This season, the much-loved neutral interior decor style shows no signs of going anywhere. The design characteristics of \nScandi interior style \nand \nJapandi style\n are now more popular than ever, with many homeowners gravitating towards that blend of minimalism, artisan textures, earthy tones and natural materials.\n\nA major part of this interior style involves using a palette of stylish and subtle neutral colors. This year, we’ve seen more of a preference towards warmer neutrals with a tinge of color, now known as the ‘new neutrals’ interior trend.\n\nWant to learn more? \nRead more about 2021’s rising color trend: ‘new neutrals’\n and learn how to style the new neutrals colors in your home below.\n\n\nShop neutral paint colors\n\nHow to style new neutral paint colors in your home \n\nOpt for warm and comforting colors\n\nCreate a space that you can escape from the outside world in. New neutrals are all about warmth, harmony, comfort and bringing a tiny bit of color into your home while still maintaining that timeless and versatile neutral look. The colors in this trend are very similar to typical Japandi and Scandi colours (like the colors in our \nwarm neutral paint colors sample box\n), but with added light pinks and soothing greens such as \ngrey Pink 01\n and \nGreen 01.\n Want to know why green is such a great color for bedrooms and which colors to go for? Check out \neverything you need to know about green paint colors\n.

Incorporate natural woods \n\nBring new neutrals colors in, not just through paint, but through your choice of materials. For instance, light woods are a great way to introduce this trend into your home. Think \nJapandi\n and the warmth of the natural materials championed in this style, such as light oak and exposed wood grains. For this look, steer clear of darker stains and woods that tend to result in a more traditional looking style. \n\nWant to invoke the essence of natural wood through your choice of paint? Opt for an earthy \nbeige paint colors\n like \nBeige 01\n. Find out \neverything you need to know about grey and yellow-based beige paint\n.\n\n\nShop beige wall and furniture paint\n

Incorporate textured stone \n\nOther materials that can help you bring new neutrals into your space are textured stones and marble surfaces. Whether it’s through a coffee table with a marble table top, granite kitchen countertops or a textured splash-back in your bathroom, the colors in these materials will add visual interest to your space while helping you maintain that neutral palette. \n\nCreate the look of stone on your walls with greige paint - a warm blend of beige and grey. Learn more in our post about \nall things greige\n and \nexplore our range of greige wall and furniture paint\n.

Introduce the new neutrals trend into your home with one of the warm neutral colors from our range and explore our \nLick x Kelly Hoppen neutral paint collection\n. Working with a dark or north facing room? Check out \nthe best neutral paint colors to brighten up a dark room\n or have a browse of our \ncolors for north facing rooms\n.

There are few things more luxurious than a hotel room made for lingering. The fresh sheets, plump pillows, sumptuous decor—maybe even a roll-top bath. Whilst you might not want your guests to treat your home like a hotel (ahem, we regret to inform that we \ndon’t\n do room service) it’s nice to make them feel like they’re at one. So, if you want to make your guests feel as though they’ve just checked into the Honeymoon Suite, here are 6 ways to make your guest bedroom feel hotel-worthy.\nGuest bedroom idea: add luxury wallpaper\nThe guest bedroom is the one room in the house where you can afford to be a bit experimental. It’s not used every night so you can go for decor that will really make an impact—like a bold \nwallpaper\n. Natasha Coverdale’s nature-inspired designs, \nVillage Cricket 01\n and \nVillage Cricket 02\n, are perfect for a hotel-worthy guest room. Pinks are really nurturing and will make any visitor feel right at home. Or go full nature with \nFern 01\n or \nJungle 02\n. Of course, you don’t have to wallpaper the entire room, you could create a statement \nfeature wall\n behind your guest bed. If you’re going for a wallpaper feature wall, match your wallpaper with a \npaint color\n that fits. Scroll down to the bottom of your chosen wallpaper’s page and you’ll find the ‘Pairs well with’ section.\n\nShop bedroom wallpaper\n

Guest bedroom idea: include a full-length mirror\nThere’s nothing more annoying than not being able to see what you look like in the morning. Make sure your guests avoid that feeling with a large full-length mirror. Not only will it allow them to get dressed in confidence, but it will also make the room feel more spacious. Position it near a window or light source and it will make your guest room appear bigger and brighter. Oldest trick in the book!

Guest bedroom idea: add a statement headboard\nYou don’t have to be Kit Kemp to know that a statement headboard really pulls a room together. Another hallmark of a luxury hotel, you also don’t have to spend a fortune on one to get the look. If you’re a dab hand with a staple gun, why not make your own? Take a read of our guide on how to upholster a headboard for some inspiration. From velvet to bouclé, wall-panelling to rattan the list is endless when it comes to statement headboard ideas. 

Guest bedroom idea: incorporate greenery or fresh flowers\nThere’s nothing like fresh flowers to make a guest feel special or indoor plants to make a room come alive. And you don’t have to spend a fortune. A supermarket bunch arranged in a vase will do the trick and make your guests feel as though they’re getting VIP treatment. Whilst indoor plants will make the room feel lived-in, whilst also creating a soothing and relaxing environment. Take a look at our guide to the best indoor plants according to your decor style for the pick of the bunch.

Guest bedroom idea: provide luxury bedding\nIf you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to stay in a hotel with scratchy bedding, you know it’s an experience you wouldn’t wish on anyone. Don’t let your guests suffer this fate—unless, of course, you \nwant\n them to leave. Don’t blow the budget, but invest in the best natural-fibre bedding that’s affordable to you. Choose something that you would want to sleep on. And when it comes to colors or patterns, we’d recommend keeping it simple with white and opting for colored quilts or cushions. Go the extra mile and fill a basket or cupboard with some extra throws or pillows.

Guest bedroom idea: bedside tables and lamps\nHeadboards aside, matching bedside tables and lamps are next as one of the most impactful ways to make your guest room worthy of 5 stars. Not only do they look great, but they’re practical too, providing guests with somewhere to put water glasses overnight, charge their phones, or place books and personal items. In the lighting department, go for something with a soft glow. These won’t be the main lighting source of the room, they’re to create a warm ambience in the evenings, so don’t go for anything with too high wattage. If your guest room is on the smaller side, you can save on floor space by using floating shelves for the same effect.

