Painting surfaces is not only the most economical way of finishing, but also an opportunity to create a creative design in your home. To transform the interior, you do not need to hire a team of workers, you can do the work yourself, and if you connect your imagination, then transform the house.
Advantages and disadvantages of wall painting
Painting walls with paint used to be considered the most durable coating of all existing ones, so it was often used by builders and was undeservedly forgotten for a while. But modern designers are reviving this decoration and using a variety of compositions create masterpieces in interior design.
As with any building material, the use of paint has its pros and cons, but most professional interior decorators tend to use it.
Advantages of using paint in design:
- a large selection of color solutions allows you to create bright and non-standard combinations;
- safety of use, compositions do not emit harmful substances;
- variety in surface decoration and harmonious combination with different textures;
- versatility of application, the paint can be selected for any type of premises: bath, bedroom, kitchen, corridor;
- resistance to mechanical damage and contamination;
- easy care, painted surface is easy to clean;
- the ability to create a unique design with your own hands.

Blue wall in the interior.
These are not all advantages, but painted surfaces also have their drawbacks. They should be taken into account when choosing this type of finish. Painting requires a perfectly flat surface before application, otherwise the slightest irregularities and defects will be noticeable. If the application technology is violated and the paint composition is incorrectly selected, the coating will quickly begin to lag behind the walls or lose its original color.
Types of paints that can be used in interior design
There are enough paints on different bases in stores that can be used in residential areas. There are quick-drying compositions with glossy and matte surfaces, as well as decorative mixtures that can transform the interior beyond recognition when applied in several layers.
Manufacturers offer paints in the form of a white base, which can be tinted in any color or compositions ready for application, in a wide palette of shades.
Types of paints that are used:
- Alkyd paints. The coating is used on any basis, does not break down in conditions of variable and high humidity and can be used in any rooms.
- Oil paints. It is made on the basis of drying oil, which dries for a long time and emits an unpleasant odor. It is rarely used for internal application on walls, but it will perfectly manifest itself on the street.
- Enamel. It is made on a lacquer base, which gives a characteristic shine when drying. The composition dries quickly and when using enamel on the walls, it creates a durable coating that is not afraid of water and mechanical damage.
- Acrylic paints. Designed for walls and ceilings in dry rooms. The composition has an excellent price-quality ratio. Acrylic paint lends itself well to tinting and will retain color for the entire period of operation.
- Latex paints. It is used in rooms with high humidity and in the kitchen. The coating does not leak water and is well cleaned, does not absorb dirt and odors, but is prone to fading in the sun.
- Water-based paints. The paint is well tinted in any color, applied and creates a durable coating that can hide minor defects. One of the disadvantages is the loss of color saturation during operation.
- Silicone paints. The composition is safe and, when applied, creates a durable film that is easy to clean and repainted if necessary. Silicone paint is compatible with most formulations on other bases and does not require careful surface preparation.

Living room.
Any of these coatings can be used in residential areas, they are safe after drying. The main thing, when choosing a decorative coating, is to take into account the conditions of use. When painting walls in rooms with variable humidity, water-based paints are not recommended.
Combination of painted surfaces with other types of wall decoration
Combinations of different materials will help to diversify the design or embody a certain style. Against the background of smooth surfaces of painted walls, reliefs, textures and ordinary paper wallpaper, as well as wood, brick and stone look good.
The design allows two or three combinations of different materials in the decoration, which can be combined and create a beautiful design.
1. Combine with wallpaper
There are several possible applications – this is a classic wallpaper wall decoration for painting, which can be repainted countless times. And the ceiling is decorated with embossed wallpaper in combination with smooth glossy walls.

Gray color in the interior.
2. Photo wallpapers
A great solution if you need to transform and highlight one of the walls.

Living room.
3D formats applied to a wall or an ordinary canvas will look harmoniously with smooth surfaces in a monochrome finish without a pattern.
3. Plaster and painting
Two types of finishes that are created for each other. Relief surfaces of plastered walls are always covered with paint.

Decorative plaster for interior decoration.
This allows you to create the desired color and transform the finish.
4. Option with wooden trim
Eco-style with wooden textures is transformed in combination with painted walls. In this case, natural tones and a matte surface are used.

Wood decor of painted walls in the bedroom.
This finish is applicable in any interior, but is most in demand in private homes.
5. Combination of masonry and painting
It is suitable for finishing the kitchen, bathroom, hallway and fireplace room, where it is necessary to highlight the beautiful texture of the stone.

The use of decorative stone in the interior.
The paint on the walls will not distract attention and will transform the interior.
6. Brick and painting
Integral textures of loft and Provence style, as well as Scandinavian and rustic interior designs. The painted wall conveys and shades the texture of the brick well, which makes the finish more vivid and expressive.

Designer painting of the walls in the apartment.
The main thing is to choose the right color of the composition, which should have a matte surface after drying.
7. 3D panels and coloring
Volumetric finishing formats look better against the background of smooth walls.

