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16 Genius Updates for Busy Family Homes
Stick to these top decorating tips and your home will have that newly-painted look for longer
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There’s nothing more satisfying than a ‘just-painted’ wall, with its clean, pristine finish creating a sense of calm. That’s until grubby little fingers make their mark, or greasy food splashes ruin the serenity, of course!
If that’s often the case for you, you’ll be pleased to know you can keep that freshly painted look for longer – all it takes is the right know-how and some extremely innovative paint. Simply follow these cunningly clever decorating tips and your home will be a breeze to maintain.
If that’s often the case for you, you’ll be pleased to know you can keep that freshly painted look for longer – all it takes is the right know-how and some extremely innovative paint. Simply follow these cunningly clever decorating tips and your home will be a breeze to maintain.
In the Kitchen…
1. Choose an easy-to-clean paint. Didn’t think a beautiful matt paint finish was a wise choice for a busy kitchen? Then think again. With an innovative kitchen paint that uses greaseproof technology, your walls will be washable and stay gorgeously matt without the colour fading. So, whether it’s sauce, coffee or cooking oil, you won’t need to worry about spills or splashes ruining the look and you’ll be able to wipe marks away easily.
2. Go to the dark side. Switch up the ambience of your kitchen with a deep, dark tone on the walls to instantly make it cosier and more dramatic. Not only is it a budget-friendly update, it’s also quick – ideal if time is of the essence!
3. Utilise your walls. Smart utensil racks not only offer an easy and cost-effective storage solution by freeing up valuable bench space, they also bring a focal point to dark walls.
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Struggling to find the time to give your walls a much-needed lift. Panic not! Click here to bring in the pros.
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Back wall painted in ‘Sapphire Salute’; Cupboards and side wall painted in ‘Pebble Shore’, both by Dulux.
1. Choose an easy-to-clean paint. Didn’t think a beautiful matt paint finish was a wise choice for a busy kitchen? Then think again. With an innovative kitchen paint that uses greaseproof technology, your walls will be washable and stay gorgeously matt without the colour fading. So, whether it’s sauce, coffee or cooking oil, you won’t need to worry about spills or splashes ruining the look and you’ll be able to wipe marks away easily.
2. Go to the dark side. Switch up the ambience of your kitchen with a deep, dark tone on the walls to instantly make it cosier and more dramatic. Not only is it a budget-friendly update, it’s also quick – ideal if time is of the essence!
3. Utilise your walls. Smart utensil racks not only offer an easy and cost-effective storage solution by freeing up valuable bench space, they also bring a focal point to dark walls.
____________________________________________________
Struggling to find the time to give your walls a much-needed lift. Panic not! Click here to bring in the pros.
____________________________________________________
Back wall painted in ‘Sapphire Salute’; Cupboards and side wall painted in ‘Pebble Shore’, both by Dulux.
In the Bedroom…
4. Create a painted headboard. A bed without a headboard can still be given the wow factor with a quirky paint effect, particularly when the paint you use on the walls is super-wipeable and stain-resistant. Using a good decorator’s tape, simply paint a bold white frame to define the width of the bed and you can extend it up the wall for impact. Then, if any marks are made while resting against the wall, simply wipe them away and it’s as good as new.
5. Introduce soft furnishings. Give your bedroom a quick refresh by injecting it with layers of texture. Tactile throws, cushions and rugs will all ramp up the comfort factor and help turn a house into a home. Not only that, but it’s quick and easy to switch it up every season to keep it feeling fresh and new.
Bedroom wall painted in ‘Tranquil Dawn’, by Dulux.
4. Create a painted headboard. A bed without a headboard can still be given the wow factor with a quirky paint effect, particularly when the paint you use on the walls is super-wipeable and stain-resistant. Using a good decorator’s tape, simply paint a bold white frame to define the width of the bed and you can extend it up the wall for impact. Then, if any marks are made while resting against the wall, simply wipe them away and it’s as good as new.
5. Introduce soft furnishings. Give your bedroom a quick refresh by injecting it with layers of texture. Tactile throws, cushions and rugs will all ramp up the comfort factor and help turn a house into a home. Not only that, but it’s quick and easy to switch it up every season to keep it feeling fresh and new.
