Bringing Interior Woodwork to Life with Amanda Daunt

There are endless possibilities when looking at refreshing interior wood from trims (skirting and architraves), doors, stairs, wooden panelling, ceilings, upcycling furniture and refreshing kitchen units.

What are the key trends for painting wood currently?

1. Wooden Panelling
2. Painting the trims & doors a darker colour than the walls
3. Painting wooden kitchen units

Wooden Panelling

Wooden panelling both vertical and horizontal is a huge trend at the moment, especially in hallways, bedrooms and living spaces. It is recommended, however, to have enough width in a hallway to do this as it’s not suitable for all architecture, especially in a long narrow hall. Gorgeous colours on wooden panelling are Denim Drift, blush pinks such as Femme or Dreamy Truffle.

Where are the best places to use wooden panelling?

1. A statement wall behind a bed or a sofa
2. Create a wow factor in hallways
3. In any space that lacks character
4. To supplement a splashback in a kitchen or bathroom
5. On a ceiling

What benefits does wooden panelling offer in a space?

1. Ideal for uneven walls
2. Provides additional insulation in a space
3. If laid horizontally, it can make small rooms feel wider 
4. If laid vertically, it can make rooms feel taller

Wooden Trims in a Darker Colour

This is a big trend especially if you have limited light in a room and can work perfectly in a long narrow hall where a light neutral such as Papyrus or an off-white such as Ivory White from our Easycare Washable Matt Collection work beautifully together. Adding a pop of colour such as Jamie Blue, Delicate Willow or Skellig Grey on the trims (skirting and architraves) in a Diamond Eggshell or Diamond Satinwood combined with a Pure Brilliant White on the doors or use the same coulour on the wall as the doors can also be effective in the same paint finish as the trims.

Painted Wooden Kitchens

Painting pine kitchen units is a clever way to refresh your kitchen if you can’t afford to replace it completely.  Choosing a colour for your space depends on the flooring, the orientation of the room and how much natural light you have but you can go dark on the units and choose a lighter colour on the walls or vice versa. Greens such as Pure Pebble or Pure Fennel work beautifully with a warm neutral such as Mid Muslin or a warm grey such as Mid Cinder. If you have an island unit a brave deep green such as Orgreenic or Zephyr would work with the lighter greens. All these hues are from our Signature Collection and A4 sample cards are available in these actual colours to test in your space.

What paint finishes are recommended for painting wood?

Water-based Dulux Diamond Eggshell and Diamond Satinwood are durable and stain-resistant wood finishes that dry quickly and are available in any colour.