Guest bedroom idea: tidy away your tech\nIn the last couple of years, spare rooms across the country have been transformed into home offices. If this is yours, you don’t have to move out just yet. But make sure your work paraphernalia is tidied away, so they don’t feel as though they’re sleeping through a board meeting. If you’re working on a desktop, have a designated cabinet that you can shut it away in and keep any files or paperwork hidden away in cupboards or drawers.\nGuest bedroom idea: provide the little hotel luxuries\nWelcome to the advanced level. If you want your guests to feel as though they’re staying at The Ritz rather than the Ritz-Carlton then provide those extra little hotel luxuries to make theirs a seamless stay. Matching fresh towels folded on their bed, yummy smelling toiletries and candles, a hairdryer, bathrobes. You can even go that extra mile with a carafe of water by their bedside table. And seeing as you’ve gone to all that effort, make sure you never forget a visitor by getting them to sign the household guestbook.

Look, some of us are born hosts, some have hosting thrust upon them but if you follow these 8 guest bedroom ideas, you can’t fail to make yours feel hotel-worthy. Ensure that your house is prepped from top to bottom and take a look at these \n10 ideas to get your downstairs loo guest-ready\n.

Ah, grey. We don’t have 50 shades of the stuff, but we do have seven. Here we’re going to share how you can get the most out of them. Get clued up on your undertones, learn what grey best suits a north-facing room (and south for that matter), and find meant-to-be-together, ready-made room palettes using our range of grey paints.\n\n\nShop grey paint colors\n\nLet’s talk undertones\nColors are more complicated recipes than we give them credit for. There’s a whole load bubbling away beneath the surface that deserves proper attention because that end shade you’re looking at on the tin is anything but one-dimensional.\nCue the undertones.\nIf you’re going to get this color thing right, you’ve got to bear in mind the undertones. Think of them as the base notes in the wine, that, once you’ve got them all figured out will help you appreciate the taste ten times more and give you a banging palate (or palette in this case). \nUndertones are what will change up the temperature of a color. At Lick, we use five in our greys, and you can expect them to do a little something like this to your room: \nSky blue: things are going to get crisp and Scandi in vibe;\nLilac: teetering between warm and cool, you’ll feel softness more than anything;\nLavender: basically does the same as lilac, but even more;\nGreen: adds warmth, warmth and a bit more warmth;\nBrown: 100% warm but this is where you’ll get mega depth too.\nDrop a tint. Throw some shade\nNext up in this quick-fire \ncolor theory\n class are tints and shades. \nOnce you’ve got your head around the undertones, remember that there’s also the intensity of color to wrestle with. In other words, do you want the lighter shade of pale or to head over to the dark side?\nAdd white, and color buffs call that a tint. Add black, and they’ll say – now that’s a shade. Bet you’re starting to see how it’d be pretty easy to whip up 50 of them.\nColor compatibility and room direction\nOkay, so my room is north-facing and gets buckets of natural light. So that obviously means I need a god-knows-what sort of grey.\nSound familiar?\nPeople throw around room direction statements rarely with a clear conclusion as to what compass point suits what sort of color. \nUntil now that is.\n\nHere's what grey paint we recommend for rooms with different directions...\nNorth-facing rooms: green and light grey paint\nNorth-facing rooms: northern light is the coolest of the lot. It casts a blue hue, so try to avoid cool greys like \nGrey 01 paint\n and look more to our \nGrey 04\n whose lovely green undertones will warm it up and the darker shading will suit the cool light. If you fancy something lighter, check out our \nGrey 03\n for a \nwarm light grey paint\n.

East-facing rooms: green and blue grey paint\nEast-facing rooms: you’ll see a lot of change in them. Whatever grey you choose will look very different whether it’s sunset or sunrise. But easterly spaces have a tendency to look a bit bluer, so a grey like \nGrey 04 (which has a hint of green)\n or \ngreen grey Grey 07\n are your guys, or maybe a light blue-grey like \nGrey 01\n;

South-facing rooms: dark grey paint\nSouth-facing rooms: they have a golden glow going on and the good news is, they pretty much suit all greys, including our \ndark grey paint Grey 06\n or lavender-based \ndark green Grey 07\n for something deeper. Or check out our \ncharcoal grey paint Grey 08.\n Make a southern room feel lighter still with a lavender grey like our \nlight warm grey paint Grey 03 \nor softer still \nGrey 02\n.

West-facing rooms: warm and beige grey paint\nWest-facing rooms: just like rooms that look to the east, westerly rooms are the most changeable. On the whole, they look all the better with a warmer grey for company. So, swerve the blue and the green-greys and follow similar advice to north-facing rooms – brown greys or grey beiges, also known as just greige.

In love with grey but can’t decide which one would look better in your home? Worry no more. We offer 1-on-1 virtual color consultations from the comfort of your armchair. Whether you’re looking to just get a second opinion on a palette you have in mind, or simply don’t know where to start - our color specialists - \nsuch as Tash\n - are here to help you.\n\n\nBook your video colorist session\n now, or \nlearn more about our video color consultancy here\n. \nRead more about \nthe colors that go with grey\n ( or read up on \ncomplementary color schemes\n) and get inspired to paint your \nbedroom walls grey\n.

