Walls that make you go WOW

“I’m excited about using vibrant colours to inject personality into my new home. What else can I do to give it the wow factor?”

Almost half of movers in our recent global survey said that making a good first impression is important when it comes to their new home’s appearance.

Choosing a vibrant colour is a great way to stamp your personality on your home, but why not go one step further and create a truly personal look that has real wow factor?

We asked interior designer Gabriel Holland for some inspiring colour effects to transform your home from ordinary into something truly extraordinary, just using paint.

1) Create a beautiful blend with ombre

Ombre creates an ethereal look that works really well as a feature wall – perfect if you want to introduce several colours into your scheme without appearing too fussy.

It’s also a good way to tone down a bold shade if you’re worried about overpowering your space, particularly if it’s small.

For best results, try fresh bold colours with lots of contrast, or deeper shades that drift seamlessly into one another for a more sophisticated feel.

Which paints? Victory and Pink Ballet, Pansy Violet and Peppermint Pink.

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2) Go for striking stripes

For a quick and dramatic way to make a statement in your new home, you can’t go wrong with stripes.

Consider how thick you want the lines to be and step outside your comfort zone by opting for bright colours, such as vibrant oranges and purples. Set them against a neutral background and they’ll really stand out.

Try vertical stripes to create the illusion of height if your ceilings are low.

Horizontal stripes will help create a sense of space, and are generally considered more playful than vertical ones.

Which paints? Bongo Jazz, Palace Purple.

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3) Passion for pattern

If you’re feeling really playful, graphic diamonds or colourful spots are great for adding a designer-style feel to your scheme.

Less is more with this sort of effect, so limit it to a feature wall or even a small area to make it feel like artwork, and stick to a neutral backdrop where possible.

Which paints? Pansy Violet, Peppermint Pink.

Top tip

Alternating flat and glossy painted stripes is an elegant way to introduce more depth into your space.