Understanding Colour Blocking

Looking for a creative way to update a room? A new colour-blocked feature wall could be your answer. Whether you want to add a playful splash of colour to a playroom or carve out a relaxing environment in your bedroom, this method lets you design a completely bespoke space. It’s a fantastic way to zone an open-plan room or frame a piece of furniture. We’re here to help you get started with this practical guide and our handy step-by-step how-to video.

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Colour blocking is a creative painting method that uses solid, contrasting blocks of paint to design bespoke patterns and define specific spaces on your walls.
To colour block a wall, prepare a neutral base colour, sketch your shapes using a spirit level and masking tape, and always paint unconnected blocks first.
Allow each coat of colour blocking paint to dry completely before re-applying masking tape to paint adjoining sections, ensuring a seamless finish.

What is colour blocking?

Colour blocking is a straightforward painting technique that uses solid, contrasting blocks of colour to create striking geometric shapes. This technique gives you total freedom to create any colour scheme you want in your room, so you can use bright and bold colours or some more neutral tones that will add a calming texture to your wall. Plus, it’s much easier than you might think.

How to colour block a wall

Colour blocking requires some planning and preparation, but after that it’s nothing more than applying some well-placed blocks of paint on your wall.

Think carefully about your design before you open the tin. It helps to sketch out your ideas on paper first as this lets you easily visualise how the final shapes will look on your wall. You’ll also want to consider the colours you want to use and how they’ll play off each other

Using the right colour blocking paint can make all the difference in achieving a vibrant, contrasting finish. It’s a good idea to paint on top of a neutral base colour, preferably a shade of white or off-white. This avoids any issues with your new colours clashing or bleeding.

There are so many opportunities to get creative here, as you can experiment with the size, shape, and colour of your blocks. This project is completely bespoke, so you have the freedom to make it your own.

First, make sure to clear your painting area. Move furniture out of the way and cover the floor with a dust sheet.

Prepare your wall for painting by lightly going over it with sandpaper to smooth the surface.

Next, wipe over the wall with a damp sponge that you have squeezed out thoroughly. This removes any remaining dust from the sanding.

Brush your skirting boards to remove dust from them too. Then cover them in masking tape to protect against any accidental paint drips or splashes.

Finally, measure the area of the wall you are planning to paint so you know exactly how much paint you need.

Staying safe is just as important. Make sure your stepladder is standing on flat ground if you need to use one to reach high-up areas.

Mark out your chosen blocking design using a spirit level and a pencil.

Once all your blocks are marked, decide which ones you’ll be painting first. It’s a good idea to begin with blocks that touch the ceiling. Choose the blocks that are not directly connected to each other.

Go over the sketched lines for these first blocks with masking tape.

Start with any blocks that are touching the ceiling. Take care to cut in with a paintbrush along the top edge.

Paint around the edges of your shapes first, before filling in the middle using a roller.

Allow your blocks to dry, then add a second coat. Once the second coat has dried entirely, you can remove any masking tape that you no longer need.

Re-apply masking tape to the edges of your newly painted blocks.

Make sure to leave a tiny edge of your new colour showing. This small overhang helps your colours to butt up against each other and meet seamlessly.

Starting at the edge where the wall meets the ceiling, cut in by hand around the edges of your next block. Then fill it in with your roller.

Once it’s dry, carefully remove the masking tape.

Leave any strips that don’t need to be covered again before you paint the final block.

Mark out and tape any remaining blocks in the same way as before and paint using the same method.

Allow the paint to dry before peeling away the remaining masking tape.

And that’s it! Now you’ll have a bespoke, colourful feature wall, completely unique to your home, whether you want to add a bright splash of colour to a playroom or opt for soothing tones to create the ideal relaxing environment in your bedroom.

Watch the video, take your time, and enjoy creating a space you can be truly proud of.

FAQs

You can use standard interior emulsion paint for your walls. Selecting high-quality colour blocking paint helps to ensure bold coverage and sharp contrasts between your painted shapes

Always use a high-quality masking tape and a spirit level to map out your shapes. Make sure your base coats are completely dry before applying tape and peel the tape away carefully.