15 Home Painting Ideas to Upgrade Your Home
Updated: Sep. 27, 2023
The easiest and most affordable way to transform a room is with paint! Check out these colorful home painting ideas for every room.
Sophisticated Dark Blue
This beautiful home office, designed by @wendysmitinteriors, is made even more stunning thanks to the bold color choice. The deep blue walls (painted Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore) create crisp lines next to the white molding, while the gold accents pop against the dark background.
Photo by Allison Elefante (@rubyandpeachphoto)
Pretty Pastels
We could fold clothes for days without complaint in this laundry room by @yorklynhome. The pastel pinky-peach door and soft green cabinets are an unexpected choice for a laundry room, but combined with the colorful wallpaper — the whole room sings! This room proves that paint and pattern can make even a laundry room a glamorous haven. Lookout for these eye-catching laundry room colors.
Painted Ceiling Pattern
Professional artist Marian Pouch (@marianpouchart) hand painted this ceiling for a client. The delicate gold lines are a fun surprise and the perfect detail to add interest, but without overwhelming the space. Paint a ceiling with a patterned design or a solid color to draw the eye up and make the room feel larger.
Whimsical Painted Rainbow
Here’s a fun paint idea for a kid’s room. This painted rainbow by @portias_little_ladies takes an ordinary white bedroom and makes it whimsical and fun! To make the arches of the rainbow straight and consistent, use a pencil and piece of string as a DIY compass. Pin the string where you want the center of the rainbow, stretch the length of string to the top of the rainbow, then drag it all the way to one side lightly marking the wall as you go. Repeat for the other side of the arch.
Calming Green
The Sherwin-Williams 2022 Color of the Year is Evergreen Fog. It’s described as “a versatile and calming hue, a chameleon color of gorgeous green-meets-gray, with just a bit of blue. It’s a simple but sophisticated wash of beautiful, organic color.” The soft green feels grounding and calming, perfect for this serene bedroom by @ranchonapie.
Pop of Coral
Deep coral is a vibrant and energizing color that might feel too intense painted on every wall of a room. Instead, use a muted, lighter version of coral as an accent, like in this cute little corner of a kids’ room by @loveallthingslovely. The modern shapes in shades of soft coral and peach make the space feel fresh and fun with just the right amount of color.
Berry Red
Red walls were a big trend in the ’90s, but they’ve made a comeback! The updated red hues are rich and dark, and can lean into earthy rust territory or more toward berry and rose. Lingonberry Punch by Behr is part of the latter category. It’s a deep red with pink undertones, great for a dramatic accent wall.
Painted Polka Dots
If you want the look of wallpaper, but not the price tag — paint your own pattern on the walls! That’s what @victorianterracerenovation did in this playful polka-dotted bathroom. To attempt your own DIY painted wallpaper, choose a simple pattern, like these brush stroke dots. Something organic like this is easier to paint and mistakes can be camouflaged.
All Green
Earthy, muddy greens are taking the design world by storm, and we think green they will be around for awhile. This space by @renouveau_hom takes full advantage of a rich sage green color (Belize Green by Dunn Edwards), using it on the walls, much of the wood trim and the ceiling design. For extra dimension, they used semi-gloss on the wainscoting and flat on the upper part of the wall.
Cobalt Blue Accent
This “big boy room” by @akrenovate uses the dark cobalt blue strategically in the spaces of the room that receive the most light. The color block design provides that punch of color kids love, but allows enough white space in the room so it doesn’t feel cramped and dark.
Terra-Cotta Ceiling
This relaxing boho bedroom by @shaunawardinteriors is done in pretty neutrals and whites, but what really makes our jaw drop is that incredible terra-cotta painted ceiling. The daring color highlights the architectural detail in the ceiling and makes the whole space come alive. The color is Cavern Clay by Sherwin-Williams.
Photo credit: @josiedell_photo
Bold Black
Painting your walls can be daunting, but as seen in this entry by @house_of_7feathers, the risk is worth the reward. Black is timeless and works with any decor style. In this traditional space, the black wall is an inky canvas for the ornate gold frames and traditional artwork.
Sponge Paint Pattern
This is not your grandma’s sponge paint! In this bathroom by @cozykanedecor, the pattern was created with the side of a dish sponge. Just dip the long side of a rectangular sponge in paint and create rows across the wall. The goal isn’t perfectly straight lines, but more of a rustic, hand-painted look.
Hand-Painted Wallpaper
Here’s another painted wallpaper dupe, by @develeyatelier. If you feel confident enough in your painting skills, use white paint on dark walls and create a leaf and vine pattern. If you’re intimidated by a paint brush, you can get the same effect with paint markers which are a little easier to control.
Dark and Daring Green
Move over white walls! This living room by @kate_decorates is making us crave color, color, color! The green walls (Jadite by Sherwin-Williams) are the star of the space. But this room proves you don’t have to stop at colorful walls. A blue couch, dark pink dog crate and colorful accessories combine to create an energizing yet well-balanced room.
Originally Published: December 13, 2021
