I’ve always got a stash of paint sample pots to hand — you’d be amazed at how often they come in handy for small but impactful DIY projects. Because, actually, you don’t need to totally repaint a room to give it something of a makeover; there are some clever ways to decorate that use small quantities of paint.
To prove my point, I’ve found four cool, modern paint ideas that all use smaller pots, whether it’s a liter or a tester, to do something that completely changes the feel of the room. From painted borders to using color in a way that shifts the design dynamic, here’s how you can make a little go a long way.
1. Add Two Color Details
A sitting room at members’ club Crafted at Powdermills features checkerboard stripes on the ceiling.
(Image credit: Milo Hutchings. Design by House of Dre for Crafted at Powdermills)
The striped painted ceiling of the lounge at members’ club Crafted at Powdermills was designed to create a “rhythm that responded to the proportions of the Georgian room,” explains Andreas Christodoulou, founder and creative director of House of Dre.
“The idea was to create a calming frequency overhead, something you might not consciously register but that gently settles the space.”
John Lewis X Sophie Conran
Cocobella Footstool, Coastal Stripe, Spring Green Stripe
2. Create an Anchoring Accent
A lime green painted fireplace stands out against the terracotta hues of this playroom.
(Image credit: Dean Hearne & Jeska Hearne. Design: Field Day Studio)
An unexpected contrast can be the most impactful use of paint, like the anchoring fireplace in this London home. “The brown is grounding and enveloping,” says Jessica Gibbons, the designer and director of Field Day Studio, “and hopefully it creates a backdrop that feels steady and enduring.”
The bright green accent brings life and energy. “It has an immediacy that contrasted beautifully with the richness of the brown.”
Farrow & Ball
Acid Drop
3. Create a Color Block
A pale green block extends down from the ceiling to add dimension to this space.
(Image credit: Carlo Oriente. Design: Fotosintensi)
Color blocking can help change the perspective of a room, especially one with challenging proportions such as this one.
“The living room is relatively narrow yet very tall, so we wanted to counterbalance that strong verticality,” says interior designers Julie Nebout and Giuseppe Punzo of design studio Fotosintensi. “It works almost like a suspended plane — a kind of floating canopy that wraps the room rather than allowing it to endlessly stretch upward.”
Tikamoon
Zita – Rattan Side Table
4. Create Tailored Stripes
A linear border heightens the contrast between walls and ceiling in this sitting room.
(Image credit: Kesslee Kasius. Design: Studio 2XK)
There’s something almost sartorial about the painted black line dividing the painted ceiling from the walls in the Rotterdam living room of interior designer and vintage furniture dealer Kesslee Kasius of Studio 2XK. It’s a design element that extends through the apartment, including in the kitchen and bedroom.
MADE
Brando Table Lamp, Brown/chrome
Of course, these are the only ways a little can go a long way. Why not consider how you could also use wallpaper remnants to decorate in an impactful way.
And for more clever decorating ideas, why not sign up to the Livingetc newsletter, and get them delivered straight to your inbox?
