Small paint projects that will have a big impact – 6 simple ways to elevate your home with paint

Decorating with paint is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to transform any room in your home, with a simple refresh of the wall colors all that's needed to transform the whole look and feel.

But beyond painting all four walls, there are endless ways to get creative and use paint ideas to enhance a room. Whether that's by painting smaller details such as woodwork, doors, or staircases in more daring shades than you'd typically go for or giving your furniture a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint, small paint projects can be the key to refreshing a room.

And so, we turned to the expertise of paint color specialists, who shared with us their favorite simple yet impactful paint projects which we've rounded up below.

1. Add color to areas you'd typically leave white

‘Color is a wonderful way to highlight or incorporate architectural details into your design schemes and instead of painting an entire room, consider focusing on woodwork, skirting, dado, picture rails, and furniture as these are all fantastic hosts for color, be that contrasting highlight colors or tonal shades to create a more harmonious feel,' suggests Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.

'Consider items within a scheme that would traditionally be painted in a gloss or white out of habit. Radiators work beautifully in a contemporary matt finish, or with a playful two-tone color scheme that takes the skirting color onto the radiator too,' Ruth adds.

Here, the dark gray walls are contrasted with the pop of blue that features on the window frames and ledges, floorboards, and bath. Although subtle, these accent colors add a playful feel to the dark color scheme.

2. Paint doorways a colorful shade

Doorways and archways can often go overlooked when considering room color ideas, but they can be a great place to experiment with lively hues. ‘If you’re lucky enough to have wonderful architectural details such as archways in your home, paint is the perfect way to transform or to highlight them quickly and easily, adding personality and character to create an inspired interior,' says Ruth Mottershead.

'Consider the kind of space you want to create: is it calm and cocooned or energetic and vibrant? Strong hues work well in rooms that are made for entertaining or that see a lot of activity​. A pop of bright, rich contrasting color on an archway, either on the inside of the arch or around it is a great way to add impact ​and an element of surprise to an otherwise muted scheme,' explains Ruth.

In this hallway, the blue paint used across the doorway and woodwork complements the patterned wallpaper, adding plenty of design interest to the space.

3. Add a pop of color to stair risers

A slightly more unexpected place to decorate with paint is on staircases. Stair risers in particular are a great space to add a playful color, especially if the space is neutral, suggests Hannah Yeo, senior manager of color marketing at Benjamin Moore:

'There are many creative ways to infuse pops of color to add visual interest to your home. For example, painting the stair risers with a vibrant red in an otherwise neutral space adds both function and aesthetic appeal. This quick weekend project can hide the dirt on the stairway while instantly adding character in a space that is often overlooked.'

To create a similar look, there are plenty of expert-recommended best red paints that range from vibrant orange-reds to much richer, warm-toned reds.

4. Embrace bold paint colors in small areas

If you don't want to go too bold with dark paints by using them with color drenching, find small areas in your home to use them instead. Here, the neutral colors throughout the living room are contrasted with the dark gray wall, which creates plenty of interest but doesn't overwhelm the room.

'Adding a fresh coat of paint to a smaller area of your home can instantly update your space,' says Erika Woelfel, VP of Color and Creative Services at Behr. 'Try painting your interior doors in Cracked Pepper for a bold statement, or transform a bookshelf with Even Better Beige for a subtle yet polished look. For a playful touch, add a color-blocked arch in Jackfruit behind a mirror or headboard as an easy way to introduce dimension and charm.'

5. Give furniture a new look

If you're looking for a quick and easy paint project that'll be sure to have a big impact, refresh your furniture by painting pieces with a new color.

'Give new life to older or pre-loved items by transforming furniture with an upcycling project,' suggests Tash Bradley, color psychologist and Director of Interior Design at Lick. 'Repaint or add decorative accents in colors that flow with your interior design scheme. You could even paint wooden headboards to give them a new lease of life.'

This is an especially good option if you're looking for a way to incorporate more color into your home but don't want to commit to painting the walls.

6. Reimagine kitchen cabinets

Lastly, don't overlook the kitchen when elevating your home with paint. Often serving as the heart of the home which is as social as it is functional, the kitchen welcomes the perfect opportunity to embrace hues that align with your interior design style and reflect your personality.

'One of the biggest impacts you can make in your home is a kitchen cabinet color refresh. Given cabinet replacement costs can be pricey, a refreshing coat of paint is the perfect way to make a big visual impact,' says Ashley McCollum, color expert, Glidden brand.

Before committing to a new paint color, make sure you sample shades so you can see what they'll look like as the lighting changes in your kitchen throughout the day. For an elevated neutral scheme, go for a buttery yellow such as Farrow & Ball's Hay, or take inspiration from this space and go for a calming pale green such as Benjamin Moore's Light Pistachio.

From decorating with paint in previously overlooked areas of the home to getting creative and painting furniture, there are many simple but impactful ways to refresh your home through paint. Keep in mind that the beauty of decorating with paint is that it's not a permanent decision, so you can always re-paint if you need to later down the line.