Choosing the right type of paint for your interior decor project can involve a fair few choices along the way. This includes the type of paint finish you choose and how well it can work across multiple surfaces.\n\nAt Lick, we’re huge fans of how well matt paint works for different surfaces. It’s highly versatile and offers a flawless finish on everything from fireplace surrounds to front doors.\n\nNot quite sure whether matt paint is the right choice for you? Learn why you should buy Lick’s durable matt paint and the many, many surfaces you can use it on.\nWhat is matt paint? \n \n\nFirst, you may be wondering what matt paint even is and the difference between the two most popular types of paint finishes: matt and eggshell. Here’s the lowdown: \n\nMatt: \nKnown for its durability and smooth texture, matt paint dries to a paper-like finish without any hint of gloss or shine. This means that it doesn’t reflect any light, making it the perfect choice to cover up imperfections. \n\nEggshell: \nEggshell paint\n offers a finish that is, quite literally, similar to the surface of an eggshell. Not as shiny as satin or gloss, and not as matt as matt paint, eggshell is somewhere in the middle. If you’re after a finish with a soft sheen that you can emphasise or tone down with lighting, eggshell offers the lowest lustre option before matt paint. Read more about our \neggshell paint range here\n.\nWhen should you use Lick matt paint?\n\nThanks to its durability and coverage, matt paint has been one of the most popular paint finishes for decades and you’ll often find that it’s the paint of choice in homes with traditional or classic decor.\n\nAs matt paints absorb light and offer a smooth finish, they’re the ideal choice for walls and surfaces with any imperfections. The light-absorbing qualities of matt paint help to reduce how visible the imperfections are.\nLick matt paint for kitchens\n\nWhen sprucing up the look of your kitchen, painting your cupboards is a great place to start. Get started with our step-by-step guide on \nhow to paint kitchen cupboards\n. \n\nOn a budget? Check out how \nKelly and Ben transformed their kitchen with just £40 using paint\n.

Lick matt paint for bathrooms\n\nWant to revive a tired-looking downstairs bathroom with freshly painted walls or cabinets? Learn \nhow to upcycle bathroom cabinets using leftover paint\n. Fancy bathroom \nwall panelling\n? Lick matt paint will do the job!

Lick matt paint for wooden cabinets and furniture \n\nWood is yet another surface that matt paint works beautifully on, and it’s a great way to \nupcycle furniture\n that could do with a bit of fresh life. Learn \nhow to upcycle your chest drawers using Lick paint\n and use matt paint to carry out the \nultimate IKEA Billy bookcase hack\n.

Lick matt paint for laminate cabinets\n\nWhen it comes to \npainting kitchen cupboards\n and bathroom cabinets, matt paint works equally as well on laminate surfaces as it does on wood. Find out more about \nupcycling bathroom cabinets with leftover paint\n.

Lick matt paint for fireplace surrounds\n\nPaint your fireplace surrounds to turn your fireplace into a focal design feature, even when it's not all lit up. Our matt paint will do the trick across wooden, brick and marble fireplaces. Learn more about \nthe steps to paint fireplace surrounds\n.

Lick matt paint for stairs\nCould your staircase do with a bit of a makeover? A tin of matt paint may be just what it needs. Get inspired by what \nHelen and Ben did with their staircase using Lick paint and a £60 budget\n.

Lick matt paint for radiators and metal surfaces\n\nA surface that tends to show imperfections over time, radiators and other metal surfaces are the perfect candidates for Lick matt paint. Follow our steps to \nprep and paint your radiator like a pro\n.

Lick matt paint for skirting boards and window frames\n\nMatt paint works a treat on oft-neglected nooks and crannies around your windows and floors. Here’s more on \nhow to paint skirting boards\n and \nhow to paint window frames\n.

Lick matt paint for MDF panelling\n\nAn affordable and easy way to make your walls look more interesting, wall panels can give any room a bit more depth, revive the decor, and help cover up uneven surfaces or walls that may require filling. Follow our easy step-by-step guide on \nhow to do DIY wall panelling\n.\n\nShop \nMDF suitable paint\n.

Lick matt paint for internal doors\n\nAlthough internal doors may not be the first place you think to start when decorating your home, painting them can add an instant pop of color and fresh energy to any space. Learn how from our guide on \nhow to paint internal surfaces\n.

You’ve seen what matt paint can do and now it’s time for the fun part: choosing the colors. Explore our range of trendy \nmatt colors\n and prepare to kick off your next paint project.\n\n\nShop our designer paint colors\n

You can go wild when it comes to decorating your child’s nursery and kid’s bedroom. It’s a great space to offer them a bit of escapism, to allow them to be playful, curious, and feel safe to explore. A popular trend on Pinterest, we’ve seen lots of our decorating community transforming their children’s bedrooms into exotic jungle or animal themed safari escapes. We’re obsessed. So, here’s how you can nail that really wild look in your child’s nursery or bedroom.\nJungle and safari theme nursery idea: tropical color scheme\nTransport your little one to warmer climes with some warming \ntropical decor\n. This doesn’t have to mean wall-to-wall color, you can keep it restful with soothing \nneutral decor\n. A little splash will go a long way to creating a fun and inviting environment for them to play. Or go full tropical vibes with warming \nyellows\n and luscious \ngreens\n. Or what about channeling the \npinks\n and \npurples\n of exotic flowers or the airy \nblues\n of a desert island sky. \nJungle and safari theme nursery idea: wallpaper\n\nWallpaper\n is one of 2022’s hottest trends and it’s no secret that we’re a little obsessed. But we are OBSESSED with \nwallpaper in a kid’s bedroom\n. Children connect with pictures, shapes, and colors before they connect with words. \nAnimal wallpaper\n is a great way to allow them to explore with their imagination. Creating little stories and characters for every giraffe, monkey or elephant they might discover. With its soft pinks, sunny yellow and soothing greens, \nMonkey 01\n is a really fun and playful design, perfect for a child’s bedroom. Don’t want to wallpaper the entire room? Go for a wallpaper feature wall.

Jungle and safari theme nursery idea: plants\nThink back to your earliest memories. How every dining table towered and even the smallest garden felt like another universe to explore. Now imagine if your nursery was filled with plants. Your little ones will feel like they’re on a jungle safari every day of the year surrounded by leafy foliage. Then there’s the real life health benefits. Not only can indoor plants reduce anxiety and boost creativity, they improve a room’s air quality whilst connecting us with nature. Sound too good to be true? Learn all there is to know about the \nbiophilic decor trend\n.

