Quick DIY paint projects to spruce up your interiors
A paint project is always a satisfying and fun way to pass an afternoon – especially as the weather gets colder and there's little to do outdoors. So, throw on your tattiest pair of coveralls and get out the paint roller: it's time for a simple paint refresh. Not sure where to begin? We have great suggestions for paint jobs sure to make maximum impact with minimum fuss.
From painted panels to spruce up your living room to charming pattern ideas for fireplace mantels, we've rounded up the quickest and easiest paint updates for every room in the house. Most of these projects will only require one tin of paint, which means it is the perfect time to splash out on the poshest paint money can buy. If you're feeling ambitious (or have some extra time on your hands), why not repaint your kitchen cabinets, using our handy guide? Grab your masking tape, wield your paintbrush and get cracking...
MAY WE SUGGEST: Farrow and Ball paint colours in real homes
Mark Fox1/30Add a pop of colour with painted furniture
Alfred Bramsen's Art Deco flat in Hackney is hygge-rific, with dashes of robust colour setting the tone. In the flat's dining space, the custom bench from Mentsen is painted a vibrant blue. For those seeking a shock of colour, benches are the perfect paint project. Find the most vibrant shade of your favourite colour and get to work: we'd recommend electric blues, greens, reds and pinks for the biggest decorative effect.
Boz Gagovski2/30At Max Hurd's London terrace, the complementary contrast between red and green paint helps to create distinction between the drawing room and library. Uninterested in re-painting the entire room? Find inspiration from Max's antique table, painted in a dazzling red colour; this will add a pop of colour to any room and is a fun way to DIY your space.
Simon Brown3/30Make a splash with a painted bathtub
With a clear colour palette lifted by occasional pattern and an eclectic mix of furniture, interior designer Victoria Gray has created a Cotswold retreat for her family that marries rustic charm with minimalism, and transcends modern trends. Take inspiration from Victoria and add colour to your space by painting the room's tub. Here, a CP Hart bath is painted in ‘Hague Blue’ from Farrow & Ball.
Owen Gale4/30The roll-top bath in Lucinda Chambers’s colourful west London home is painted in a joyful Little Greene yellow, with contrasting feet in Sanderson’s ‘Bengal Red’. A French macramé lampshade and an eclectic display of plates on the wall above the bath give the city house a particularly charming rustic look.
Paul Massey5/30The panelling round the bath inside the founder of edit58's charming converted Cotswold barn is in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Lichen'.
6/30This sweet traditional bathroom has been decorated by Colefax designer Emma Burns with a collection of sailors' valentines that hang in the bathroom; all of them were found a The Lacquer Chest in Kensington. If you have a wooden edging to your bath similar to this tongue-and-groove panelling give it a lick of paint to instantly smarten it. Sanderson's 'Oyster White' is a lovely creamy shade.
Chris Horwood7/30In the bathroom of Francesca Gentilli’s colourful 18th-century farmhouse, Francesca used a deep Farrow & Ball colour on the walls and woodwork: ‘Oval Room Blue’. An antique barley twist wall shelf from eBay adds a decorative touch, as does the nude watercolour by Julianna Byrne.
Owen Gale8/30Add colourful spirit to your fireplace
The living room in Alice Palmer’s north-west London house is full of dressed-up character – especially her two-toned fireplace. For a fun paint project sure to only last the weekend, grab masking tape, two cans of paint and get to work. Take Alice's lead and paint stripes onto your fireplace, sure to add fun pops of colour and texture to any room. Additionally, letting your fireplace stand out only further anchors the room, which is ideal for more formal living spaces that need a touch of homeyness.
Owen Gale9/30At her own house in Sussex, textile designer Molly Mahon has painted the fireplace in a style reminiscent of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant's nearby house, Charleston.
Tom Mannion10/30Paint the interior of your front door
This Cornish rectory was decorated by Max Rollitt. The wood panelled hall glows with warmth - the reverse of the front door is painted a sunny yellow. Painting the interior-facing side of your front door is an excellent way of bringing colour to your hallway. 'Daisy Chain' from Earthborn is a cheery lemon-like hue.
Line Klein11/30A modern apartment in the new Vesterbro district of Carlsberg City was a blank page for former musician and Scandinavian tastemaker Josephine Hoffmeyer to play with rhythm, colour and light. With its red door and well harmonised curation of objects, the entrance and kitchen to Josephine's flat offer a warm welcome. Why not take Josephine's lead and add colour to an otherwise all-white room by painting your doorway in a rich colour?
Yuki Sugiura12/30In her house in London, Matilda Goad replaced the kitchen door with a larger one with glass panels, and painted it in a red gloss paint, 'Eating Room Red' by Farrow & Ball. Finding a strong contrasting colour for woodwork linking the hall with other rooms of the house can be a lovely decorative touch. A set of vintage pressed botanicals hang on the hall wall in perspex frames.
13/30Add a pop of red for grounding colour
A red floor creates impact in the kitchen of designer Bridie Hall’s house in London. Colour blocking on floors can be a great way to enliven a room. Here, the wooden boards are painted in Dulux’s ‘Hot Paprika 4’ (£27.14 for 1 litre matt emulsion). It is a smart partner to the other splashes of colour in the room, grounding them against the white walls. The absence of pattern stops the room looking fussy.
