Be Bold
If you really love colour, using contasting shades on walls, furniture and woodwork can give you a scheme with real wow factor. Worse comes to the worse, you can always paint it back... Walls painted in Summer Pudding Fashion for Walls Indulgence Luxury matt emulsion, all £16.99 for 2.5 litres; skirting painted in Prairie Gold Solo matt emulsion, £15.99 for 2.5 litres; sideboard painted in Mojito Fashion for Walls flat matt, £15.99 for 2.5 litres; Shoes painted in Coral Fashion for Walls flat matt, £15.99 for 2.5 litres; chair painted in Lupin matt emulsion, £14.99 for 2.5 litres, all Crown.
Create A Visual Draw
If you have a long room - or perhaps a narrow corridor - putting a block of colour on the far wall won't just make the space at the end of the room inviting, it will also help shorten the space so that it feels shorter and wider. Here, the light and dark versions of the same paint have been used to create a subtle style. Walls painted in Twine, Pale Twine, Truffle and Soft Truffle, all £23 for 2.5 litres, all Laura Ashley
Use A Space Stretching Trick
Can't decide which shade to use? Then use them all. As long as you still use them in wide bands of colour, you'll still achieve a block effect. Don't forget, too, that wide, horizontal stripes in a pale shade will help make the room feel more spacious, while using the lighter shade at the top of the wall will make it feel taller, too. Walls painted in cotton white, Eau de nil white, duck egg white, pale eau de nil, pale duck egg, eau de nil and duck egg, all £23 for 2.5 litres, Laura Ashley.
Add Zing To Create Drama
Dark tones are still a hot trend for interiors - but they can make a room feel dark and cold. So, adding a bold block of colour on the floor will transform it, and make it feel more welcoming. By Fun On The Floor.
Use Accessories For A Quick Change
Why not kit yourself out with two sets of bedding, rugs and cushion covers, then change them as the mood takes you? This room is a cool mix of lilacs and dark blue, but change those accessories to deep blue, red or green and it would look just as good... Left hand wall painted in Eveningwear Fashion for Walls flat matt £15.99 for 2.5 litres; wall behind bed painted in Dramatic matt emulsion, £14.99 for 2.5 litres; skirting painted in Beige White non drip satin, £8.49 for 750ml, all Crown.
Make A Neutral Room Bolder
You can turn a plain room into this bright space in just a couple of hours by painting blocks of colour on to sections of your walls, and by adding co-ordinating accessories. The cost? You could do it for well under £50. English Fire matt emulsion; Shocking Pink matt emulsion and Pure Brilliant White matt emulsion, all £14.99 for 2.5 litres; skirting painted in Pure Brilliant White non drip gloss, £8.99 for 750 ml. All Crown.
Choose A Statement Piece
One boldly coloured piece of furniture - particularly a large one - used in contrast to the main shade of your scheme will create an eye-catching focal point. Add to the effect by choosing another piece of smaller furniture in another contrasting shade. Swing chaise sofabed, from £1,195; Daphne teal blue flocked coffee table, £595; Daphne teal blue flocked lamp table, £350, allHeal's.
Choose Grown Up Shades
Your choice of colour will either make or break your scheme. Toning shades are easier to live with than contrasting ones, but if you choose muted tones, like these, the scheme will have longevity. Walls painted in Teal Solo matt emulsion, £15.99 for 2.5 litres, and Expectation Solo matt emulsion, £15.99 for 2.5 litres; stencil painted in Teal Solo matt emulsion and Millionaire Fashion for Walls Metallic emulsion, also £15.99 for 2.5 litres; skirting and window side table painted in Mellow Sage Solo satin, £9.49 for 750ml, all Crown.
Define Space In A Big Room
For through rooms, use two tones (one lighter and one darker) of the same colour throughout the space to link but define and divide the spaces. Blue Reflection, £17.19 for 2.5 litres matt emulsion; Teal Tension, £11.49 for 1.25 litres in Feature Wall Matt emulsion, both Dulux.
Add Colour In Furniture
Use bold furniture in an otherwise neutral scheme for a bold block of colour. Look for chunky designs to make a real statement. Slab Table designed by Tom Dixon, £2,350; Slab dining chairs, £295; Kartell FL/Y pendant, from £143, allHeal's.
Want A Homely Feel?
If you want a laid back, relaxed style that's bright but contemporary, using small blocks of colour on the walls (or bed) will do the trick. Experiment with toning colours - and try to use no more than four shades of the same colour (plus neutrals) so that it's calming not hectic. Kandahar divan, from £780,Sofa.com.