Jungle and safari theme nursery idea: stuffed animal toys \nAnimals are a great medium for connecting with our inner child. Each one conveys a different feeling or emotion. Fill your child’s jungle safari themed bedroom with all of their favorite stuffed animal toys. You might even be surprised to see which ones they pick up, depending on what mood they’re in—whilst monkeys might be a bit more extroverted and playful, elephants are reliable and dependable, and a lion might just signify a tantrum on the horizon.

Jungle and safari theme nursery idea: gallery wall\nWherever you are in the house, a \ngallery wall\n is a great way to make a feature out of a wall that’s otherwise missing a certain something. But it’s a really fun idea in a kid’s bedroom or nursery. Have fun with it! Make it interactive and playful as @our_greenhouse_reno and X have done, with a selection of stuffed toys and art work.

Like the sound of these? Why not try decorating your kid's room based on their personality? Or try your hand at a bit of DIY with these \n5 easy DIY ideas for a kid’s bedroom\n.

We’ve all heard about the Art Deco interior style, whether it’s through drooling over the designs in The Great Gatsby or loving the decor in your favourite 1920’s style bar. But have you ever heard of the Miami Art Deco look? Yep, it’s a thing. This wildly popular style is one that you can easily incorporate into your homes to amp up the summer vibes and playful mood. The laid-back Miami look features lots of crisp pastels and leafy hues, as well as Art Deco shapes and architectural features in furniture, for a breezy feel that celebrates summer.  \n\nDiscover how to get the ultimate \nMiami Art Deco\n look in your home by adding elements of Art Deco style.\n\nHow to get the Miami Art Deco look\n\nPlay around with pastel paint colors\n\nThe colors from the Art Deco period were bold and bright, and often paired with softer creams and beiges. Inject that vibrant vibe into your home with one of the pastel colors from our new collection - the Lick x Livingetc Neo Deco pastel paint collection. With 7 easy to use colors, the palette includes a few hues of blue (such as the \nsky blue paint Blue 08\n), a warm and sunny yellow and a dusty blush pink.\n\nExplore our full collection of \nNeo Deco pastels paint colors\n and learn \nhow to style the Miami Neo Deco pastel paint colors here.\n

Take inspiration from Art Deco architectural features\n\nPopular Art Deco architectural features include bold and symmetrical shapes and motifs, such as zigzag and chevron patterns. This style of architecture is all about angular forms and geometric design, which are elements you can just as easily introduce in the interior of your home.  

Incorporate lush tropical palm leaf designs into your wallpaper and furnishings\n\nWant to introduce the tropics into your space without a huge amount of effort or investment? Other than tropical indoor trees and plants (which can take a little bit of maintenance), \nbotanical wallpaper\n (such as this \nblue leaf wallpaper\n) and \npatterned wallpaper\n is an easy way to do so. Some great examples are the exotic and upbeat jungle wallpapers; \nJungle 02\n and jungle leaf wallpaper \nJungle 03\n. You can also bring in tropical prints through your soft furnishings, such as headboards!\n\nDiscover our \npatterned and botanical designer wallpapers here\n.

Be playful with your artwork\n\nMiami is well-known for its thriving art scene. Introduce an element of this in your home by choosing vibrant pieces of art. It’s an easy way to add some bold and impactful design elements into a space without a huge amount of effort or commitment. 

Opt for sleek lines and materials\n\nArt Deco style is all about streamlined and angular shapes. Opt for sleek lines in your furniture, walls, furnishings, accessories and even kitchen appliances to get the look. 

Make a statement with mirrors\n\nA key feature of an Art Deco home, mirrors are a great way to introduce this style into your home and make a statement, while also making rooms seem more spacious than they actually are. It doesn’t just have to be on your walls either; think mirrored surfaces on cabinets, lighting fixtures, sideboards and coffee table trays. 

Highlight geometric shapes and chevron patterns\n\nGoing back to that love of sleek lines and symmetry, you’ll often find a ton of geometric shapes and chevron patterns in an Art Deco style space. Introduce it into your home on your walls, furnishings, and accessories with a classic geometric design.  

Keen to learn more about the Art Deco style and how Lick can help you achieve this look? Discover our \nNeo Deco pastel paint collection\n and read our tips on how to style the Neo Deco pastel colours in your home. Curated in collaboration with Livingetc (read more about our \ncollab here\n), this palette of 7 vibrant colours can help you bring that Miami Art Deco style into your space. \nOrder some samples today\n.

We’re loving all things 70s when it comes to decor at the moment. After a seriously long Pinterest and Instagram deep dive into 70s interior design, we wanted to share some of our fave ideas with you. \n\nDiscover 8 ways to bring 70s interior design to your home.\n2021 rising trend: 70s interior design \n\nFrom hippie boho to disco glam, 70s interior design is making a big come back in 2021. This style of decor is very relaxed and fun and includes a mixture of textures and patterns, such as rattan, velvets and furry rugs. Color-wise, you’re looking at a mix of bold and vibrant colors to reflect the glam disco vibes of that period, with more soothing blues and whites stemming from the chilled out, hippie side of the 70s.


How to bring 70s interior design into your home\n\n70s interior design idea:\n \nuse retro paint colors\n\nBring that 70s feel into your home with your choice of paint colors. From the oaty \nWhite 05\n and \nmint Green 08 pain\nt to the fiery \nOrange 02\n and \nterracotta Red 03\n, 70s retro colors combine vibrant and playful tones synonymous with disco culture with the earthy, relaxed colors of bohemian living.

70s interior design idea: create a wall mural\n\nLet your creative spirit run free with this collection of fun colors. They are all designed to work in harmony and would look wonderful together if painted on a wall as a mural.\n\nCheck out \nhow to create a wall mural on a budget\n for some inspiration.

70s interior design idea: choose natural materials like rattan\n\nThe 70s saw many people opting for more natural materials such as rattan and earthy woods in their homes. Bring a little of the outdoors in by choosing furnishings made of these materials.

70s interior design idea: opt for floral and geometric wallpaper\n\nFloral and geometric prints saw a huge surge of popularity in the 70s. Introduce this trend into your space with just a few rolls of \nprinted wallpaper\n.

