Revealed: How to paint your home interiors like a pro

It’s not clear, though, if Stacey and partner Kevin Clifton, ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional, got out the paint brushes themselves in the new house they bought in Liverpool last year, or if they brought in the decorators to slather the warmest creamy hue with a touch of pistachio onto the walls and a sandy gold on the ceiling continuing down onto the Regency cornices, but the finish is perfection for neutral lovers who want a bit of warmth and depth.

There are disadvantages, though, seeing a colour in someone else’s home and wanting it for our own according to Lorraine O’Leary, co-owner of LM Décor. “We think, oh my friend has this colour and it looks gorgeous, but she has a different house with different furniture and different light. It’s a massive mistake thinking it will look the same in your own house.”

When choosing colour, Lorraine also cautions against picking from a colour chart which might look different when it’s actually applied to your walls.

“Pick it in the room you’re decorating, in daylight, not artificial light,” she says. “Get your sample and paint it onto sheets of paper and stick them on the walls.”

As a guide, she suggests looking at things staying in the room — furniture, floors and curtains — that have the same undertone, meaning is your colour choice cool, warm or neutral.

“If you can’t see the undertone, ask for advice instore where they know what they’re talking about,” says Lorraine.

Once the colour is sorted, the next consideration is the type of paint to use.

“Matt is durable and now it’s scrubbable,” she says. “It hides imperfections, dents disappear a bit more and it’s more forgiving. For woodwork, satin or eggshell are easy to wipe down.”

December tends to be the time when every paint company and colour consultancy of note is announcing it colours for next year, filling our newsfeeds and probably seeping into our subconscious, as no sooner have the Christmas decorations come down and been stowed for another year, we see flaws and even a little dreariness in our décor.

It’s why getting out the paint brushes is often high on our list of priorities for spring but with the choice of colours, multiple undertones for each colour, and trends coming and going, we’re spoilt for choice when browsing the DIY shops.

“Every year we see a distinct trend but there’s definitely a mixed bag for next year,” says Leah Llewellyn, colour consultant with paint company Acres Hall. “We’re moving towards deeper colours. They’re a lot warmer and earthier and will stand the test of time. With our customers they’re looking for quality and sustainability, so a timeless look. People don’t want to be painting every year; they want something constant.”

To help ensure you have the right colour for your space, Leah suggests using an alternative to the sample pot. “Buy ‘peel and stick’ samples of paint to give you an idea of how the colour will look and move them around. There’s zero waste, you get 100% accuracy and no trails left on your walls.”

Colour consultant for Fleetwood, Patricia Wakely, sees cooler colours on the way out, even the whites. “Warmer, slightly off-whites like dusty white are in,” she says. 

“Colour-wise, deep moody colours are in, rich and pigmented, so, if you were looking at green, it’s more khaki, looking at blue it’s more teal.”

It’s all part of what she sees as a push away from covid-era colours reflecting how we hunkered down for two years.

“They were cocooning colours but now everything is more vibrant,” she says. “I’ve noticed in younger people’s homes they’re now referencing the ‘80s with apricots, oranges and gold. But this is Ireland so if you’re picking colour, use more pigmented and warmer shades than you would expect. It’s never going to seem as bright as you don’t have the light to bring it to life like they do in Greece and Spain.”

• Instagram.com/lmdecor_cork
• Instagram.com/acres_hall
• Instagram.com/fleetwood_paints