Decor masterclass: How to use colour now
There's nothing like a splash of colour to give your home a joyful update, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming.
That's where we come in! From double drenching to colour capping, below, we share this year's trending techniques to take the guesswork out of choosing paint.
Read on to discover the hottest paint trends that you need to know about.
But first, you'll need some decorating supplies! Find a fantastic selection of paints, brushes, rollers and more from Brewers Decorator Centres.
The hottest paint trends in 2026
Monochrome palettes
Bring your scheme into focus by building your look around a single colour. ‘Monochrome’ is often used to describe black-and-white schemes, but don’t let that put you off – this approach will work just as well with any colours you love.
A monochrome palette is perfect for creating spaces that feel calm, cohesive and restful, so it’s a great one to try in bedrooms, living rooms and anywhere else you need a touch of tranquillity.
Begin your look by painting your walls in your chosen shade, as this creates a strong foundation and sets the mood for the entire room. Then start pulling together similarly coloured pieces across a range of tones, tints and textures. Try coloured glass with velvet, and gloss with chalk paint.
Using a collection of different finishes like this will ensure that your look feels full of life. Even though the aim is to stick faithfully to your hero shade, don’t be afraid to bend the rules a little bit to get the look you want. No one will mind if you finish off with foliage and natural wood, or pull in a well- loved piece of furniture to end on a personal note.
Buy Earthborn Claypaint, £60 for 2.5L, Brewers
Colour blocking
Let your creativity run free with this easy and budget-friendly approach to colour. If you have spare tester pots, or leftover paint, this project could even be free. Paint solid blocks on your wall to create a playful feature in your space. Using paint in this way helps to define areas, adding structure without the need for extra furniture or building work.
Use it in open-plan spaces to carve out zones for different tasks. It’ll help to break up the area, preventing it from feeling cavernous or having unstyled sections.
Simply painting a large shape on the wall behind an armchair is enough to make it feel like a reading nook, even in a busy family room. The colour helps to ground the furniture, making it look more intentional.
Play with perceptions and add angular shapes – such as these rectangles – in colours that are a close match to the shade of your walls to create an architectural feel. Or try soft, rounded shapes with contrasting shades. This clashing technique gives the look unexpected energy and life.
Try the Albany range today
If you want to achieve a stunning, professional finish that's great value for money, why not try the Albany range, exclusive to Brewers? Get kitted out with their brilliant selection of paint shades in a range of finishes and for various surfaces, plus all the tools needed for applying a fresh coat of paint.
Visit one of their stores or head to the Brewers website and browse the range today.
Eye-catching combos
Balance light and shadow to create sophisticated palettes that work every time. Considering ‘colour saliency’ is a designer’s trick for making spaces feel elegant. ‘Saliency’ refers to how much a colour stands out and draws the eye when compared to the hues around it.
A colour’s saliency can be harnessed to direct attention and create focal points. Think about where you want the eye to fall first – such as a seating area, fireplace or bed – then add a strong colour in that spot. You might want to try a statement sofa, furniture or artwork.
You don’t have to use bright or bold tones – instead, look for contrast. You just want something that sets off the rest of the effect. For example, use pale bedding in a bedroom where the walls are dark to bring your bed centre stage. Deep, muted colours naturally fade into the background, giving space for brighter colours to shine.
Playing these different tones off against one another will create a scheme that feels harmonious, with subtle hierarchy where you need it.
Love a good dupe? Buy the Albany soft sheen tinted emulsion in 14E56, £29.58 for 2.5L, Brewers
Double drenching
Rethink colour drenching – where you paint your entire space, including woodwork and ceilings, in just one colour – by trying this fresh twist. Double drenching is different because, as the name suggests, you use two colours instead.
The hues you use should sit next to each other on the colour wheel, such as soft pink and terracotta, or sage and olive. Use pairs of colours that feel naturally harmonious, but not too similar. Otherwise, you’ll risk them blending, meaning the contrast is lost.
Combining two shades for your drenching means that the effect is still immersive, but it doesn’t look as unusual as when you use a single colour. The paints you use can still be punchy, but when you walk into a space that’s double drenched, you’ll see the colours, rather than the technique.
It’s a great trick for living and dining rooms, particularly if they’ve been knocked together. Using two related shades defines each zone, but brings them together.
Buy Little Greene Absolute Matt, £59 for 2.5L, Brewers
Colour capping
Put a cherry on top of your look with a technique that makes the most of an often overlooked part of your room. Colour capping describes painting the ceiling, and sometimes the upper portion of the walls, in a different shade, creating a ‘capped’ effect.
This technique brings your ceiling back into focus, making it part of your overall design. You can combine double drenching with colour capping, using two harmonious but distinct shades. Or you can extend your existing colour upwards, using a paint that’s a tone deeper or lighter than the shade on your walls.
Whichever combination you try, this method always makes spaces feel cosier and more inviting. Try it in bedrooms to make them feel more intimate, or use it to make high ceilings feel less lofty. While the finished effect is serene, the application can get messy. Use a telescopic roller and pop on a shower cap and goggles to protect your eyes and hair, and make the job far more comfortable.
Buy Benjamin Moore Ben Interior Matte, £20.99 for 0.94L, Brewers
Unexpected blue
Freshen up your look with a new take on the ‘unexpected red’ trend that took over fashion and interiors last year. The ‘unexpected’ part of this technique means introducing a colour in a surprising place or bringing in a piece of furniture or accessory in this tone.
It’s a method that interrupts a perfectly composed look, adding an unpredictable element that makes the space feel modern and interesting. While red is still a brilliant, high-impact shade to use, blue is set to be one of this year’s biggest choices. So it’s a great way to bring your home up to date without changing the whole scheme.
Choose a strong, bright blue when trying this – you want the pop of colour to make a real impact. Treat yourself by picking up a designer paint tester pot. You’ll only need a small amount, so it’s a good idea to go for a more expensive formula that really packs a punch. If you don’t want to commit to adding a vibrant shade to your walls, paint a picture frame, or the inside of a bookcase.
Shop Mylands paints at Brewers
The rule of three
Use this simple strategy to take the hard work out of building your palette. Find a colour wheel and pick three colours that sit next to each other, such as blue, green, and yellow. These endlessly compatible shades will lend your space a tranquil feel.
The trick is restraint. Let one of the colours take the lead, while using the other two as accents. This approach helps to keep the room feeling balanced. Try applying your dominant shade on walls or large furniture, then introduce the other two through cushions, artwork or accessories.
You can use this trick with any family of colours, from pastels to brights, however it’s a particularly effective method to try if you love bold colours but still want to create a sense of harmony. By limiting how each colour is used, the overall effect feels confident, cohesive and easy to live with.
A certain ratio
Use the 60-30-10 rule to perfectly balance the proportions of colour in your space. Use this formula whenever you’re feeling a little unsure about how to apply a palette with confidence. Each of the numbers refers to an amount of colour to use in a room.
Your main hue should cover around 60% of the space. In this dining room, green is the primary shade, bolstered by the foliage through the window. Use this colour on walls, curtains, and large upholstery. Then choose a companion shade to use as the 30% part of this ratio. This should be a colour that sits comfortably alongside your main shade.
Next pick a third tone to use as an accent to make up the remaining 10%. Choose something that sits on the opposite side of the colour wheel from one of your other two shades – for instance, pink with green. Adding this subtle touch of a contrasting shade will lift your palette, making it feel dynamic and sophisticated.
Shop Graham & Brown at Brewers
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