Throwing shapes: How geometric lines could transform your home
Want to create a more exciting space but feel that garish colours and hours of painting might not be for you? Then this painting trend may be just the ticket.
Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have been awash with geometric shapes painted directly onto walls. Whether above a bed to accentuate the space, or over a dresser, colours are being used to create contrast and interest in living spaces.
Splashes of colour have long held a place in contemporary interior design, with feature walls, often painted in darker hues, used to draw attention to certain parts of a room, or to create a sense of refined calm. But the idea of using shapes in this way has been popularised on social media platforms to the point that it’s perhaps the defining trend of 2021.
Sylvia Jones, an interior design expert for HomeHow, explained the versatility of this trend to City PM “It’s the reincarnation of wallpaper,” she says. “Although it has been with us for a long time, feature walls and wall coverings have become re-popularised. The latest trend uses 3D effects and shapes to create something quite different from the conventional flat patterns. It’s the same basic concept of feature walls, but with a twist.”
We have all become far more accustomed to being in our own homes over the past two years, itching to make changes without breaking the bank. Perhaps it is this apathy towards the homes we have become so accustomed to that has made us so adventurous with our interior design.
“Interior design has become increasingly playful over the past couple of years,” says high-end interior designer Pandora Taylor. “The feature wall was a useful technique for highlighting certain features in a room, like a chimney breast, for example. The shape trend is a natural progression from this in our era of whimsy and experimentation.”
In a rented property, there is often little flexibility when it comes to renovation or development. Your space is fixed and the colour scheme tends to be kept basic by the landlord. Painting doesn’t need to be permanent, however, making the trend for geometric paint incredibly accessible.
“Hues can transform a space with personality and create a long-lasting impression, while making a room appear more elegant and refined, which is a significant advantage when decorating on a budget,” says Jones.
So what colours should you reach for when painting archways, rectangles and triangles around your home?
“If you want to make a space look expensive, make sure you’re using slightly more muted, toned down shades,” says Taylor. “Brash, highly saturated colours can be abrasive to the senses and tend to stand out more. Colour should enhance other features and pieces in the room rather than dominate them.”
So perhaps the influencers have it right on this one. If you want to set the mood, and create a sense of uniqueness in your space, contrasting colours and painted shapes could be your next home design project.