10 ways to punch up your home's colour palette – from decking out doors to touching up bathtubs

Bold paint choices are moving beyond feature walls, elevating forgotten corners and architectural details into joyful, design-led moments.

Punching up your home's colour palette has never been easier, as certain (and often much smaller) DIY projects can have a big impact in adding personality to a home – from decking out internal doors to touching up bathtubs.

Below we share how to bring a burst of colour to your home – with tips on how to achieve the best results...

More decorating guides:

• 3 kitchen details that make your space look more expensive
• Paint colours that will make decorating easier in 2026
• 9 easy ways to update your kitchen without renovating

A brightly painted front door instantly boosts kerb appeal, offering a simple way to express your personality and lift the entire street. Prep thoroughly, taping any glass, then follow the grain of the wood as you paint. Use Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint and Lacquer topper (seen below in Tilton) for lasting power.

A bright and bold front door can boost kerb appeal

Lime green is the kitchen colour of the moment. Zingy yet grounded, it has evolved from fleeting trend to modern country classic. Here, Tinsmiths founder Phoebe Clive has brightened up her cabinetry with Edward Bulmer’s Invisible Green.

Zingy lime green is the colour du jour

Saturated colour in a utility nook or pantry transforms practical spaces into joyful ones. Interior designer Natasha Lyon has drenched her utility room (below) in Farrow & Ball’s flame-red Bamboozle.

Colour drenching can bring joy to an everyday space

Sometimes the smallest details make the boldest statements. Painting a door edge in a bright shade adds a simple flash of character and is a brilliant way to experiment with colour that can easily be changed.

Sometimes the smallest details have the biggest impact

Painting inner windows (sills, frames, the recess) makes a bold design statement that not only frames the view beyond but also adds energy to a white room. Choose punchy shades to keep it modern and try contrasting colours across woodwork for crisp definition, such as Little Greene’s Marigold and Marine Blue.

Paint sills, frames and recesses in bold colour to make a statement

A colourful mantelpiece turns the hearth into a focal point, drawing the eye to treasured collections. Pull out a shade from the wallpaper (Galerie’s Kitchen Recipes, pictured below) for cohesion, and consider matching the room’s skirting and doors to colour boost the entire space.

Turn the hearth into a focal point by painting it a fun shade

Painting doors and their woodwork is a playful way to give each entrance its own identity and try out bold hues without committing to a whole room. Preparation is key: use sugar soap to remove flaking paintwork, then sand and choose water-based paint – shown here are (from left) Rangwali, Charlotte’s Locks and Arsenic by Farrow & Ball.

Make an entrance by painting door frames in a bright and bold colour

The fifth wall is prime territory for “colour-capping”. A yellow ceiling adds warmth without committing to wraparound wall colour, which can feel stifling. Extend the shade down onto a dado rail: try The English Panelling Company for an architectural feel.

Use your ceiling as a fifth wall

For those who aren’t ready for the all-out tonal sanitaryware of the 70s, panelled tubs offer an elegant compromise. Use water-resistant primers and paints (try acrylic eggshell in Sunflower from Morris & Co) and extend panels up the wall.

Bring a splash of colour to the bathroom with a funky tub

Vibrant skirting boards introduce colour with restraint. Framing a room without overwhelming it, these neat bands are ideal for expansive areas that need definition. In corridors, matching the skirting to a painted banister (here in Farrow & Ball’s Lulworth Blue) brings subtle cohesion.

Line a define a room with a coloured skirting board

Painting a radiator helps it sit more comfortably within a room. In this bathroom by design studio Aller Dorset, they've chosen a shade that draws from the wallpaper. Choose a specialist paint: many of our favourite brands, such as Edward Bulmer, Paint & Paper Library and Little Greene, offer suitable heat-resistant finishes.

Choose a heat-resistant shade to paint your radiator

Spring homeware edit

Pansy Quilted Bedspread, Multi

£195 at John Lewis

Pli Green Pleated Desk & Table Lamp

£88 at Oliver Bonas

Next Cath Kidston Cream/Blue Floral Quilted Storage

£25 at Next

M&S Pure Cotton Floral Embroidered Cushion

£30 at Marks & Spencer

Velvet Cushion, Rectangle, Butter Yellow

£61 at rowenandwren.co.uk

Catherine Lansfield Epping Textured Stripe Reversible Polycotton Duvet Cover Pillowcase Set

£16 at Dunelm

H&M Large stoneware serving plate

£12 at H&M

Gabriella Gabriella Set of 4 Gingham Placemats - Green

Now 29% Off

£10 at dusk.com

Scalloped Mint Green Vase

£32 at grahamandgreen.co.uk

Maddy Ando

Homes Writer, House Beautiful and Country Living

Maddy is the Homes Writer at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she can be found writing about the latest interiors news and collating inspiring trend edits. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Manchester and a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.