Yuki Sugiura14/30Matilda Goad has used a navy blue striped runner from The Cloth Shop on the staircase of her London home. The stripes echo the colours of the walls which have been painted pale blue above the dado rail and navy blue below, a clever trick which mimics the effects of wall panelling and gives a sense of increased height to the space.
Paul Massey15/30Get creative with colourful cabinetry
The multi-coloured kitchen in Rosi de Ruig's family home in west London is fun and modern without looking too much like a kaleidoscope. Enjoy electric colours, such as the green on the cabinetry and island? Kitchens are the perfect place to show this off, so be bold and get painting!
Owen Gale16/30The cupboards in Joanna Plant's upstairs bathroom are painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Arsenic’. The lamps are by Hector Finch, the tiles are from Bert & May, and the brass-edged mirror is one of Joanna and Nick’s own designs.
Helen Cathcart17/30Give your kitchen (no matter the size!) a pop of colour by painting underside cabinets a fun, fresh colour, as was done in the compact British Standard kitchen in Isabella Worsley's mews house in Hove. The cabinets have been painted in Paint and Paper Library's ‘Elizabethan Red’.
Owen Gale18/30Colour in your trims
The boot room in a London house by Clarence Graves has walls painted in Farrow & Ball's 'Setting Plaster', while the woodwork is in 'Arsenic'.
Owen Gale19/30The hallway of Lucinda Chambers' London house is filled with art, but it is the colour palette on the walls that is most striking. Paint Library’s ‘Bruno’ sits on the bottom, with Farrow & Ball’s ‘Mizzle’ above and a black line to divide them. The perfect paint project for those living in a terraced house.
Dean Hearne20/30In the living room of Design Director at de Gournay India Holmes' (pictured) London house, the window sills are painted a vibrant pink, which adds verve to the space without a harsh edge. Consider using lighter pinks, purples and reds for window sills, as these colours will bounce light well and add character to any room.
21/30Artist and designer Cressida Bell's pretty house in Islington is decorated in as exuberant a manner you would expect. Cressida designs textiles, rugs, lamps, and furniture - as well as beautiful cakes. Her home is a shrine to colour; the turquoise and red kitchen is a prime example. Instantly update kitchen cabinets by painting colourful borders around their edges. 'Russet' from Zoffany is a similar warm red to that which Cressida has used.
Paul Massey22/30‘We painted the door frame yellow, to not only create a division between the two rooms, but also bring some sunshine to the space,’ says Suzy Hoodless of her own sitting room in London. She has used Little Greene’s ‘Trumpet’ (£66 for 2.5 litres intelligent eggshell), which stands out against the off-white wall and contrasts with the blue and pink tones of the rug and furniture. ‘It’s a punchy colour, but feels neutral – we never get bored of it.’
Elsa Young23/30Paint your woodwork
At this writer's flat in Edinburgh, Susan Deliss has created an incredibly bright and cheerful scheme by painting the woodwork throughout. Edward Bulmer’s ‘Verdigris’ paint on the woodwork complements ‘Lioness & Palms’ wallpaper in the midday colourway, an Arts and Crafts design by CFA Voysey available from CommonRoom.
Jake Curtis24/30Ben Pentreath has used a canny combination of paints within his small London flat. By painting the wooden floorboards instantly lightens the room. Farrow & Ball's 'Pink Ground' is a similarly pretty rosy shade to that seen above.
Benjamin Edwards25/30This cosy bedroom at the Fife Arms in Scotland features hand-painted drawers and skirting, which adds a rustic and fanciful atmosphere to the room. Get creative with your own designs and patterns which can be painted on any bed frame or daybed!
Line T Klein26/30Bauhaus influences and blocks of rich colour elevate Michael Dansk's classic Copenhagen flat in the Nørrebro neighbourhood well beyond the norm. Consider painting the legs of your wooden dining table and chairs different colours, which add subtle details that are sure to make your interiors sing.
27/30Get creative with wall details
These hand-stencilled patterns by Annie Millar could easily be mistaken for wallpaper. The floral motifs in the foreground are based on a simple Mughal flower silhouette and the geometric design in the hallway is inspired by sgraffito patterns found on the plaster or stucco exterior walls of buildings. Green and yellow walls in Fired Earth’s ‘Malachite’ and ‘Hustle at 5pm’ (both £42 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion) provide backgrounds for the white patterns.
28/30Taking his cue from the red stripe of the sofa fabric, Gavin Houghton decided to mirror the design on the ceiling. Detail on the ceiling is a smart way to add interest to an often neglected part of the room. Leaving the walls white, as Gavin has done here, puts the simple design at centre stage.
Owen Gale29/30Molly Mahon has painted the cabinet in her studio in Charleston-style patterns. It's a simple thing to do to wooden furniture and requires little more than some sanding, priming and patience.
Owen Gale30/30We've no doubt it took stylist Maude Smith quite a while to paint the bathroom tiles in her Stockwell house with this charming array of wildlife, but there's no need to tackle anything quite this ambitious. Using tile paint to turn your tiles a different colour, or painting a simple pattern onto them can be a simple and satisfying task.