70s interior design idea: add a splash of boho decor with Macrame\n\nA method of crafting that involves using knots to create various textiles, Macrame grew popular in the 70s. This trend reflects the more boho side of 70s interior design, so add a few Macrame items such as wall decorations, hanging baskets or plant holders to inject that hippie 70s vibe.

70s interior design idea: play around with textures and patterns\n\nDon’t be afraid to get playful with your choice of textures and patterns by introducing unique materials such as velvet sofas, headboards and furry rugs into your space.

70s interior design idea: connect to nature with dried fern or palm leaf fronds\n\nWe’ve all seen the impact that indoor plants can have on both the look and feel of an interior space. When it comes to creating 70s decor, reach for plants such as dried fern or palm leaf fronds. Not only do they make a big style statement, but they also help you bring a little more of that outdoorsy nature vibe into your home.

70s interior design idea: go bold with animal prints\n\nAnimal prints were hugely popular in the 70s. Add this trend into your home through your choice of upholstery, cushion covers, throws, or even \nanimal wallpaper\n.

Image via Unsplash\n\nSearching for living room decor that’ll make your Netflix binge sessions \nthat\n much more enjoyable? Turn to Scandi style. \nWhen done ‘right’, Scandinavian-style living rooms emit cozy and warm vibes without any of the stressful clutter. A Scandi-chic living room would include the perfect mix of sleek lines and contemporary furniture pieces, mixed with soft textures, snug throws and ‘sinkable’ rugs. Add natural touches such as warm wood and splashes of indoor green for the full effect. \nIf that sounds up your alley, read on to get inspired by 5 simple Scandi decor ideas that can transform your living room.\nScandi style living room idea 1: muted paint colors \nA muted and neutral color palette made up of whites is one of the main characteristics of Scandivanian decor. The countries where this style of design comes from tend to have long, dark winters and white is often used to make the most of any natural light and brighten rooms up. \nTo start creating your very own Scandi style living room, opt for cool off whites such as \nWhite 01\n or \nWhite 02\n on the walls. You could even paint your floorboards white if you want to maximize the light and open up a smaller, darker space. 

Scandi style living room idea 2: keep it simple \nCreating a Scandi-chic space is actually a lot easier than many may think - the ‘less is more’ approach is key here. Keep clutter to a minimum for a soothing living room that reflects the primary principle of Scandi design: minimalism. Every piece you select for your space should be functional with clean, modern lines. The warmth and ‘homey’ factor will come through with the textures and the lighting. But more on that later.  \nScandi style living room idea 3: have statement pieces\n\nAlthough Scandi style is simple, it doesn’t have to be boring. Add impact with a few statement pieces, such as a mid-century modern sofa —a slim and comfy sofa with contemporary elements like angled wooden legs. A furniture piece that combines warm wood and metal would also look right at home in your Scandi style living room. \n\nAdd small bursts of color or statement pieces to bring in contrast and make things a little more interesting, but keep it minimal and clutter-free all the way.

Scandi style living room idea 4: play around with textures \nTime to start adding on the cozy. \nBring the snug factor to your living room by accessorizing with soft and plush textiles in different textures, such as rugs, cushions and throws. Scandinavian style is all about creating a warm and inviting space (which may have something to do with those long, dark Nordic winters), and texture is a way to add both warmth and interest. 

Scandi style living room idea 5: layer your lighting \nThe lighting of your living room has a huge impact on how it looks and ‘feels’. For \ntrue Scandi style\n, layer your lighting to create an inviting space. Lamps are a great way to do this, and you can get some lovely, modern table and floor lamps to complete your look. \nUse these to light up different corners of your room and keep overhead lights to a minimum. Unless you’re working with dimmer switches that can be adjusted to amp up the coziness. Cozy is the key here. \nLove Scandi decor? You may also be interested in the similarly minimalist \nJapandi interior style\n, which is a lovely blend of Scandi and Japanese home decor influence. Or if you want to stick a little closer to home, find out more about how \nUK interior design trends are influenced by other countries\n.

Our kitchen, AKA the ‘heart of the home', is the room where we spend a lot of time, but it’s also a space that many of us tend to see as purely functional. Kitchen design can sometimes get neglected as the room is used daily, usually by multiple household members. But what if you could find a design that combines form and function to give you a space that’s both usable and beautiful?\n\nEnter the minimalist kitchen interior trend, linked to the rising trend of the \nJapandi interior style\n (more on that below). This trend has all the principles you need for a kitchen that’s both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. Discover 6 minimalistic kitchen ideas that will inspire you to declutter your kitchen for a chic and calming heart of the home.\nMinimalist kitchen idea: get inspired by Scandi and Japanese kitchen designs \nFirst, what even is Japandi? \n\nWell, we’ve all heard of Japanese minimalism (thank you, Marie Kondo), and \nScandi style kitchen\n decor has been all the rage on Pinterest for years. Check out our \nScandi style kitchen ideas\n for more inspiration. The combination of both of these has resulted in a new trend called Japandi (AKA Scandinese). This style of decor takes the Scandinavian concept of cosiness and comfort known as ‘hygge’ and perfectly blends it with the Japanese notion of ‘Wabi-Sabi’ which is all about appreciating beauty in imperfection. \n\nSo now we know that Japandi kitchens combine Japanese design with \nScandinavian style\n. Find out how to bring their chic simplicity and minimalism into your kitchen using the tips below. \nMinimalist kitchen idea: choose a neutral or monochromatic color palette \nTo achieve the classic minimalist look, our color experts recommend opting for a neutral color palette. Chic and simple color schemes that include \nwarm beige paint\n, such as \nBeige 01\n, a \nlight beige paint\n like Beige 02 or \nGreige 02\n, would work really well, as well as any shade of white. Check out our \nwarm neutral paint colors sample box\n to test these colors in your home. If you’re working with a smaller room, whites are the way to go to really open up the space.\n\nTo amp up the chic levels, a classic \nmonochromatic color scheme\n palette always does the trick. Combine a white/neutral paint color palette on the walls with cabinets painted in \nBlack 01 paint\n or \nBlack 02\n. Contrast your cabinets and countertops for a sleek and stylish look.\n\n\nLearn about monochromatic colors \n\nMinimalist kitchen idea: opt for sleek surfaces and appliances\nAlthough a minimalist style obviously implies having less ‘stuff’ on display, there are some essential kitchen appliances that you have no choice but to display. Turn your toasters and stoves into a design feature by opting for modern appliances with smooth, clean lines. Stash any non-essential pieces into the kitchen cupboards to make your counter easier on the eye.

