Colour blocking is a great way to make a statement and bring some additional colour into your space. Here are some ideas and inspiration for using this technique in your home.

Horizontal

I’m going to ease you in gently to the idea of colour blocking, with a simple horizontal technique. If you have a dado rail installed then you can simply paint underneath, otherwise a laser level and some painters tape will do the job. The result is subtle and effortless.

Highlight architectural features

When it comes to shapes, edges and architectural details in the home, you can go one of two ways. Either have them blend in to their surroundings by painting them the same colour as the walls, or you can make a feature of them.

Steel beams, slanted ceilings, alcoves, bay windows - they are all opportunities to add some extra colour.

Highlight doorways and arches

I first saw this technique at my friend Sarah’s house, where she’d painted her door jambs (the inside frame of the door) fluorescent pink. It’s a fabulous pop of colour in an unexpected place, not too obtrusive or distracting, and just adds that extra bit of fun.

Arches, door frames, cased openings and window reveals can all be used to add a frame of colour.

*Window reveal, seen on* *Apartment Therapy*

Zone corners

Particularly useful if you’re trying to zone a large open space, colour can be used to mark out an area - in particular a corner. A focal area in the corner with some furniture (a desk, a side table, an armchair) can be enhanced by highlighting it with some colour blocking.

A backdrop for art

This is an easy one that you could do in an afternoon with a tester pot. Grouping smaller pieces of art together is a great way to add a statement to an empty wall, but you can take it a step further and paint a frame behind them, grounding them to the wall and adding some extra colour at the same time.

Segment hallways

I love this idea. Since hallways are usually very long and narrow, adding a dark bold stripe really helps to draw your eye further down the space, making it seem longer and more spacious.

Bringing the colour up from the wall and onto the ceiling is one way of achieving this, the other is by blocking the entire hallway, separating it from the attached rooms.

Get artistic

Finally, and not for the faint hearted, is to treat your wall like a canvas and go nuts. My suggestion would be to think carefully about your colour palette, and try to keep the rest of the items in the room relatively un-fussy and un-patterned to avoid overload. The result is a completely unique room bursting with personality.

If you’d like my help with your next project, check out my services to see how we can work together. If you’ve enjoyed this blog, don’t forget to subscribe below to receive my new post in your inbox every Sunday.

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