Sick of white walls? My journey from minimalist to maximalist, one paint stroke at a time

What color to paint your wall? If that question already gives you plenty of conflicting options for you to brood over, then wait until you step into the world of wall art. Wall decor ideas such as wall art, murals, and decorative wall painting are all ways of making an entire room a work of art, and I for one have become totally obsessed with them.

If you’ve ever found yourself on the hunt for room color ideas, you have likely borne witness to just how fleeting paint trends can be, or any trend for that matter. Since trends leave us all at the mercy of changing tastes, the default position for many on this is to look to the safety of classic, chic, pared-back colors and decor ideas and ignore any trends altogether. This is a useful maxim, but it can also lead to homes that all look strikingly similar. Creative wall paintings or 'wall art' come in many forms, and follow these same precepts of resisting these oftentimes transient trends, but they offer a profoundly personal way to express individuality. The aesthetic reach of these styles is considerable. Really, they can be whatever you want. There is no right way or wrong way to go about it.

So, if you, too, are feeling the itch to give your walls some more personality, you’re in the right place. Here, I’ll dive into the wall art inspiration that’s been feeding my obsession and some ideas on how to incorporate this into your own home – plus some nifty renter-friendly ways to bring big energy into your space – no lease violations required.

1. Create a full wall mural

I am a big believer in homes being filled with art, character, color, and, crucially, panache – distinctive and stylish flair that stands out from the crowd. As such, I’ve always been enamored with wall art, and my latest obsession - wall murals. I think they manage to bring soul into a space in an almost magical way. They have shot to fame in recent years, and as I flick through glossy magazines, I am seeing more and more fabulous iterations of wall mural ideas. Although there are full floor-to-ceiling painted murals, which tend to relay some sort of narrative, however quirky, there are several other ways of introducing decorative wall art into your home too. Annie Sloane, who has published a whopping 26 books on paint effects, color, and interior design, has some advice to offer us on the different types of creative painting techniques.

‘A mural is always going to make a huge design statement. The definition of a mural is a work of art executed directly on a wall, so it’s an incredibly broad genre. I’ve seen everything from pastoral Toile scenes, rainforest trompe l’oeil effects in the ladies’ bathroom at iconic London hotel Claridge’s, to much simpler graphic shapes and patterns.’

‘A very simple mural can involve simply painting an abstract shape such as a circle, diamond, or triangles,’ Annie explains. ‘Use contrasting colors and even contrasting finishes for added design kudos.’

'A classic mural would be a painted scene, usually a landscape but often including animals or figures. You can pinch inspiration from classical frescoes to great effect – for example, rather than attempting to replicate the Sistine Chapel in your home, why not replicate one simple aspect, such as the clouds in the sky!’

Clouds and sky, got it. But what about the less dexterous amongst us, what about something a little more straightforward?

‘Modern murals tend to be very abstract, which can work in your favor, but are by no means easy to pull off,’ explains Annie. ‘Color is really important here, so look at what brings joy for you as well as what works best in your space.’ Bright and light rooms work well if you’re painting a detailed mural. You don’t want details to be lost in darkness. Reception rooms and dining rooms are the best as murals are conversation starters!’

'Wall murals are by their nature unique, often bringing in elements which are personal to the place or people who live there.' explains London and Sussex-based decorative artist Tess Newall

'I think that seeing the texture of brushstrokes on the wall - the hand of an artist - adds humanity to a space, giving it soul and personality. A mural should also hopefully inspire creativity in those who experience it, which is a lovely thing to think of when painting. I always love returning to see a mural once the room is "lived in", as the mural then becomes a background layer to the life lived around it.'

2. Frame your door frame

One singular accent color is all that is required for this – that and a little bit of artistic experimentation.

Here, a sumptuous tobacco brown paint, Farrow & Ball Cola, was used to add detailing to the bedroom’s door frame. It's an effective and not particularly taxing way of implementing faux architectural elements without the hefty price tag.

3. Embrace stripes

If a full-throttle maximalist creation sprawled across your walls feels a little daunting, then this is a relatively simple way of injecting artistic charm through paint and color. Painting colorful stripes on your wall works beautifully as an accent wall idea, but if you pick a subdued color, like the blush shade used here (Piranesi Pink by Annie Sloane), it could be implemented on all of the walls for maximum effect.

A bonus of this creative concept is that it makes a room feel considerably loftier – if you already have high ceilings, this technique will amplify the vertical space.