Minimalist kitchen idea: have open, floating shelves \nWorking with a \nsmall kitchen\n? Open kitchen shelving can help keep your space from feeling enclosed. Floating shelves are open, airy and convenient as you can easily grab what you need. And hey, they give you a good idea of exactly when you need to run that dishwasher.\n\nRead more about \nhow to style open shelving in your kitchen\n.

Minimalist kitchen idea: use natural materials \nThis year, it’s all about using design to bring the outdoors in. This is also one of the cornerstones of Japandi design (you can check out \n8 ways to apply Japandi design to your home here\n). Use natural elements and textures such as wood and stone where you can. Add a splash of natural green by decorating your kitchen with a few low-maintenance indoor plants. Not only do plants look cute, but they’re also known to have mood-boosting properties.

Minimalist kitchen idea: avoid clutter \nThis is where it gets a little tricky for some of us. A minimalist look can only be achieved by keeping things tidy and kitchens can easily get messy. But luckily, you can make kitchen design choices that will make it easier to avoid clutter and mess. \n\nStart your kitchen transformation with a decluttering and deep cleaning session - you may find that you have a lot of clutter stashed at the back of those cabinets. Get rid of this and you can put away some of the things that are currently taking up precious countertop space. Aim for everything you put in your kitchen to have a clear function and a purpose, and introduce more storage if you have the space.

Want more expert advice on kitchen design and paint colours? Check out our blog posts on the best paint colours for your kitchen and \nhow to paint kitchen cabinets\n, or take inspiration from our community who show us \nhow to paint kitchen cupboards and tranform their kitchen with just $40.\n

We’re all looking for a sanctuary within our own homes at the moment. A calm, private safe haven away from the stresses of a busy family home.\n\nSo having shared their top tips for \ndesigning a home office\n, we asked designers from the UK’s number 1 rated interior design firm \nMy Bespoke Room\n, to share their design secrets for creating a tranquil bedroom.\n\nFor even more suggestions on how to design a hotel worthy bedroom retreat, head over to their \nblog\n where we delve into the most soothing bedroom color schemes.\n1.Clear away the clutter\n\nClutter isn’t a good look for any room but bedrooms in particular need to be calming and stress free for a peaceful night sleep. \n\n“Clutter tends to creep in when there isn’t a clearly defined place for all of your things”, says Claire. Take a good, honest look at your bedroom now...what items tend to float about the room making it look untidy? For your new bedroom design make sure these items have a clearly defined ‘home’.\n\nCheck out our \nwardrobe paint\n top painting tips.

“Clutter tends to creep in when there isn’t a clearly defined place for all of your things.”

Ottomans placed at the end of your bed are a savior for those in need of more storage. There are so many affordable options in a variety of styles that can work wonderfully for tidying away things like spare linen or towels. “Even some dressing table stools come with secret storage nowadays - ideal for hiding away your hair dryer!” Claire adds.

“Don’t forget to think \nvertically \nwhen thinking about storage”, suggests Lucy. “Your walls can be made into fantastic storage solutions keeping as much floor space clear as possible.”

“Don’t forget to think \nverticall\ny when thinking about storage.”

Bespoke fitted furniture always works wonders but for a more affordable option - open shelving can solve the problem and can be installed over a weekend! Make use of opaque boxes like rattan for example to tidy away bits and bobs out of sight to keep your shelves looking tidy and beautifully styled.\n\n“A really under utilized spot for storage is above your door frame” points out Lucy. “It can work brilliantly for tidying away items that you don’t need daily access to like off season shoes and clothes.\n\n“If you want to keep your makeup out of sight but within easy reach, you can install mirrors with built in storage in your bedroom. They’re typically used in bathrooms but there are so many stylish options on the market today so we occasionally use them in our clients designs when space is tight.” suggests Rosie.\n2. Define zones\n\nOne of the emerging themes of post pandemic interior design is the need for rooms to be multi functional, and our bedrooms are no exception. No, we’re not just talking about sticking a bathtub in your bedroom!\n\n“We’ve been noticing a huge increase in requests for seating areas in bedrooms from our clients.” remarks Claire. This can provide a safe haven for busy parents and a peaceful space to read a book or listen to music.

“Make sure you clearly zone your reading nook with dedicated lighting and a rug if possible.”

“Make sure you clearly zone your new reading nook though with dedicated lighting and a rug if possible. Otherwise you might just find the chair becomes a glorified clothes horse and dumping ground!” warns Lucy, clearly speaking from experience!

As we’re not getting dolled up much anymore we’ve also been converting many dressing tables into home office desks. However the \nMy Bespoke Room\n designers don’t think it’s a fleeting trend: “Dressing tables that double up as desks could be here to stay post-lockdown too as working remotely becomes more common.” Lucy notes. “Homes in general will have to become more flexible and adapt to their owners needs as they grow”.\n\nIt’s important to clearly define the different zones or functions in a space. Paint can be a creative and affordable way to do this. Like in the example below, you can quickly create a unique and colorful feature over the back of your headboard or around your dressing area to make it look purposeful.

3. Maximise space\n\nWith some careful planning and sexy storage there’s no need to feel restricted if you have a smaller space to work with for your bedroom. In fact, you should embrace it! Rather than opting for white walls go with a deep, warm tone and embrace the cosy vibe that a smaller space can offer.\n\nIn smaller bedrooms, employ clever tricks of the eye to give the illusion of space - for example ceiling to floor length curtains. They’ll not only add hotel elegance to your room but they’ll also trick the eye into thinking your ceilings are much taller than they really are.

