look around at what you own and take inspiration from existing pieces. You’ll probably find you err on two to three dominant colours that you can then use to create a colour blocking feature with paint.
COLOUR BLOCKING TIP: Choose your definitive colour palette that flows throughout your home. In Jo’s case, pink is the connecting colour and ensures that her abstract colour blocking doesn’t feel out of place.
It’s In The Detail with Paint…
Sometimes, it really is in the smallest of detail that can add that little bit extra to your homes. Here, Jo has painted the door edge to match the wall of the connecting room. It adds a wonderful contrast and a sneak peek of what’s behind the door. It’s something that I’m planning to do with our home and is easy to implement too!
You can see/follow more of Jo’s fabulous Retro styled home here.
Paint Your Own Wallpaper
Have you ever struggled to find the wallpaper and failed? Or maybe you have and it’s just out of your budget. You could take a leaf (literally in Sandra’s case) and design your own. The amazingly talented Sandra @Chiclecticblog did just that!
Sandra’s whole home is a riot of colour, pattern and art. And she also happens to be part of the @eclectically_made crew where we get to feature some amazing homes of which I get the ultimate joy of writing about with our monthly winners.
Creating your own wallpaper is not as hard as it looks either. Although Sandra does admit that you do need an element of patience and determination; the end result is definitely worth the effort. Armed with a DIY wall stencil that Sandra cut with her little Cricut machine and inspired by the glorious @schumacher1889 wallpaper, Sandra set about creating her very own unique and bespoke stencilled wallpaper. It combines two of her favourite things; zebras & palms. I have to say it looks AMAZING, doesn’t it?!
You can follow/see more of Sandra’s fabulous home by clicking here.
Graphically Speaking…
I couldn’t not include our very own talented Paola aka @Paola_roder also part of the @eclectically_made crew and whom I had the greatest of pleasure featuring her jawdropping graphically designed colour-popping home here.
No one does colour and pattern more boldly and more creatively than Paola! It’s a home that literally excites the senses to the point that you can’t help but stop and stare to take it all in.
Paola’s home literally holds no boundaries when it comes to introducing bold colour and pattern choices through painting. Unique in every way, Paola has made it her mission to introduce and combine pattern and colour to every element of her fabulous home. It’s what brings her joy and I’m not surprised. It definitely makes for a happy home.
From upcycling furniture pieces to creating unique artistic features, there is so much inspiration to be had. Even if you take one element and go with it, you’ll provide your home with the unique and be adding some personality to it. You may even find choosing paint becomes your happy and self-satisfying choice of medium to use, just like Paola!
You can follow/see more of Paola’s bold colourful design journey here.
Monochrome Picasso…
You may recall, I featured the magnificent home of Mel @melmitchia and her husband Mitch. A home that is truly made of love, romance and partnership which you can read it here. Mel is also part of the @eclectically_made team and is invaluable when it comes to making sure we all know what we are doing and when we should do it! Which in my case, is very much needed!
Mel’s home is simply a feast for the eyes especially when it comes to creating a unique and personable home. Since I featured her, Mel and her husband Mitch have upped their creativity and added even more personality through their creative skillset. Including this handpainted masterpiece in their living room.
Mel’s love of blue and art are featured throughout her home and provide that all-important invisible thread that creates a cohesive look and feel. An important aspect to consider, if like Mel, your home is predominantly open plan.
DESIGN NOTE/TIP: You’d be wrong in thinking that Monochrome just refers to black and white. Monochrome is a colour scheme that uses one base colour and it’s shades, tints and hues. To prevent this type of scheme from looking understated, ensure you add lots of different textures to bring it alive. Or as in Mel’s case, create a feature wall and play with pattern the shades, tints and hues of one colour.
You can follow and see more of Mel’s magnificent home by clicking here. Her AMAZING gallery wall is a must-see!! I have to say it’s THE best I have ever set eyes upon!!
Create Your Own Focal Point
Forget wallpaper, if there was ever an excuse to use paint, it would be to create a focal point in a room. Lara aka @Lara.bezzina, the Gold Leaf Queen, I hasten to add, is an expert when it comes to creating unique and wonderful designs that add an air of luxury and decadence with her painting skills. Her adoration and use of gold leaf around the home include walls, furniture and even her bath. There are literally no boundaries to her skillset. So much so, Lara has her own website where she runs, workshops and commissions.
Bedrooms are a great way to experiment with paint as it’s your personal space. With the bed being the predominant feature of the room, you can really hone in on your creativity and design whatever you want. Lara’s bedrooms have a bespoke feature to them and if you hop on over to her Instagram feed you’ll even see her in action as she’s filmed the process too!
Lara’s whole home is a wonderful haven of how you can create a luxury feel on a budget.
If you’d like to join Lara with her obsession of all things gold, she runs gold leafing workshops or why not hire her to design and paint a mural. You can find her website here and Instagram feed here.
Paint Your Floor
There’s been a growing trend for decorating the fifth wall that is the ceiling but have you ever considered there may be a sixth wall, the floor? I’m thrilled to show you that Rachael @rachaelhavenhanddesign most certainly has!
In fact, if you have a nosey around her neon colourful fun home, you’ll find that this talented lady has an eye for creating the unique. It’s most definitely eye-catching and goes to show that rentals don’t have to be boring. Just make sure you ask the landlord’s permission before you get the paint and brushes out.
Rachael is no stranger when it comes to paint and the home. It’s all about having the confidence to start and letting your imagination take you where no other medium will do. Rachael set about creating her own unique floor art after there was a leak in the kitchen and the floor had to be ripped up. You can see her in action painting her floor here.
I love that Rachael has let her imagination run free allowing her to design without constraints. Paint really does allow you the freedom to express yourself. It truly is an amazing medium when it comes to decorating.
To see/follow Rachael’s colour fantastical home click here.
Head Outside…
Lastly, the wonderful Karina from @designsbykarina (also part of @eclectically_made has to grab your attention with her jaw-dropping exterior. I featured this incredible artist a few weeks ago here and have since had most of the family immortalised by having their portraits done by Karina. They’re simply AMAZING as is her ability to show how to break away from the norm and express herself when it comes to her home.
When it comes to the exteriors of our homes, we tend to opt for more conventional colour palettes. I adore the fact that Karina has gone with her heart’s desire and painted her exterior in such bright and cheerful colours. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to adding personality and character. It’s bright, bold and colourful and how could it not put a smile on your face! And I love the floral touches too!
Karina’s home is an extension of herself and her family and may it continue to shine as brightly on the outside as it does on the inside; just like those that live there.
You can follow/see more of Karina and her amazing designs/home here.
How To Use Paint Creatively In Your Home
Are we inspired to go further when painting your home? I hope today’s amazing talented ladies have inspired you in some way to gain the confidence it takes when it comes to decorating. We all have to start somewhere, don’t we? When you think about it, each and every one of them started with a blank canvas at some point. It’s all about creating a home that brings you joy. Paint can truly have a wonderful effect on how a home can feel and look and ultimately call yours!
Thanks to all the wonderful women, I have featured today for agreeing to share their love of paint and their homes. I hope you’ve enjoyed How To Use Paint Creatively In Your Home and I’ll be sharing more paint inspiration in the future.
In the meantime, thanks as always for stopping by!
Maria xxx
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[…] Ile w tym słońca! Ile optymizmu! Aż chce się usiąść z książką! Bardzo podoba mi się pomysł i wykonanie Jo z @retrojo5, a porady i sposób wykonania znajdziecie The Interior Editor. […]