4. Look to smaller details

This is in one of my top ten creative ways to decorate with paint throughout your home. It doesn’t require outrageous artistic skill, although a steady hand is a must; it doesn’t require a huge investment of precious time or money, but the effect is something quite extraordinary.

You could try this around light switches, plug sockets, or door knobs. All this to say, when you realize your walls are essentially one big canvas, the options are endless.

5. Make the most of the unused space up above

Painting a mural, or even just dainty details for ceiling paint ideas, is a clever way to make use of an otherwise unadorned space, adding unexpected layers of visual interest and imbuing the room with a dreamy, whimsical atmosphere. It reminds me of the kind of thing that lingers in a child’s fond, nostalgic memories – almost magical.

It’s one to add to my list of bedroom ideas (along with ‘buy a big ladder to paint ceiling mural’) but it would look equally as special, depending on the design of course, in a hallway or dining room.

6. Look to wall panelling

I adore this concept, and it's something I fully intend to replicate. It’s worth remembering that these designs can change if your heart so desires – there is nothing permanent about these decisions, they can be repainted by lunchtime should you wish. Okay, well maybe not lunchtime, but sometime next week! Here, Tess Newall has expertly decorated an oak-paneled hallway with a handsome scheme inspired by Swedish folk decoration.

The artwork she’s painted on the paneled walls feels perfectly in tune with the family’s Swedish heritage. As such, it’s cleverly avoiding any incongruity between their personal style and the space. That is to say, there’s little point in painting a space like this unless you love it and it works with your overall aesthetic narrative. Even if the idea is trending – if it doesn’t suit the aesthetic tone of your home, it will always feel like an imposition rather than a joy.

7. Be inspired by The Bloomsbury group

Last summer I visited Charleston House in rural Sussex, England. It is a Bloomsbury House, once owned by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and as you might expect, it is a genuinely fascinating house – a riot of color and bursting with odd but dazzling eccentricities.

The main takeaway for me was the uninhibited nature of the painting; everything and anything was indeed painted. The Bloomsbury look is quite distinctive, and I, for one, have fallen head over heels and have incorporated the look liberally in my own home. I did think to make a start, as Duncan Grant did, on my bathtub or fireplace in my London flat, but luckily for my landlord at the time, sanity prevailed and I started with a chest that needed some TLC. Since then, cupboards, desks, tables and chairs have all been decorated in this same theme.

Here, Tess has also been inspired by this look and painted the mantelpiece surround in a distinctly Bloomsbury-esque fashion!

But, what if you can’t paint directly onto a wall? Maybe you rent your home and can’t risk that elusive deposit, or maybe you simply want the look in smaller accents. I am always rhapsodizing about the effectiveness of painting furniture. Here are some creative ways to get the look.

8. Create a 'moveable wall'

Covering an area of a wall or partitioning a room with a generously sized screen is a great idea and will have maximum impact thanks to its large surface area.

This beautiful screen featuring an attractive tulip design is actually cleverly decoupaged as well as painted.

9. Paint large furniture

Another great solution is painting large bookshelves, dressers, drawers or wardrobes. This beautiful capacious cupboard was designed by Tess Newall for Kit Kemp in a typically Bloomsbury style and Warren Street Hotel in New York.

I have painted a lot of furniture in my own home, and I have always found starting out with one or two layers of Farrow & Ball Droplcoth to be the best place to start. It is a fairly uncharismatic color, and I mean that in the best way possible. It recedes and doesn’t compete with whatever comes next, it is the perfect neutral paint for the job. When searching for the best colors, you can't do much better than Annie Sloan's own unique furniture paint - the pigmentation and depth of color is unparalleled.

‘Don’t look at the piece as it is, but at the potential,’ Annie advises. ‘It may be a dull shade of brown, with broken handles and ugly watermarks, but if it is strong, well-made and a pleasing shape, it is worth upcycling.’

If you love the idea of creative wall art it might we worth discussing your ideas with a decorative artist as they can produce some ideas that you may not have thought of, and the bigger and more elaborate or detailed the work, the more sensible it is to commission a professional artist, especially if you have your heart set, as I do, on a large, bespoke wall mural.

If, however, you’re thinking of starting slow with a small area, but perhaps a little bit nervous about your artistic skills, its worth finding some stencils like these plant leaves stencils to get you started.

It goes without saying that if you are painting stripes, straight lines or edging, painters tape is a must, even the most dexterous and sure-handed will paint slightly wobbly lines without good painters tape, like this frog tape from Amazon