dare to be BOLD
Feature walls are a great way to make a statement
IF YOU’RE after living spaces that are up-to-date, but don’t want to drown in a sea of Scandi-inspired white, there are plenty of other ways to go.
It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be painting your walls in savage red or goodness-me purple.
We’re not knocking white. It’s an amazingly versatile colour that runs the gamut from edgy, icy whites and cool alabasters to aged ivories and rich creams.
If that sea of Scandi still appeals, then check out the Resene Whites & Neutrals collection of paint colours to see just how many ‘whites’ there are.
White can also be the anchor colour to a bold scheme. In fact, if you have a bold or brightly coloured feature wall, for example, painting the other walls in off-white will help accentuate the drama of the feature wall.
Which leads us to one of the simpler and less anxious ways of giving a boring living area a bolder look. Feature walls.
These decorative devices have been popular for many years and have become a mainstay of our interiors. Feature walls are amazingly versatile, can be used in many rooms, and are particularly good at providing some visual relief in open-plan living spaces.
The move towards more open-plan living spaces has led to a colour calamity — where do you end one colour and start another?
Unfortunately the answer for many has just been to paint everything the same colour. Which can be awfully boring.
But a feature wall allows you to overcome this issue and add interest at the same time. Feature walls are great for defining specific areas within an open-plan space, for example, behind the dining area to frame the table and chairs.
Try them also on a fireplace wall, in the kitchen, or at the back of a living space.
A feature wall can be painted a bold colour, or you can use a striking wallpaper — check out the wallpaper options available at your local Resene ColorShop.
Or if you’re artistically inclined you can create your own mural or geometric masterpiece with a few Resene testpots and some masking tape.
Don’t limit yourself to using just a plain wall as a feature wall. You might choose a wall that’s punctuated with windows or doors instead.
In many modern homes or renovations, large windows and sliding doors are a feature of the living spaces.
If you’re keen on a bold colour for all of your walls but feel a bit nervous, remind yourself that you often won’t end up with four full-on walls of colour.
Once you take away the glazed areas, and the kitchen cabinets, and know that curtains, furniture and art will hide more walls space, you may find there’s not that much walls space left, and that it will be nicely broken up and interspersed with other elements.
If you’re unsure of diving into a bold colour for your walls, add accessories like rugs, cushions and lamps, in the colour instead. These are more easily changed if and when you tire of the colour.
If your home has high ceilings, a full wall of a dark or bold colour may be overpowering. Instead, use the visual trick of bringing the pale ceiling colour down the walls for about 50cm.
Opt for over-sized accessories to add drama — a large mirror or artwork leant against a wall, a big squishy statement sofa, striking light fittings or a heavily textured rug.