Breathe new life into your walls with some metallic paint

Tired of your plain old walls? Why not breathe life into them with a coat of  metallic  paint. Metallic paints have a shiny finish that adds a glow to your walls. However, the trick lies in getting the right one.

Ms Shrinal Patel Kalita, the head interior designer at Crown Paints Kenya Ltd, says while there are different ways of using metallic paints, for the best effect, you should consider how it blends in with the overall décor.

Other factors that you should consider when choosing metallic paint is the type of furniture you have. For instance, Ms Kalita says, classic furniture that comes in gold or copper would blend in well with metallic wall finishes. However, this does not to mean that you cannot use metallic paint because you have contemporary furniture.

“Wooden and leather furniture create an appealing contrast between the walls and the furniture in a room. That makes the furniture stand out,” says Ms Kalita, adding that colours such as silver, gold, copper, Turkish tile (resembles blue), and sun-baked are the most common in Kenya.

Here are tips on using metallic paints to make a room come alive. 

Glitzy colour

With its shiny finish, metallic paint allows your walls to reflect light, which can make a space look bigger and brighter. “If you have a small or dark room, using metallic paint all over is a great way to make it feel larger and well lit. Choose a light shade such as silver, gold or even taupe, to amplify the effect,” suggests Ms Kalita. However, she cautions, if you plan to use metallic paint, make sure the walls are in good shape. This is because the reflective finish will show every dent, scratch and imperfection in the wall. 

Accent

Having all the walls in a  room done with metallic paint might be too much in certain instances,  but you can still use it as an accent.

 “Choose a single wall you want to emphasise, and use metallic paint on it,” Ms Kalita says.

For instance, you can have an accent wall around the fireplace or  the area where you want to display some  art pieces. In the  bedroom, the wall behind the bed is ideal. “The metallic finish alone will make the wall stand out, but if you want a bold look, choose a shade that contrasts with the rest of the room. For a subtle look, opt for a metallic shade of the same family as the colour on the other walls,” she advises. 

Borders

“You don’t need to cover an entire wall with metallic paint to make an impact in a room. Instead, you can use it to create a border on a wall,” says Ms Kalita. 

For instance, you might keep the design understated simply by painting a metallic stripe along the top edge of the wall. Alternatively, you can have a border at the bottom and a strip midway  for a little more flash in the room, says Ms Kalita, adding that metallic paint can also be used to highlight decorative moulding and  to draw attention to interesting architectural details. 

Pattern

You can also create patterns on a wall using metallic paint which, Ms Kalita says, gives the room a faux-wallpaper effect.

To achieve this effect, she says, instead of using traditional interior paint with wall stencils, use a metallic finish over a dark colour such as black, navy or chocolate brown to create an eye-catching pattern.

For a stunning look, she suggests apply gold metallic paint with a damask stencil pattern to create a gilded design that’s sure to turn heads. 

But what about the cost? 

“Metallic paints are a bit more expensive than ordinary paints but they are not over priced, says Ms Kalita. “The base coat for metallic paints costs as much as that for ordinary pints, so it is the top coat for metallic paints that brings about the disparity in price,” she offers.

She suggests that if you have, say a wall that is done with silk paint and is in good condition, all you need to do is apply a top coat of a metallic paint to give it the desired metallic look.