Bedroom wall painted in ‘Tranquil Dawn’, by Dulux.
In the Bathroom…
6. Opt for bathroom friendly paint. Finally, you can paint your bathroom walls with a velvety smooth matt finish in the colour of your choice without worrying about it suffering from the effects of a moisture-filled atmosphere and becoming mouldy. Opt for a super-tech bathroom paint that has been designed with a special Mouldtech formulation, to ensure your busy family bathroom maintains that ‘just painted’ finish for five years or more.
7. Choose low-maintenance plants. Heighten the tranquillity levels in your bathroom in an instant by introducing natural textures and lush houseplants. Choose easy-to-care-for plants that love a steamy environment, such as ferns, and they will flourish all on their own without a lot of maintenance.
Walls painted in ‘Summer Linen’; woodwork painted in ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
6. Opt for bathroom friendly paint. Finally, you can paint your bathroom walls with a velvety smooth matt finish in the colour of your choice without worrying about it suffering from the effects of a moisture-filled atmosphere and becoming mouldy. Opt for a super-tech bathroom paint that has been designed with a special Mouldtech formulation, to ensure your busy family bathroom maintains that ‘just painted’ finish for five years or more.
7. Choose low-maintenance plants. Heighten the tranquillity levels in your bathroom in an instant by introducing natural textures and lush houseplants. Choose easy-to-care-for plants that love a steamy environment, such as ferns, and they will flourish all on their own without a lot of maintenance.
Walls painted in ‘Summer Linen’; woodwork painted in ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
In the Living Room…
8. Invest in a hardwearing paint. When it comes to painting your interior woodwork, like skirting boards, doors and window frames, you need to be reassured that your choice of paint will stand up to the everyday scrapes and scuffs that real life throws at it. Opt for a quick-drying durable paint that is easy to apply, water-based and super tough. Choose the finish to suit your style: gloss for high shine, satin for a modern look that helps to hide imperfections in the surface, or eggshell for a classic, semi-matt look.
9. Create the illusion of space. By extending the wall colour onto the skirting and cornicing, you’ll not only make your period features stand out, but you’ll also increase the sense of height in the room, which is important in family homes when space is often at a premium.
10. Make sure you have plenty of seating. From stacking chairs and stools to versatile footstools that can double as side tables, having the right amount of seating can help minimise the pushing and shoving that comes with a busy, robust household.
Walls painted in ‘Soft Stone’, by Dulux.
8. Invest in a hardwearing paint. When it comes to painting your interior woodwork, like skirting boards, doors and window frames, you need to be reassured that your choice of paint will stand up to the everyday scrapes and scuffs that real life throws at it. Opt for a quick-drying durable paint that is easy to apply, water-based and super tough. Choose the finish to suit your style: gloss for high shine, satin for a modern look that helps to hide imperfections in the surface, or eggshell for a classic, semi-matt look.
9. Create the illusion of space. By extending the wall colour onto the skirting and cornicing, you’ll not only make your period features stand out, but you’ll also increase the sense of height in the room, which is important in family homes when space is often at a premium.
10. Make sure you have plenty of seating. From stacking chairs and stools to versatile footstools that can double as side tables, having the right amount of seating can help minimise the pushing and shoving that comes with a busy, robust household.
Walls painted in ‘Soft Stone’, by Dulux.
In the Kids’ Rooms
11. Give your walls a hardy finish. Accidents are inevitable in a playroom, whether it’s paint spills, glitter glue mishaps, or over-excited jammy fingerprints. However, if you’ve fully prepped the walls with a paint that’s 20 times tougher than standard paint, you’ll be laughing in the face of the very worst jam disasters. This genius paint contains amazing stain repellent technology, which turns water-based spills and splashes into beads that stay on the surface until you wipe them off.
12. Get playful. Give the room an energetic and fun touch with unconventional blocks of colour that aren’t restricted by the corners and alcoves.
