Modern paint effects

If your walls are lacking pizzazz, try livening things up with a slight twist on a simple coat of paint -- and we're not talking about paint effects of the '90s (goodbye, sponge painting!). Whether it’s a hint of texture or a surprising graphic element, here are four modern paint techniques that are guaranteed to make your walls worthy of a second glance.

The technique: Colour blocking

What it is: This popular painting technique involves adding a graphic element, such as circles or squares, to dress up an empty wall or highlight a particular fixture in the room.

Where it works: Colour blocking is best-suited for modern spaces, such as an open-concept house or condo, but you can do it anywhere: behind art to create a focal point, around a chandelier for a medallion effect on the ceiling, or simply as an alternative to conventional wall art.

How to do it:
• Plan the spacing and arrangement of your shapes on paper, then draw them in pencil on your wall and outline them with painters’ tape.

• "Choose a colour that relates to something else in the space," says Sharon Grech, colour design manager for Benjamin Moore. Pull a colour out of a piece of art you wish to highlight, or tie in a colour from an adjacent room. You can be more daring and adventurous when you’re colour blocking, she adds. "It’s a good way to bring in a trend colour and you can always paint over it later."