A lick of paint is one of the easiest and quickest ways to update a room and the effect can be anything from a simple freshen-up to a complete transformation. From a design point of view, paint can evoke a mood or establish a style, whether as a subtle backdrop or by taking centre stage. In a more practical sense, it can enlarge a space, give the impression of height, and highlight features.

There are countless ways you can use paint and colour to achieve a desired style, so a little thought and preparation can take your design to the next level. With far more to consider than merely which shade to go for, here are all the things you need to think about when redecorating a room.

Start with a colour scheme
I know I said there’s lots to think about besides colour, but it’s still important and a perfectly good place to start. If you’re planning a complete refurb, you’ll probably already have a design scheme, and therefore a colour, in mind. If it’s purely a redecorating job, then you have the choice to freshen up with a similar shade or go for something completely different. Time to get the paint charts out.

It’s important to plan the whole scheme and look at all the colours and textures to see how they work with each other. Consider this gorgeous room. Out of context, the wall colour would appear to be very bold. However, as part of the whole scheme, it looks fantastic and is in no way overpowering.

Look at the light
The quality and level of light in a room is a key factor to consider when choosing a paint colour.

Rooms with big windows will benefit from lots of natural sunlight, so pale shades will help to enhance that bright and airy look. However, if you’re looking for a colour, you may need a stronger shade than you initially imagined to prevent it from appearing washed out.

Consider your paint colour before you start any renovation. It’s often left until the “big stuff” is out of the way, but it’s worth thinking about sooner. The reason is twofold. Firstly, it’ll give you a more accurate representation of the colour; bare plaster has a habit of sucking all the light out a room and making it feel much smaller than it actually is. You may also have no lighting part of the way through a renovation, which means you can’t judge a colour under artificial light and this is just as crucial as natural light. Looking at paint colours before your renovation begins will allow you to assess colours properly.

Work with what you have
It’s a common misconception that you can brighten a room simply by painting it white. Sometimes, a dark room will struggle to be lifted by white as it needs light to bounce off it to look bright. Whether it’s the direction it’s facing or the fact it has small or no windows, some dark rooms will never look bright and airy.

Test it out
Tester pots exist for a reason and now is not the time to skimp. It’s well worth picking up a tester pot of your chosen colour, even if you think you’re really sure. Still deliberating? Narrow it down to a few and purchase your shortlist.

Decide on a feature wall
If you fall in love with a bright or bold colour, but just paint one wall because you’re a bit scared of doing the whole room, it will just look as if you were too scared to paint the whole room! By adding colour to one wall, it draws attention to that area and that hue, therefore making it more noticeable. The colour is more likely to overpower other elements, which perhaps should be the main focus of your room.

Don’t forget the “fifth wall”
Deciding on a colour for the ceiling is just as important as your walls. Your eye is drawn to contrasts, so any significant changes in colour or texture are going to catch one’s attention. If you have low or sloping ceilings, painting all of the surfaces in the same colour will give the illusion of height, as you don’t immediately notice where the wall ends and the ceiling begins.

Focus on the details
Once you’ve decided on the walls and ceiling, think about the other painted details, such as woodwork and mouldings. These can include skirting boards, architraves, doors, windows, cornicing, fireplace surrounds, radiators, picture rails and dado rails.

Consider using one colour
Using a single shade on walls, ceiling and woodwork can create a cohesive look. It will also give the illusion of height and space.

Highlight a feature
The all-white furniture in this eclectic bedroom looks so fresh against the vivid wall colour. As well as the magnificent bed, one of the first things you’ll notice is the beautiful ceiling rose and the smart-looking cornice and picture rail. Using a contrasting white paint to highlight these features enhances them and draws the eye up.

Choose where to change colour
As I mentioned earlier, the eye is drawn to where colour changes, and we’ve looked at the visual effect of both contrasting and continuing colour on different surfaces. You can use this to great effect in both ways, as demonstrated in this tranquil bathroom.

Create decorative details
As well as highlighting existing features, paint can be used to enhance and create interesting decorative details, such as this panelled effect on the walls.

Select your finish wisely
Now that you’ve chosen all your paint colours and decided what goes where, you need to specify the finish for each section. Most walls will be fine with a flat emulsion, and a completely matt look is the best way to make the most of all that pigmentation. However, areas prone to moisture and high traffic, such as bathrooms, kitchens and hallways, may require a more hard-wearing finish.

Write everything down on a decorating specification
Putting all the details down on a specification ensures nothing is missed and minimises the chance of mistakes. It also makes things very easy when hiring a pro, as you simply hand over your spec and let them handle the rest.