Having just completed the stunning five-bedroom Garvie showhome at our Craibstone Estate South development in Aberdeen, using some clever paint tricks to add some truly special touches, the renowned interiors expert shares her advice on the ‘power of paint’.
From bold brights to neutrals, accent walls to stripes, or paired well with a contrast wallpaper, paint offers endless options when it comes to giving your space a brand-new look and feel.
Felicity says: ‘The use of paint dates back thousands of years and is not only a great tool to create impact quickly in your home, but is also cost effective and something you can do yourself! The feeling of satisfaction you get when you have created something on your walls is enormous and the reward even better.’ Here are Felicity’s top paint tips…
Pops of teal and mustard can be found in the welcoming lounge at The Garvie at Craibstone Estate South. Hand painted artwork and a feature painted wall complement the tones of the cushions and rug
- Introduce colour - You can be bold and vibrant with colour. Unlike wallpaper, the use of three or more paint colours is more achievable than working with three plus wallpaper finishes and means you can really introduce some strong pops of colour into your designs.
- Create balance – Complement plain painted walls with pattern and texture, meaning you can make the most of patterned cushions or upholstery you already have.
- Spotlight your existing colours - Rather than replacing smaller pieces, such as cushions, artwork and accessories, pull one colour out of these items and put it on the wall. Even the most subtle colour from a pattern will work. You can even take this into your nearest DIY store and find a colour match there. It is much more efficient than bringing home hundreds of sample colours and putting them on the wall.
Clever use of paint can also be found in one of the children’s bedrooms in The Garvie, which has a feature wall of light blue paint, stopping three quarters of the way up the wall and is finished with a thick dark blue line, creating an interesting focal point without the use of wallpaper
- Be brave - Paint is easy to change so don’t be afraid to express yourself with colour, shapes or techniques.
- Colour block - Short of artwork and looking for impact? Colour blocking could work really well on your walls. A simple shape on the wall with a shelf can be so eye-catching and avoids the use of complicated wallpapers and additional wall art.
The Garvie study at Craibstone Estate South has been created as a flexible space for both adults and children. A long, slim desk provides enough space for two and the area has been cleverly painted to create two defined working areas. One half of the wall is a soft grey while the other half is light blue
- Think abstract – You don’t always have to have straight lines or mirror images of perfectly formed patterns to create an effective colour blocking feature on your wall. A plan might not be something you have, and if that’s the case, then gently sketch a design on your wall using a pencil and go from there. Some of the best and most effective creations are done using your gut instinct.
- Choose complementary colours – Again, pull colours out of pieces you already have... don’t try and over-complicate things. Three colours can be easy to combine, and if you are looking for inspiration, check out colours that are on the opposite end of the colour spectrum, as they usually sit well together.
- Paint your woodwork - If you aren’t feeling large blocks of colour on your walls, then you may want to opt for a colour on your skirting. This can be really effective and quite unique! Painted skirtings can work well with colour blocking schemes to add an additional pop of colour, as well as plain white painted walls, or even plain textured wallpaper.
The light blue tone of this feature wall in The Garvie this time travel halfway up the wall and is interrupted by a green circle which sits above the desk area and forms the backdrop to a single shelf
- Think practical - Get yourself some frog tape to help guide your paintwork - it’s the best tape you can get when creating shapes. A piece of string and a pencil work brilliantly for softer shapes and circles.
- Go easy - You don’t need as much paint as you think! If you are working with a few colours, don’t fork out a fortune on huge tins as you can get away with less than you think. Ask at your local DIY store about coverage and measure the square meters you need to cover on your wall or woodwork.
For further information or to book an appointment to check out The Garvie, visit our Craibstone Estate South page.
Let us know if you use any of these tips by sharing your updates with us on Instagram @calahomes