3 d panels in the interior of the living room in a modern style.
The panels can be used in any rooms decorated in the style of abstractionism or industrialization. This finish is applicable both in the living room and in the children’s room.
Interior design options
Plain surfaces in soft unobtrusive colors are often used in the styles of minimalism, scandi and classics. Such walls are often shaded with decorative elements in the interior and furniture with bright upholstery.
But to create different designs, combinations of several shades are often used, with the help of which you can zone a room or fill the interior with paints.
1. The use of two colors in the interior
Bright contrasts or approximate colors when painting the walls will help to expand the space of a small room, visually make the ceiling higher and brighten up the imperfection of the shapes of the room.

Painting the walls in the bedroom: design in different colors.
Paints in different shades zone the space and highlight one surface against the background of another. And you can also paint one wall with different colors in a geometric pattern.

A wall of two colors.
2. Application of several colors in the interior
The decoration often uses one background shade and complements it with bright contrasts in the same range.

Painting the walls in the apartment with different colors.
There may be three or four color ranges in the room, while it is not necessary to complicate the design with different textures and shades.

Living room.
Additionally decorate the interior with a bright sofa, decorative items and lighting fixtures.

Multicolored wall.
3. Using stencils
Allows you to transform plain walls with drawings and thematic figures.

Children’s room.
This design will look especially good in the children’s room. If necessary, painted surfaces allow you to change the subject and format of images.

Drawings on the wall in the apartment.
4. Stripes and squares
Horizontal stripes will visually expand the room, and vertical stripes will make the ceiling higher.

Painted wall with squares.
In this type of design, you can change the location of the stripes and their size, but for a harmonious perception of the interior, you should limit yourself to two colors. And squares in the interior can change the perception of the whole room.
5. Reliefs
When painting the walls, you can use two or four colors, which are applied in stages.

Decorative plaster.
The stains are created with brushes or special rollers and give a feeling of three-dimensional reliefs. They can be applied both in horizontal, vertical application format and in a chaotic manner.
6. Cracks and aging effect
It is created when applying varnish to a painted surface. Usually such a design is used on one of the walls or the zoning area in the room.

The technology of applying plaster with the effect of aging.
This effect is widely used in classical, ethnic and antique interior design styles.
7. Texture
It is created by decorative compositions that are applied to the surface in several colors using special rollers and devices, which gives the surface the appearance of a textured finish.

Loft style interior design.
8. Gradient
It is created by two or three shades of the same color. With the help of such coloring, you can smooth out the imperfect smoothness of the surface, visually expand the room and raise the ceiling.

Wall painting in the technique of gradient.
The finish can be used on one wall or in the entire room as a whole.
9. Painting and drawing
It is often used in urban and ethnic styles.

Painting – interesting solutions in the interior.
On the wall, you can draw any plot that fantasy is capable of, and the monochrome coloring of the surface will emphasize the artistic execution of the drawing.
10. Coloring color
The style determines which shade will be dominant on the walls. Most finishing directions allow two colors: the main and complementary shade. Bright accents in the interior are often made with the help of furniture facades, sofas, textiles and decorative elements.

Living room.
When choosing shades and combining them with each other, it is worth experimenting and choosing exactly the tandem that is pleasant for you. The combination should not cause alarm and irritation, otherwise it will be difficult to live in a house with such a finish.
Features of wall painting technology
Each material has its own paint application technology. Regardless of the type of surface, it is recommended to first clean it from dust, dirt and peeling old coatings. A mandatory stage of work is the application of the soil on two layers and drying.

Burgundy walls in the interior.
Paint and varnish compositions cover dry walls at a temperature of 5-25 degrees and a normal humidity of 65-75%.
Application of compositions for different base materials:
- For wood and brick – alkyd, acrylic and oil paint is used.
- For concrete, epoxy and latex compounds are used.
- For drywall – suitable silicone and acrylic paint.
- For wallpaper – water-based compositions are used.
- For plaster – any compositions are suitable, regardless of the basis of manufacture.
When creating normal conditions, the painted surface will serve for a long time, will not lose color saturation and will retain its protective functions for 10-15 years.
Color combinations in different interior design styles
The combination of different shades is applied in all stylistic directions. The differences are in the use of contrasts and the application of the main base color.
Styles and color combinations:
- Minimalism allows the use of two colors in the interior. Finishing with a square, strip or in the form of geometric shapes. The lines should be straight and clear.

Minimalist style.
- Modern style is manifested in conciseness and a combination of no more than two color solutions in the decoration. Monochrome painting of walls and the use of drawings, ornaments and graphics are allowed.

Modern style.
- The loft style is manifested in the accentuation of one of the interior walls in the form of brickwork, which can be painted in any colors or artificially aged.

Loft style.
- The classic style is manifested in the pastel colors of the surface with interior decoration with large mirrors in gold frames and beautiful furniture.

Classic style.
- Provence allows stripes on the walls in a combination of pastel colors, ornaments and drawings in a natural theme.

Provence style.
- The country style is embodied in a combination of natural textures of wood, stone and massive walls in white, mustard and brown colors.

Country style.
- Scandinavian style is manifested in shades of white, blue and sand in combination with the texture of stone and brick.

Scandi style.
Any of these styles allows for wall painting. The main thing is to choose the right color and shade combinations. Such a coating will not only create a beautiful design, but also very durable. And the possibility of changing the color of the interior is available to everyone, for this you need to arm yourself with a roller and a brush.