Try a speedy STYLE UPDATE

Have fun with these simple paint ideas that’ll update your bedroom in a weekend or less

Mock up a headboard panel

Keep things simple by masking an area behind your bed and paint a rectangular panel of colour you can easily change, move or erase, for a cheaper and less bulky alternative to an upholstered headboard. Once you’ve painted your panel (we suggest going wider than your bed, as well as higher for maximum impact), try positioning a wall light in the corner as if it were attached to a real headboard. If space is tight, you could also add a short ledge or shelf, painted the same shade as the headboard panel to act as a neat bedside table.

Carrying a colour up the wall and onto the architrave makes the ceiling feel higher and a room feel grander. It’s a clever trick, particularly if you live in a house built in the 1980s or 1990s, where ceilings could be particularly low. A deep blue or green colour works particularly well with dark wooden bedroom furniture, lifting the ‘heaviness’ while still allowing the furniture to pop.

PAINT COVING TO MATCH

Go for bold colour on the ceiling

You can also use darkcoloured paint to cosy up a high-ceilinged bedroom by painting with a classic, deep navy emulsion to mimic the night sky. Pale rooms can sometimes seem chilly and unwelcoming, especially in artificial light, but try the decorator’s trick of adding a deep colour on the ceiling and the room instantly feels more cosy and cocooning. You could pick up the dark ceiling colour in your choice of bed linen, throws or cushions, or add an artwork in similar shades to complete the look.