“Picture ledges are also a regular feature in my small bedroom designs” notes Rosie. “As they’re not as wide as standard shelves, they don’t protrude so far into the room yet you still get the benefits of a great design feature \nand \nadditional storage.”\n\nIn smaller bedrooms it can often be hard to find wall space for a full length mirror and freestandings ones are a no go. The back of your bedroom door or even inside your wardrobe door can work really well as an alternative.\n4. Set the tone with lighting\n\nLast but not least - lighting! It’s easy to get carried away with furniture and soft furnishings in a bedroom but trust us - it’s a carefully considered lighting scheme that will really transform the \nfeel\n of the space. \n\nAmbient lighting is best for bedrooms and can be achieved through bringing in lights at different levels such as a ceiling light, floor and then bedside table lamps. Opt for warmer coloured bulbs to create a soft glow and always opt for dimmable options where possible.

“Use lighting to create ‘moments’ within a space” says Claire. “For example, by placing a floor lamp with a warm bulb next to a cozy armchair layered in soft textiles it’s just crying out to be napped in!”\n\nBut don’t forget that you’ll also need to add in task lighting in specific areas such as where you get dressed and ready for the day ahead. Installing spotlights around or inside your wardrobe can be a really effective way to give you enough light to see clearly without losing the ambient ‘feel’ in the rest of the room. \n\nNatural light is the best for applying makeup so try to position your dressing table near a window. This dressing table fits seamlessly into this space with the mirror slotting neatly between the two windows and so not obstructing the view:

The traditional bedside lamp has been revolutionized recently and there are so many creative alternatives to try. Rather than cluttering up your bedside table, consider wall mounted bedside lights instead.\n\n“In my own bedroom I have plug in pendant lights with extra long cords that I loop up and hang either side of my bed. Not only was this a great space saver but it was also really affordable and is completely unique.” says Claire.\nLooking for guidance on the best color schemes for your bedroom? Head over to their \nblog\n to find out more.

Discover our tips & tricks around all things decorating. Learn about the latest DIY hacks, budgeting ideas, painting & interior styling ideas, and more.

Decorating Tips And Tricks - Paint & Wallpaper


 If you're looking for a way to make your period property stand out or if you want to add detailing to an otherwise boxy room: look no further. The ongoing popularity of dado and picture rails proves that decorating's latest trend is here to stay. That's why we're sharing with you six modern dado and picture rail ideas so that you can bring these 18th-century fittings firmly into today.\n\nFirst thing's first, for those of you wondering if a dado rail has something to do with an extinct bird or since when pictures came on rails, and what on earth is the difference between the two? Let us explain.\nThe dado rail\nA rail that runs roughly along the middle of a room, above the 'dado' – a panel made from wood – often painted a different color to the rest of the room. Although today their use is aesthetic, they were designed to protect walls and wallpaper from damage caused by furniture being propped against it.

The picture rail\nA rail that runs close to the top of the room, around the height of the door frame or just below the ceiling. Similarly to the dado rail, picture rails were designed to prevent damage to your walls when hanging artwork. Unlike the dado rail, they are sometimes still used for practical purposes and make for a very elegant way to hang a picture. They're also a gorgeous feature in any room and a great way to break up colors.

Coving v cornicing \nOh, and in an attempt to avoid any/create more confusion, during your interiors inspo search, you may have come across the terms coving and cornicing. So what exactly is cornicing, and how does it differ from coving? In short, cornicing is the generic term applied to describe moulding designed to conceal the join between the wall and the ceiling. They're often highly ornate and decorative. The term coving may be used to describe a plain, non-decorative version, more common today.

Interior trend: modern dado and picture rails \n\nBut why are these preventative decor decisions making such a comeback in 2021? Well, they're an excellent way to add additional color and textures to an otherwise bare wall. At Lick, we know paint, and it's clear that sometimes our customers don't want just to pick one color for a room, they want several. By breaking up the room, not only can you use multiple color palettes and textures, but it also creates an instantly dramatic, sophisticated, or layered look.\n\nSo, it's clear that picture rails and dado rails are two 2021 trends that are here to stay. Whether for practical or design purposes, if you're thinking about incorporating them into your home, here are six of our favorite modern dado and picture rails ideas to get your mood boards going.\nIdea 1: create wall paneling with dado and picture rails\nTrès Parisian, whatever color you go to, highlighting wall paneling with dado and picture rails can help create an instantly elegant feel. Learn more about \nhow to do DIY wall paneling here\n.

Idea 2: paint white above the picture rail\nBy \npainting the ceiling above the picture rail\n, it appears to increase the room's height and create the illusion of space (just one of the reasons you should \npaint or wallpaper your ceiling\n.

Idea 3: \ncontrast your dado and picture rails to your walls\nYou can either keep things traditional by painting your dado and/or picture rails white and highlighting your wall color, or go bold and attention-grabbing and paint them in contrasting colors.

Idea 4: \nmatch the dado and picture rails to the walls\nCreate a seamless effect by painting them the same color, adding texture to otherwise plain walls.

Idea 5: \ncolor block using dado and picture rails\nYou can really get creative here. Perfect if you want to tie in several colors and mix your palettes. Try also color blocking between your picture rails and your ceiling. This will draw the eye upwards and create a colorful stripe around the room.

Idea 6: opt for dado rails on your staircase\nMake an entrance by creating a feature of your \nstaircase\n. Follow the curve of the stairs by mirroring the dado rails to the height of the banisters.

It doesn't matter if you decide to keep things simple or go all out and make a statement; however you decide to use these design trends, doing it with dado or picture rails is a great way to upgrade your home. And whether it's dado or picture rails, \nskirting boards\n, or cornicing, Lick is here to help you along your home decor journey.

