Creating A Gold & Teal Geometric Paint Effect In A Hallway
A big mistake that people make with hallways is they think they have to keep them plain and neutral in colour. The fear is that an often narrow space will feel even narrower and enclosed if it is painted anything other than white. The truth is having a hallway in a deep colour will actually make the rooms coming off the hall feel much larger and brighter as you walk into them.
With plain light walls, the eye is instantly drawn to any feature, which is often the doors to each room. Unless you are blessed with architecturally beautiful doors, then doors are just functional items within a bland hall. This was the problem facing a recent client who was living in a new build apartment in East London. The home was not going to be a 'forever-home', so she did not want to change up or paint the doors in, but she just hated the wood-effect fire doors that stood out against a trade white matt emulsion backdrop. My brief was to create something fun and on-trend on the hallway walls that completely distracted you from the even noticing the pine-coloured doors.
It was decided that the hall colours were instead going to be teal & gold, with a touch of white remaining. The main wall colour would be teal, but sharp triangles in gold would shoot down from the ceiling, totally averting the eye from the doors while creating a modern look that was very at home in the East End apartment block.
Once the teal paint colour had been chosen (we went for 'Teal' by Paint & Paper Library - you can find out more the best teal paints here) I taped off the bottom part of the hallway with a decorators tape applied in sharp jagged lines. I then applied two generous coats of the teal, then left the paint to dry for a few days before removing the tape.
Using a low-tack decorators tape to stop pulling off the first coat of teal, I overlapped the teal in parts to create an adjoining gold geometric shape. I then applied a metallic gold emulsion paint by Crown which I had never used before - this was certainly a learning experience! Basically DO NOT use a paintbrush to apply this paint! You will see every tiny tiny detail. Instead, use a good quality roller and do long strokes from top to bottom without stopping. I have to say this was hard work to use, the metal in the paint marks every manoeuvre. I had to do about 4 coats to get a good build up of the paint and then at least a couple more to get an even finish. What I would advise is to use a metallic emulsion sparingly - use it in alcoves, for small designs, but I would avoid painting a whole wall in it. It also highlights every imperfection in your wall so I would steer clear unless you have a perfect plaster finish.
Once completed, I touched up any tiny marks or mistakes with a small artists paintbrush, then painted in the skirting.
What do you think to the hallway? Doesn't it make it a much more interesting space? I also think the doors are also the last thing you notice when you walk down the corridor. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.....
