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Debbie Travis: Paint is a simple, effective reno tool

Dear Debbie: Our children’s bedrooms are on the top floor, and the ceilings slant under the pitched roof. It is a perfect space for kids: cosy and bright.
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Personalize a large space with a dramatic flourish of warm shades and distinctive framing.

Dear Debbie: Our children’s bedrooms are on the top floor, and the ceilings slant under the pitched roof. It is a perfect space for kids: cosy and bright. I want to paint with two or three colours and don’t know where it would look best to stop one colour and start another. Thanks for your help.

Louisa

We think of paint as one of the best renovation tools because the simple act of adding colour or colours to a wall transforms the way we see the entire space.

A low ceiling takes on new heights painted white or a pastel shade.

High walls are brought down to human scale by dividing up the space with different paint colours or combining paint and wallpaper.

Walls that have imperfections can be camouflaged with a textured paint technique.

Colours shape a room. They give you the option of highlighting the details you like. There are different tactics for decorating an attic room such as yours. Shown here is a children’s room filled with exuberant colours from Farrow and Ball.

The angle of the walls and ceiling have been divided into four distinct sections. Red Earth tops a cool Lulworth Blue, with a soft grey called Mouse Back grounding the busy walls.

Note that the sharp angle of the walls is continued through to the inside of the dormers, which reinforces the shape even more. Wimborne White lifts the ceiling.

Another option that I have used successfully is to paint a cloudy sky on the ceiling and upper wall. The lower wall is kids’ height, so this is a good place to apply a fantasy wallpaper pattern in a theme that your children enjoy. Talk to your kids about what they would like. They are a great source of inspiration and are not afraid of bold colours.

 

Dear Debbie: Our kitchen and dining room are open-plan. Should the decorating follow one specific design or colourway? We would like to add some colour(s), but aren’t sure how to break up the space.

Timothy and Tania

As mentioned above, adding colour(s) affords you the opportunity to arrange and shape your space the way you want.

The large kitchen and dining room shown here have a high ceiling, so the homeowners chose to break up the height using two distinct and contrasting colours.

Farrow and Ball’s russet red called Charlotte’s Locks and their blue/grey Railings are a warm and intimate duo that has been framed in white to further enhance the atmosphere.

Both artificial and natural light have a huge effect on colour. If you choose to keep your kitchen bright, then apply creamy white or shades that reflect light well.

Then, add drama to the dining room with a stronger colour palette.

Wood is another colour to take into consideration. The golden hue and pattern of the herringbone floor adds even more interest.

 

Debbie Travis’s House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. You can follow Debbie on Twitter at twitter.com/debbie_travis, and visit Debbie’s website, debbietravis.com.