It’s easy to be impressed by the images you see in magazines and design sites – the challenge is knowing how to make them work in your own home. To address this common frustration, Dulux has partnered with interior stylist Julia Green to guide you step-by-step on how to give your rooms an ‘on trend’ makeover.
“It’s easy to be wowed by professionally-styled shots,” says Julia.
“But the real trick is looking for the ideas behind the images and finding ways to make them work in your own home. If you’re looking to liven a room, are short on time and don’t want to spend a fortune, paint can be your best friend, allowing you to breathe new life into tired spaces with minimal cost and effort.
“Add in the right soft furnishings or paint your existing accessories and you’ve got an up-to-date look in no time.”
Faced with a bland, white bedroom, Julia took inspiration from Dulux’s Repair palette to give it some much-needed personality and interest.
“The room was a blank canvas,” says Julia. “While it had lovely features such as wooden floorboards, white walls and shutters, it was crying out for some character.
“When it comes to choosing colour, I believe it’s the emotional connection we make that is the most important thing – perhaps even more important than how we dress a space. I knew the deep greenish blues and hints of cinnamon would be perfect for creating a warm, welcoming feel in this bedroom.”
Julia looked for easy ways to incorporate the ideas into a tired bedroom with doses of colour in paint, accessories and soft furnishings.
“I chose an artwork for the back wall that was filled with beautiful, earthy tones, all present in the Dulux Repair palette, and used this to inform the rest of my colour choices. I selected a bold hue for the back wall to give the room depth. I layered this up with touches of rich green by painting the existing bedside-table drawer with Dulux Aquanamel in Plasticine and adding lush velvet soft furnishings and tall potted plants on either side of the bed.
“I’m a firm believer that every room’s scheme needs an element of surprise to really bring it to life – here, I painted a soft terracotta shade on the mirror rim and Auburn Flair on the base of a ceramic pot, which contrast beautifully with all the blues and greens. The ceiling, trims and other walls were already painted in a warm white.
“A medley of interesting textures finish the look – a large blue tonal rug, touches of raw timber, velvet and slubby linens.”
The result is a warm, rejuvenating bedroom that’s packed with character.
“And best of all, the new look only took me a couple of days to create.
“You don’t have to be an expert to achieve great results with colour – it’s such fun to experiment, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it can transform a space. Safe is boring; my advice is to step outside your comfort zone and try something new. Chances are, you’ll fall in love with playing with colour and never want to stop!”
Julia’s styling tips:
When choosing colours, think about the mood you want to create. I chose greeny-blues and accents of cinnamon and terracotta here because I wanted to create a cosy, refreshing vibe.
- Start with an artwork: Take your colour cues from a key painting or print to give your room scheme an intentional feel.
- Add energy to the space with one or two jolts of an unexpected colour. And remember; contrast is key.
- If you’re adding white to the mix, choose one with similar undertones as your brights.
- Think beyond walls – use paint to revamp old furniture and accessories too. You may just find yourself falling right back in love with them!
- Have fun and experiment – remember, if you change your mind about a colour, you can always paint over it. To feel confident with your choice, always start with a sample pot or A4-size swatch so you can live with the colour for a few days without fully committing.