13. Bag a basket. Fed up with strewn toys cluttering the space? Simply add pleasing woven baskets, rather than ugly plastic tubs, and you’ll not only make clearing up toys a breeze, there’ll be no fiddly lids adding to the clutter, and no extra plastic in sight.
Wall painted in ‘Overtly Olive’ and ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
11. Give your walls a hardy finish. Accidents are inevitable in a playroom, whether it’s paint spills, glitter glue mishaps, or over-excited jammy fingerprints. However, if you’ve fully prepped the walls with a paint that’s 20 times tougher than standard paint, you’ll be laughing in the face of the very worst jam disasters. This genius paint contains amazing stain repellent technology, which turns water-based spills and splashes into beads that stay on the surface until you wipe them off.
12. Get playful. Give the room an energetic and fun touch with unconventional blocks of colour that aren’t restricted by the corners and alcoves.
13. Bag a basket. Fed up with strewn toys cluttering the space? Simply add pleasing woven baskets, rather than ugly plastic tubs, and you’ll not only make clearing up toys a breeze, there’ll be no fiddly lids adding to the clutter, and no extra plastic in sight.
Wall painted in ‘Overtly Olive’ and ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
In the Hallway
14. Get tough on walls.One of the busiest spaces in a family home is the hallway and just like any major thoroughfare it has to cope with a huge amount of traffic every day. Its walls need to be tough enough to deal with anything from muddy dogs to knocks and scrapes from boots and bags. Thanks to ultra-tough and washable paint you can remove all sorts of annoying dirty marks and scuffs that nobody will ever own up to, without damaging the paint on your walls or the harmony in your home. Opt for a light, bright and welcoming palette, safe in the knowledge that you’ve chosen the toughest paint for the job.
15. Think about height levels. Having a mirror in the hallway to check your appearance before you leave is a handy addition, but make sure you hang it at a height where all the family are tall enough to see in it. You could always try hanging a collection of mirrors together, so that there is one at height-level for the smallest members of the family.
16. Consider coat storage. As well as adding handy hooks for adult’s coats, fit hooks for each child too, so they have their own one and are encouraged to hang up their own coats and bags.
Walls painted in ‘Gentle Fawn‘; woodwork painted in ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
More: Visit our Colour Inspiration Centre for tons of creative ideas, tips and advice. Plus, find more information on Dulux’s innovative Easycare range of washable and hardworking paint.
Your turn: Tell us how durable paint finishes have made your home easier to maintain.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
14. Get tough on walls.One of the busiest spaces in a family home is the hallway and just like any major thoroughfare it has to cope with a huge amount of traffic every day. Its walls need to be tough enough to deal with anything from muddy dogs to knocks and scrapes from boots and bags. Thanks to ultra-tough and washable paint you can remove all sorts of annoying dirty marks and scuffs that nobody will ever own up to, without damaging the paint on your walls or the harmony in your home. Opt for a light, bright and welcoming palette, safe in the knowledge that you’ve chosen the toughest paint for the job.
15. Think about height levels. Having a mirror in the hallway to check your appearance before you leave is a handy addition, but make sure you hang it at a height where all the family are tall enough to see in it. You could always try hanging a collection of mirrors together, so that there is one at height-level for the smallest members of the family.
16. Consider coat storage. As well as adding handy hooks for adult’s coats, fit hooks for each child too, so they have their own one and are encouraged to hang up their own coats and bags.
Walls painted in ‘Gentle Fawn‘; woodwork painted in ‘White Cotton’, both by Dulux.
More: Visit our Colour Inspiration Centre for tons of creative ideas, tips and advice. Plus, find more information on Dulux’s innovative Easycare range of washable and hardworking paint.
Your turn: Tell us how durable paint finishes have made your home easier to maintain.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Dulux is the UK’s leading paint brand, with a wealth of expert knowledge, products and services designed to help... Read More
Dulux is the UK’s leading paint brand, with a wealth of expert knowledge, products and services designed to help... Read More
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Definitely not a fan of kitchen utensils hanging on the walls, exposed to random coughs, sneezes, flies, and dust.
I won't ask you to dinner, then.
À chacun son goût... :D