Give fading walls a designer-style makeover

Give fading walls a designer-style makeover

«I think I have a good eye for design but I want to take my decorating schemes to the next level. Do you have any insider advice?»

Nearly a quarter of people think they’ve got great taste when it comes to redecorating their home. But translating good taste into a fully realised design scheme isn’t always as easy as you may initially think.

Vivechrom’s Interior designers share their top tips that will give you the insider knowledge and tools you need to start decorating like a pro.

1. Come up with a concept

A good concept is like a good recipe – stick to it and you’ll find it hard to go wrong. What you’re looking for is an image or set of images that will act as a guide for the rest of your scheme. It could be a picture torn out of an interiors magazine, or perhaps a photograph you’ve taken of your favourite restaurant or a striking hotel.

The key is to make sure your concept images contain the perfect balance of colour, texture and form, which you should then recreate as faithfully as possible in your scheme. The stronger the concept, the stronger the final design.

2. Track down the perfect colours

Seek out paints, fabrics and furniture that echo the shades, shapes and finishes shown in your concept images. Our Vivechrom website www.vivechrom.gr is good place to start, and you can take your concept images with you when you buy the paint to make sure you get the right match.

To find the perfect paint, head to your nearest paint store that uses Vivechrom’s tinting system, where the expert staff will be able to mix up a paint in the exact shade that you have selected from Vivechrom’s Colour Palette.

3. Make a moodboard

A moodboard is like a microcosm of your finished room. It gives you the chance to see how all the colours and finishes are going to work together, and to make any last tweaks before you commit to your final scheme.

Moodboard must-haves include paint and fabric samples, photos of key accessories or pieces of furniture, and samples of any wood, tiles or other finishes you might be using.

When it comes to paint, it’s a good idea to try out the shade you have selected on your walls as well as your moodboard, as the shade may vary depending on the lighting in your room.

Still struggling to envisage how it will look in your room? Use the Vivechrom Visualizer app to get an instant digital impression of how your walls will look once they’re painted.

4. Place your orders

Once you’re completely happy with your scheme, it’s time to start shopping. If you’re having items delivered or made specially, check what the lead time will be and order the items with the longest lead time as soon as possible so you’re not waiting around for them once everything else has arrived.

Not sure how much paint to order? Go to each product's page to work out the exact amount you need to give your walls the maximum cover with minimum wastage.

5. Get decorating

This is the fun bit, where you get to see all your hard work and planning pay off. Don’t forget those designer-style finishing touches, such as carefully layered lighting and fresh flowers.

Γυναίκα βάφει τοίχο με πινέλο σε κίτρινη απόχρωση

Whether you’re hiring a decorator or doing it yourself, make sure your walls are your top decorating priority. After all, your walls form the backdrop to your entire scheme and getting the right paint finish can be all it takes to elevate a scheme from amateur to professional.

Νεαρός άντρας βάφει τοίχο με ρολό σε μπλε χρώμα

Top Tip:

To keep your scheme on-track, cut out your concept images and stick them up on a wall or noticeboard so you can refer back to them at every stage in the decorating process.