If you’re a houseproud sort, the job of sprucing up your abode is one that’s never done.
There’s always a DIY job that needs doing, from hanging art prints and changing lampshades to touching up the paint on woodwork around the house.
In fact, it’s this last job on the list that requires little skill but garners a big change in the home, whether you’re applying a fresh shade of something neutral or trying a contrasting colour to welcome in a bit of maximalist style.
What’s an easy DIY job?
Painting interior wood - think stair bannisters, door frames, cupboard doors, radiator covers, skirting and sideboards - in a bold and bright hue is an easy way to inject colour into the home without committing to painting entire walls. The fact that they’re small projects means they can easily be done in a day or two, and all without having to completely clear a room of furniture too. Call it the ultimate hack for lazy decorating.
Want to give it a whirl? Once you’ve got the right brushes and rollers, water-based paint is your best bet.
Why choose water-based paint?
They’re eco-friendly, dry quickly and are low odour, so you’re not left wheezing on fumes. In fact, they’re much safer than other types of emulsion for the home: parents and pet owners, take note.
Water-based wall paints are also highly durable and do well in high-moisture environments, like the kitchen and bathroom. And if you’ve got an upcycling project on that DIY to-do list- say repainting a dresser or jazzing up a bed frame - a water-based solution is a dream to work with, offering excellent results with just a coat or two.
Disposing of paint, even non-toxic water-based ones, can be a tricky business. Recycle half-empty tins instead with Community RePaint, a Dulux scheme that links people with excess paint to folks who need some in the local community.
There are various finishes for water-based paint, from matte and eggshell to gloss, which leaves behind a subtle, pleasing sheen.
We’ve rounded up the best tins for your shopping perusal, choosing neutrals as well as dopamine-inducing hues to give your home a little edge.
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COAT The Old Corset Factory - Soft Sheen
COAT bills itself as a ‘climate-positive’ paint brand, and offers 56 colours to make the most of your space.
Paint is mixed to order in an effort to cut waste and delivery is fast so you can get on with your renovations as soon as possible. The emulsion is water-based, uses no solvent and comes in recyclable tins and packaging. We’re smitten with this smoky red which adds depth without the harshness of black.
In fact, the entire business is carbon neutral and it also supports the charity Crisis UK to help end homelessness.
Buy now £29.00, COAT
Dulux Quick Dry Gloss Paint - Mineral Mist - 750ml
Bring woodwork to life with Dulux’s sky-blue water-based paint, named Mineral Mist. The soothing shade is just one of many in this collection, offering a high-sheen finish after a six-hour drying time. The low-odour formula can be used on door frames, skirting boards and even radiators that need livening up. It comes in a range of colours and finishes including Satinwood and Eggshell, in addition to Gloss.
Want pure brilliant white? Find it here (£16.99).
Buy now £15.31, Amazon
Wilko Quick Dry Interior Wood Pure Brilliant White Gloss Paint 750ml
Want to keep it pure and simple? Wilko’s budget buy is perfect for speedy spruce-ups on trims and furniture around the home, working as well on metal as it will on wood. Expect a light coat to be touch dry within two hours, and less hassle cleaning brushes too - just run them under a tap and they’ll be as good as new. It is ideal for making yellowing and aged woodwork look like new.
Buy now £11.50, Wilko
Frenchic Paint
Prices: from £9.95
Want to revive an old piece of furniture, or give a new lease of life to a charity shop find? Make a beeline for Frenchic, makers of eco-friendly chalk and mineral paint. Perfect for rookies and pros alike, its 16-strong Original Artisan Range is self-priming, skipping a lengthy extra step if you’re planning to paint over dark colours.
The Lazy Range is even better: not only is it self-priming, but it’s also self-levelling too, which means you’ll barely see brush marks on your finished surface. Both ranges are safe to use on children’s toys, but the Lazy is water resistant too, which makes it a fabulous choice for areas like the kitchen, laundry room and bathroom.
The brand also offers the Alfresco Range, which can be used both indoors and out; Chalk Wall Paint that gives an ultra-matte finish on walls, ceilings, ceramic wall tiles, and concrete; and Trim Paint that’s perfect for skirtings, doors and radiators. Its Instagram account makes for addictive scrolling if you’re waiting for inspiration to strike.
Buy now, Frenchic Paint
Valspar Premium Wood & Metal Interior Gloss Basecoat, Base C, 2.5L Emerald Temple
Itching to try something other than white or magnolia? Valspar has a huge range of water-based interior paint to colour your home happy. If you want to feel like you’re living in a jewellery box (and really, who doesn’t?), this forest green paint should do nicely.
It will cover both wood and metal (which means you can paint your radiators with it too) and once dry, offers remarkable scrubbability, scuff and stain resistance. Make sure you remove all old paint with sandpaper before you start to get a smooth, even finish.
Buy now £42.00, B&Q
Farrow & Ball Full Gloss Paint Archive Collection: Archive - 2.5L
You’ll find Farrow & Ball’s weird and wackily-named shades splashed across the walls of elite residences, from Windsor Castle and Belgravia to multi-million dollar mansions in LA.
If you want to join the club, the brand has a range of water-based paint to elevate your interiors with a decidedly National Trust-aesthetic. This can contains Farrow & Ball’s highest-shine finish, covering both woodwork and metal accents. Use with a primer and undercoat base to achieve a solid, high pigment colour that should stay looking great for up to six years.
Considered the first “designer paint”, this stuff is undeniably expensive; if you’re on a budget, stick to trims and skirts to make it stretch further.
Buy now £75.00, Homebase
Little Greene Hortense in Intelligent Gloss
Independent British paint manufacturer Little Greene puts the environment and social responsibility at its core, something that extends to its range of wallpaper as well. The colour wheel is impressive with plenty of high-quality and richly pigmented neutrals, pastels and bold colours to agonise over.
For a cheerful pick-me-up, we like this water-based pastel lilac known as Hortense. It will add a little lift to plain white walls, but also pairs well with Little Greene’s collection of wallpaper designs, so you can go as maximalist as you dare.
Not quite convinced? Try a sample pot for just £5.25.
Buy now £36.00, Little Greene
Victory Colours
Dorset-based Victory Colours is an independent family business that produces water-based paints with a focus on the full life cycle of its products.
Paint is made to order (eliminating the environmental cost of transporting and holding stock in warehouses), whilst all packaging is either recycled or made from sustainable sources, such as bamboo. They’ve even shunned sample pots in a bid to lessen the amount of waste going to landfills - instead, it provides hand-painted sample panels which can be fixed onto the wall without ruining your current decor or the need to be painted over.
Containing only trace elements of VOCs, the paints are free from formaldehyde, heavy metals and are animal and cruelty-free. They also boast a stunning range of colour options which have real depth and a luxurious finish.
Price is for Matt emulsion, 2.5 litres.
Buy now £44.95, Victory Colours
