WORDS Tina Stephen

Walls of Desire

A decade ago the words ‘Feature Wall’ struck a nerve with Interior Designers and homeowners alike, conjuring images of azure blue and terracotta sponge effect combinations, popular in the 1980s and 90s. Fast forward to today, and feature walls have become a go-to option for adding colour and pattern to homes, in a more modern and sympathetic context.

Colour Blocking

Colour blocking is a simple and highly effective technique which uses colour in a home without overwhelming a space. Taking clues from mid-century design, colour blocking involves adding sections of paint to walls, doors and cabinetry, as well as exterior schemes. Modern homes tend to have larger, more open plan spaces, and designers often use colour blocking by adding bold colour to a canvas of black and white, helping highlight architectural features rather than overwhelm a space with colour.

Offsetting other prominent features in your interior with colour blocking can change the look and feel of a home. Adding bright, bold colours such as reds, oranges and yellow works well in an active part of a home such as kitchens and dining rooms, whereas choosing softer more restful colours in dusky hues for bathrooms and bedrooms creates a sense of calm and composure.

Focusing on a neutral palette throughout the home to connect the entire interiors, colour blocking allows the homeowner to add colour in a small and considered way, helping creates colour confidence and allowing the home owner to experiment with colour.

Murals

Adding a mural to an interior wall can create serious impact, adding colour, texture and pattern which can stand alone as a design feature, and can dictate the rest of the room’s decor. Experimenting with scale can result in a unique interior space, and murals often add a personal touch to a home. Bespoke mural companies, such as Back to the Wall, offer customised design solutions, including seasonal collaborations with featured artists, which can help take the guess work out of incorporating murals into your home.

“All of our murals are either customised or custom designed.  If you choose from our existing designs, then as part of the service your mural is customised to suit your specific space”. Says Jo from Back to the wall “This involves us asking a few questions to make sure we have correct measurements and we asking the customer to think about furniture placement and colours.  When you order a mural through us you are really commissioning a personalised piece of art for your wall”

Textured Walls and Paint Effects.

With the increased popularity in pared back, Scandinavian style interiors, texture has taken centre stage in the world of interiors. This has not only translated to soft furnishings and furniture, but to walls, both interior and exterior.  Once a faux pau of the 80s, texture wall technology has enabled paint companies to provide an advanced choice of textural options in a vast range of colourways.  Dulux Suede Effects, which is available in a range of colours and is applied in a crisscross pattern then dries to reveal a texture like soft brushed suede, giving the room a vintage aesthetic, and softening large painted areas.

Colour forecasts nod to earth toned elements and paint companies have incorporated these into paint effects to add another dimension to interiors, recreating natural materials like concrete, clay, stone and wood. Far from being faux or gaudy, these modern textures can be incorporated into any space to add tactility and interest.

Incorporating texture, pattern and colour, can be as simple or as complex as you need it to be, from a small addition of blocked colour, or a full statement feature mural. The effect can be subtle and muted with a pared back colour palette and paint effects, or a vibrant and bold with repetitive pattern and imagery, but ultimately it will translate a home which feels considered and personal.

 All information is deemed to be true at the time of publication.

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