This Under-£75 DIY Project Can Transform a Room
With a little skill and not much money, you can bring colour and character to any space by painting part of a wall
It’s a rule that’s rarely stated but often implied: When you paint a wall, you should paint the whole thing, top to bottom. But this rule begs to be broken. Painting a “half” wall (which can actually be more or less than half, or any amount you choose) can revitalise the look of an entire space, and often with less than a litre of paint. That makes this easily an under-£75 makeover that you can achieve in a single day. If you’ve been scared to pick up a paintbrush, here are some ideas that may change your mind.
When painting a half wall, you can paint to halfway up the wall or to any height you wish. Stopping the paint a bit above the eye line will let the colour stand out more, while stopping it below will leave more of the white or neutral hue to create a more open and airy effect.
In this example, the room is painted about halfway up. If you want to use a vibrant colour all over, this gives a good balance of a rich hue below and a neutral visual break above. If you want to see more or less colour in your result, simply go higher or lower. Remember, though, that if you want to add more colour later, it’s fairly easy to re-tape and add a bit more of the accent hue. It’s certainly easier than trying to subtract if you’ve gone too far.
Straight across. A fun, contemporary way to paint a half wall is to ignore architectural features altogether and paint straight across the wall. Painting right over this door and woodwork plays with the traditional forms and gives them a modern edge, especially when done in a matt finish.
Dynamic diagonals. For whatever reason, our brains perceive diagonal lines as being more dynamic and energetic than horizontal and vertical lines. This makes diagonal lines feel more fun and playful.
If you want your paint effect to feel extra youthful and fresh, try painting from corner to corner in a room or using the accent hue in an even smaller dose to dress just one partial corner. You can also use this effect on multiple walls to add small splashes of several colours to an eclectic scheme.
Tall spaces and staircases. In very high spaces, especially stairwells, a half wall helps to ground the area without filling it floor to ceiling with an overwhelming amount of colour. This dark wall follows the lines of the staircase, defining the area while still allowing the high ceiling to seem far away.
Notice how the lower edge of the grey diagonal area aligns to an element of the window (the bottom of the middle panes) for a little extra architectural crispness.
Notice how the lower edge of the grey diagonal area aligns to an element of the window (the bottom of the middle panes) for a little extra architectural crispness.
Faux headboard. Don’t have a headboard? Let a rectangle of paint define the bed. Match it to a side table, and top it with a shelf to enhance the effect. Even without anything else colourful in the room, the space will feel lively enough to inspire you in the morning.
Blackboard. Chalkboard paint has more uses than you’d think. Sometimes the only way to keep children from writing on the walls is to give in and let them write on the chalkboard walls. A chalkboard-painted half wall creates a space for a little artistic exploration in a way that still fits a grown-up look.
Continuous lines. This fun but sophisticated bathroom uses a block of charcoal-grey paint to continue the lines of the tile across the room. This gives the room a cohesive look that feels high end while saving money (compared with continuing the tile around the whole space).
Faux backsplash. This bathroom creates a similar look to the previous space but without any tile on the walls at all. Painting the walls to just a few inches above a vanity unit or a laundry sink creates the effect of a backsplash but without the tilework. Be sure to use a washable finish in a quality paint that will endure a few splashes.
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Painted skirtingboards. Notice how the skirtingboards in this room are the same brilliant emerald as the walls. Painting baseboards in a colour instead of leaving them white or wood makes a more modern and seamless statement. If you prefer a more classic look, leave the baseboards untouched.
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Open shelves. In the same home as the previous photo, the emerald colour continues into the kitchen area to add interest behind open shelving without taking the drama all the way to the top. Greens and blues are natural hues that are popular but not trendy – you won’t burn out on them as soon as you would a hot hue.
Bold hue. One of the biggest upsides to doing a partial wall treatment is that you can choose a vivid hue, or several together, without much commitment.
If you decide to change the colour palette later, you won’t have to paint over too large an area, so there’s little risk in trying a fun shade like a mysterious purple or an outrageous orange.
Tip: For a professional edge line, paint over the applied masking tape with the white (or other base color) four to six hours before painting the final accent color. This will “seal” the line and prevent bleed. Take the tape off immediately after doing the final coat of the accent, before the layers have fully cured, to avoid the tape pulling off paint with it.
Tip: For a professional edge line, paint over the applied masking tape with the white (or other base color) four to six hours before painting the final accent color. This will “seal” the line and prevent bleed. Take the tape off immediately after doing the final coat of the accent, before the layers have fully cured, to avoid the tape pulling off paint with it.
Tone on tone. Prefer a more subdued look? Although a half wall using a bold hue usually creates a lot of contrast, a subtle shade like this pale grey gives a restful tone-on-tone appeal instead – perfect for a serene bedroom.
Artistic framing. A half wall doesn’t have to start at the floor or ceiling at all. Painting a frame around a framed photo or painting makes the piece look larger and more noticeable. Use this technique to take a medium-size piece and visually fill an entire wall by making the painted ‘frame’ more than half the width of the wall itself – roughly 60 percent wider than the art (although let your eye guide you, and don’t worry too much about the maths).
Mountain-scape. You may not be an expert painter but you, too, can create a modernist mountain-scape like this with just some tape and basic paint supplies. By painting in layers and taping off zigzagging lines, you can give the subtle impression of a mountain vista and mix in different nature-inspired shades for the effect of a dramatic mural without the intricate brushwork.
Artistically brushy. Maybe you want a more painterly look or you just don’t want to bother taping. Simply let the roller end where it wants and create a brushy end to the line. This effect works especially well in a stripped-down, minimalist space with lots of clean lines to break up the monotony (without the whole room looking too haphazard).
Brick walls. Debating between painting brick and leaving it untouched? Why not compromise with a bit of both? This kitchen leaves a stripe of unpainted brick to bring in that original character, with about half to three-fifths of the wall painted white to let the room look a little cleaner and bigger. For those who can’t decide, it really gives the best of both worlds.
Do you have any tips for Houzzers embarking on a painting project? Share them in the Comments below.
Do you have any tips for Houzzers embarking on a painting project? Share them in the Comments below.