Pep up Your Outside Space with Some Easy Paint Effects
Take great interior design ideas and adapt them outside, decorating your garden as you would a room in your house – with paint
Gardens and decks don’t have to be all about natural materials and lush planting. There are times when a pot of paint is your most valuable asset, bringing an outside space to life faster than you can say herbaceous border. There are lots of places where colourful paint can have a huge impact, from the rendering on your house wall to the seat of a wooden bench, and, unlike seasonal flowers, painted surfaces offer brightness and cheer all year round.
Check out these inspiring outdoor spaces for ideas – they have all very successfully harnessed the power of paint.
Check out these inspiring outdoor spaces for ideas – they have all very successfully harnessed the power of paint.
Brighten up a big wall
Many of us have urban gardens flanked by walls and neighbouring houses, but painting a tall, imposing wall can make it look like a colourful feature, rather than a huge edifice. The blue on this wall gives the garden a Mediterranean feel.
Many of us have urban gardens flanked by walls and neighbouring houses, but painting a tall, imposing wall can make it look like a colourful feature, rather than a huge edifice. The blue on this wall gives the garden a Mediterranean feel.
Create a stylish backdrop
Using grey in our homes is a big trend right now, but how about outside? This smart garden demonstrates how a grey backdrop makes a sophisticated style statement, and helps the flowers planted against it pop out.
Using grey in our homes is a big trend right now, but how about outside? This smart garden demonstrates how a grey backdrop makes a sophisticated style statement, and helps the flowers planted against it pop out.
Add a gentle contrast
The lush planting of this wild garden is very gently punctuated by a blue painted bench in the distance. It creates a soft focal point amid all the green without jumping out at you, and perfectly suits the rambling, relaxed feel of this outdoor space.
The lush planting of this wild garden is very gently punctuated by a blue painted bench in the distance. It creates a soft focal point amid all the green without jumping out at you, and perfectly suits the rambling, relaxed feel of this outdoor space.
Turn trellis into a feature
Wooden trellis has a practical role in a garden as something for climbing plants to grow up, but when painted it becomes a feature in its own right. This trellis painted in a deep shade of sea blue also works as an attractive screen, and is a pleasing backdrop to the low planting in front.
Wooden trellis has a practical role in a garden as something for climbing plants to grow up, but when painted it becomes a feature in its own right. This trellis painted in a deep shade of sea blue also works as an attractive screen, and is a pleasing backdrop to the low planting in front.
Pretty-up your patio
If you have a decked area or covered patio, you might consider painting the boards beneath your feet for some low-level colour. Then dress it as you would a room in your house, with colourful rugs, cushions and wooden furniture.
Check out 9 tiny balconies
If you have a decked area or covered patio, you might consider painting the boards beneath your feet for some low-level colour. Then dress it as you would a room in your house, with colourful rugs, cushions and wooden furniture.
Check out 9 tiny balconies
Coordinate your back wall
Don’t stop at painting your house wall; try painting everything that hangs off it or sits against it, too. This house wall has been painted in a grey-blue shade, which has been used on the bench, too, for a very neat, streamlined look.
Don’t stop at painting your house wall; try painting everything that hangs off it or sits against it, too. This house wall has been painted in a grey-blue shade, which has been used on the bench, too, for a very neat, streamlined look.
Dot in pops of colour
We have been decorating our rooms in neutral tones punctuated with pops of bright accent colour for years now, so do it outside, too! Bright red painted chairs set against a lush green lawn look cheerful and fresh.
We have been decorating our rooms in neutral tones punctuated with pops of bright accent colour for years now, so do it outside, too! Bright red painted chairs set against a lush green lawn look cheerful and fresh.
Paint garden furniture
Take a standard piece of garden furniture and treat it to a lick of paint. You don’t even need to paint the whole piece – why not just give legs or seats a bright blast? This picnic table shows how a little turquoise goes a long way towards creating a fun centrepiece.
Take a standard piece of garden furniture and treat it to a lick of paint. You don’t even need to paint the whole piece – why not just give legs or seats a bright blast? This picnic table shows how a little turquoise goes a long way towards creating a fun centrepiece.
Experiment with graduated colour on one wall of your garden. You might not use a paint effect like this in your home, but we can afford to be a little more playful in an outdoor space. This slim courtyard wall has been treated to a wash of pink and purple for a sunset effect.
See how to use yellow in your garden