These tips and tricks on how to decorate with paint will breathe new life into a dull, tired home.

Update your home's interior and exterior using a fresh coat of paint to decorate. Bring energy and optimism, create a calming, relaxed atmosphere and renew old furniture using paint colours, finishes and accents.
 

 

1 Establish a more intimate space by painting the ceiling a darker colour, creating the illusion of a lower ceiling.

2 Soften an awkwardly angled wall or room by painting it one solid colour.

3 For a modern effect try painting the walls and trim the same colour. Use a flat paint for the walls and a semi-gloss for the trim.

4 Make a tight space seem larger and airier by painting the ceiling a lighter version of the hue painted on the room’s walls or white.

5 Paint your front door a statement colour that stands out from the rest of the house. Try a gorgeous historical blue or a radiant ruby red - not something you see every day.

6 A home's exterior plays a large part in how the world, or at least neighbours and visitors, see you. Revitalize your home with a fresh coat of paint every three to six years.

7 If you want to invigorate your home's exterior without painting the entire exterior, freshen up the trim. White or rich neutrals, depending on the house's exterior colour, can easily update the look of your house.

8 Shutters and porch gables are the perfect place to express a love for colour and decorate with paint.

9 If you really want to set a mood in a room, then use different paint hues to create an energetic or relaxed atmosphere or to warm up or cool down a space.

10 Ash purples, bronzed greens and lacquer reds reflect a feminine classicism, inspired by needlework, appliqués and period furniture, that is back in style.

11 Conjure up images of rural life with wonderfully rustic plum, teal and red clay tones.

12 If you have a lot of dark wood furniture add an exotic, Middle Eastern influence by painting the walls a deep, rich purple or blue.

13 Expressing your individuality in your paint colour choices can result in more unexpected pairings of colour, pattern and design styles.

14 If you’re colour shy, go with all-white walls. The absence of colour is as effective as the presence of 
colour.

15 Use a variety of neutral shades and have fun mixing several textures in your rooms to keep things interesting.

16 When choosing a bold colour be sure to tie it into the whole scheme of the room.

17 Contemporary paint effects like stencils and colour washes create interest and surprise. Think of these effects as unframed artwork adorning your walls.

18 Use lightly washed stripes to create a sophisticated French country look (especially if you use blue, yellow or white hues). This is a subtle technique that adds texture and sheen to a room.

19 Create a fun mural, like clouds or the night sky, on the ceiling. This is a great way to decorate with paint in a child's room, nursery or family room.

20 Fresco is a wonderful painting technique that can help hide surface imperfections. It gives a soft, mottled look that adds depth and interest to your walls.

21 Add a splash of colour to neutral walls by selecting zones on a wall or ceiling and painting them a different, often contrasting, colour from the main wall. This technique is known as colour blocking.

22 Feature a wall at one end of a hallway by painting it a contrasting, dramatic colour; that will serve to visually bring it forward.

23 Give chairs, dressers, drawers, tables and desks a new lease on life with a new colour or coat of paint. You’ll be surprised how quickly that old, ugly chair becomes your new favorite accent piece.

24 Get in touch with you inner Pollock by applying dripped and splattered paint to an article of furniture. Make sure the piece is painted a solid colour (preferably white or black) before you start throwing different paint shade onto it.

25 Make the kitchen pop by bringing in a bold colour. Paint the backsplash or the cabinetry a bright colour that you love (and can live with).
 

Our favourite BEHR® shades for a statement wall:

 

Moxie MQ3-35, Off Broadway MQ1-35, C’est La Vie MQ4-27.

See more of summer's hottest design and decor trends.