My next post is a very exciting one. I went to meet the designer Lisa Levis (nee Stickley) with the wonderful Katharine Peachey of Peachey Photography. We chatted design and snooped around her amazing pad and Katharine took beautiful photographs (seriously, don’t miss the post – such a beautiful home and great design ideas). One of the things I noticed about her home was her use of paint to transform a room. She has used a beautiful grey from Little Greene set against brilliant white. This combination provides a basis for all of her wonderful furniture and antique finds to shine.
When I was 11 years old I painted my bedroom. From that point onwards, I painted it a different colour every year and so began my love of interiors.The first time I painted it I chose peach for the walls, with a paler peach sponged on top – amazing!
There was a time when paint effects were all the rage and then very quickly they became synonymous with bad taste. Now, it seems that using paint as a design statement is becoming more common again. This is good for three reasons: it’s cheap, easy and you can be as creative as you like. Anyone can paint a room, with a bit of patience and effort, and it costs relatively little to totally transform a space and the possibilities are endless. All you need is a bit of inspiration…
Extending the ceiling paint further than you would expect and using a different tone on the door makes this effect very interesting (Farrow and Ball).
Black tear drop effect on brilliant white is very striking.
Using unconventional colour combinations can totally transform a room (Farrow and Ball).
Paint a room white and then using daring colours for the ceiling and woodwork, combined with painted furniture (Farrow and Ball).
Classic polka dots, painted in a random pattern, looks very stylish.
Use a completely different colour for your woodwork (Farrow and Ball).
Tone your paint in with your furniture. This is so pretty.
For a sense of continuity use the same colour for the walls and all the woodwork.
Use a colour to paint a half way up the wall.
Daring door.
Paint half way up the wall and door. Love this.
Use an unexpected colour in a very restricted way by carefully painting only the top of all the skirting boards.
Diamond effect.
This is a very classic look – paint the walls a neutral colour and then highlight all the woodwork with a different colour. If you do this throughout the house it can create a lovely flow between rooms.
Use a striking colour just for a door.
A subtle nod to colour, picking out some of the woodwork.
Creeping yellow.
See anything you like? If you’ve done anything similar in your home, please send me a pic!
Don’t miss the post featuring an interview with Lisa Levis and beautiful photographs of her super-stylish house!
I love the diamond effect. I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to do it in my house, but I love it all the same. The extension of the ceiling paint is also a fantastic idea, so simple but so effective!
I really want to learn to be braver with paint and colour in general. I just love you can play around with paint and it’s so easy to change it if you go wrong.
I’m totally in love with Farrow and Ball paint and this post has made me see it in a totally different light. I would never be brave enough to use the colour combinations they have but I might try using three different colours instead of just one for the walls and one for the ceiling and woodwork. Perhaps a different coloured ceiling. Mmmm….feeling inspired.
Yes, that’s a good idea, Helena. I think experimenting is really important to help you figure out what you like and don’t like.
I have great memories of helping you create your ‘peach dream’ when we were 11!!! Xx
One of my best memories ever! It really was a peach dream! xx
wow some great colours, wish I was brave enough to go bright