Update Your Interior with these 6 Paint Techniques

Whether you just bought a home or moved into a new apartment, you want your living space to reflect your personality. Different colours and textures give your home variety and make your room eye-catching to guests who visit.

Though textured tapestries, intricate wallpaper or modern fixtures might be too expensive for every homeowner, a simple paint job can transform your interior from uninteresting to innovative.

Take a look at these six tips to update your home using only paint, brushes and your imagination.

1. Ombre© Walls

This trendy dark-to-light colour scheme isn’t just for hair anymore! Use colour chips to select three to four shades in the same colour family. Then measure off your wall into even sections, leaving about 76 millimetres (3 inches) in between sections, and paint the lightest shade at the top with the darkest shade at the bottom.

Once your initial coat is dry, carefully blend the colours towards each other in the unpainted borders. You can dip one half of your brush in one colour and the other half in another, or mix the paints directly in the containers. A dry brush can help you blend the edges together until you’re satisfied with your finished product.

2. Sponge Painting or Combing

To give your room a textured, earthy feel, purchase a sponge or comb at your paint supplier. These tools give a marbled or linen finish. After your base coat dries, apply a layer of glaze over the top. Then, use your sponge to texture the glaze evenly over the wall’s surface.

You can also use the comb in horizontal or vertical lines to create a woven texture. Just wipe off the comb between strips to make sure each line has the same thickness.

3. Stencilling

For Moroccan patterns or harlequin diamonds, a stencil can help you cover a wall or an entire room. For a simple approach, buy a stencil in a design you like. Tape the stencil flat against the wall and paint over it with a contrasting colour. Switch up the look by placing the design in a uniform or sporadic layout.

You can create a harlequin pattern through a stencil as well, or opt for painter’s tape. To create this classic look, start with the darkest paint colour first. Then fill the diamonds with a lighter shade of the same colour, and voila!

4. Stripes and Chevrons

You might struggle to calculate the perfect mathematical equation for stripes or zigzags. But thanks to technology, you can turn a complicated ruler affair into a paint-by-numbers game. Use a projector to display the look you want, and outline the pattern with painter’s tape.

Decorators recommend picking contrasting colours for these bold designs. For stripes, you’ll want to project an odd number of stripes onto each wall. That way every corner will have the same colour and your room will look balanced from every angle.

5. Textured Rolling

Paint stores often carry textured rollers to create a wallpapered look without the hassle of wrinkly paper or glue. For a DIY option, you can also wrap some wool or linen fabric around a roller and dip in a contrasting colour. Both techniques will add dimension to your walls with a laid-back patterned look.

6. Distressed Details

If you want a distressed look in your home, use Plaster of Paris or Elmer’s Glue for a unique finish. Plaster adds a textured layer underneath your chosen paint colour and can distract from existing imperfections in your walls.

If you want a crackled finish, tint glue with your paint and use the mixture as a glaze over your base coat. Once the glue dries, you’ll see a web of intricate cracks over the surface of your room.

Use Colour and Texture Effectively

Whatever technique you select, remember to use colours that will harmonize with your home environment. With the right balance on the colour wheel, textured or patterned walls can bring your home together.

Remember these six tips the next time you need an inexpensive way to update the look of your home.