Image via @teawithruby\n\nColor schemes are the secret to making a room feel relaxing and harmonious while still having a distinct personality. Instead of your favorite furnishings competing for attention, a color scheme gives each piece its own moment to create impact. When you go a step further and apply a color scheme to your entire home, you’ll immediately notice how it improves the sense of flow as you look through doorways and move between rooms.\nCreating a color scheme for an entire house might seem like an overwhelming task, but it’s possible to break it down into smaller steps that are much more enjoyable to plan. Let’s take a look at how to pick the best color scheme for your own house renovation.\n\n1. Think about the vibe you want to create in your space\nBefore you even look at color swatches, it’s important to pin down how you want the atmosphere in your home - and each individual room - to feel. Do you like the idea of a pared-back, continuous tranquillity throughout your home, or would you like each room to contribute to a bold, cheerful statement?\nWhen it comes to individual rooms, where do you want to feel most alert, and where should be restful? Which spaces deserve a formal atmosphere, and which should be more cozy and intimate?\n\n2. Consider the time of day when you use each room\nColor is going to play a big part in uplifting you in the morning and soothing you in the evening so, factor in the time of day you’ll most likely be using each room. For example, an en-suite shower room might be a good candidate for bright, zesty colors to bring energy into your morning, while your living room could be a soothing pink or cocooning navy if that’s where you like to curl up after dinner.\nThe natural light in each room will also have an impact on color. In the morning, light tends to be brighter and clearer, gradually turning more golden and red-toned throughout the day. For this reason, home offices are often best kept in a restful, neutral color that won’t be too intense at any hour.\n\nRead our blog on \nnorth, east, south, and west-facing rooms\n and how this affects light and color. Have you got a north-facing room and don't know which color to paint it? \nCheck out all our \ncolors for north-facing rooms\n.

3. Understand your fixed elements\nWhat items or features are already going to be part of your house renovation? Use them to start informing your color palette. For example, creating a scheme around a beloved rug, rattan console, vibrant wallpaper, or stylish set of furniture to use as a centerpiece. Find the neutrals or background shades to use as the base of your home’s color palette, then use brighter colors within the patterns to inspire smaller splashes of color in soft furnishings and accent décor. Check out these \n5 ways to style your room around your favorite statement furniture\n.

Maybe you’re hoping to keep lovely timber floors exposed, or emphasize a gorgeous wood or \nmarble fireplace surround\n? Create a visual connection in other rooms by choosing the same kind of timber, or a multi-tonal wood that picks out the same colors but also pulls in other shades. \n\nIf your woodwork has a clear undertone, you can pick a paint palette that matches and emphasizes the shades, or contrasts with it. A third option is to choose \ncomplementary colors\n as the undertones; balancing yellow-toned woodwork with a violet- or blue-toned paint, like \nGrey 02\n or \nGrey 03\n, for example. Shop our \ngrey paint colors\n.\n\nLet the architecture guide your color transitions. Corners, molding, staircases and archways are natural points at which to change to a new color or pattern, and you can break up large walls by \npainting a wall mural\n. Let your staircases's wood tones naturally color block or paint them a contrasting color (check out these \npainting stairs ideas\n for more inspiration).

4. Finding your favorite colors and style\nDon’t fall into the trap of renovating just because of a current trend, or to impress friends or neighbors. It’s your space and home: fill it with colors you love and that make you happy.\n\nYour color palette should be imbued with your favorite colors and should avoid the ones you like least. A good exercise to help you find these is to find lots of inspiration from magazines, Pinterest and Instagram to slowly identify a pattern of what you’re drawn to. Create a visual \ninterior design mood board\n with your favorite magazine clippings and notice how you gravitate towards certain colors and patterns. Find yourself gravitating to bright and bold colors? You'll probably love these \ncolorful bedroom and living room ideas\n. It's all about what works for you and which colors you are drawn to. Check out Tash's advice below:

Of course, you might have known your favorite interior colors for a long time: \nTash Bradley\n, Lick’s Lead Color Specialist explains, “My favorite color is a warm, burnt, buttercup yellow. My mum, who is a property developer and interior designer, has decorated all hallways and front doors in this beautiful yellow color. It’s a very uplifting and happy color, which always reminds me of my childhood. This is why I’ve used this color in pockets in my home - it brings me great comfort and instantly takes me back”.

“Your colour palette should be imbued with your favourite colours and should avoid the ones you like least.”

Maybe your colors aren’t as specific, but there’s an era or style you want to evoke.\n\nDecorating a beautiful 1920s home, for example, might have you reaching for the dusky pinks and blues from our \nNeo Deco pastels paint palette,\n while groovy ‘70s architecture is the ideal canvas for \nretro colors like warm reds and yellows\n (read about our \nretro color palette\n). For something more contemporary, try the \nJapandi style\n and embrace a combination of \nstripped-back neutral paint colors and earthy tones\n.\n\nLooking for inspiration? Check out \nhow to style the Miami neo deco pastel paint colors in your home\n and real all about the \nMiami art deco style\n.

5. Choosing your neutrals\nBright colors can be daunting, so it’s okay to start with a relaxing neutral hue and gradually add colour. Your neutral colors are the motif that appear in every room to tie everything together. It might be on your hallway walls, your bathroom floor, your kitchen counters and your living room woodwork - the arrangement is up to you.\n\nAnd so is the color - although the majority of people choose a shade of white as their neutral color, you can use something else. For example, \nlight Pink 01\n is one of our most popular neutral shades.\n\nThere are warm neutrals, like \nWhite 06\n, which has a delicate touch of pink, or \nBeige 03\n, which has gentle yellow tones (read up on the difference between yellow based and \ngrey beige paint\n). Our collection of cool neutrals includes the blue-toned \nGrey 01\n, and \nWhite 01\n, \nWhite 02\n or \nWhite 04\n, which each have hints of grey. To balance a palette that’s a combination of warm and cool, try \nGreige 01\n or \nGreige 02\n.\n\nOr check out our \ncollaboration with Kelly Hoppen CBE\n and the \npalette of 6 timeless neutrals\n we've curated. From\n taupe paint\n to \ncool grey paint\n, these timeless neutrals will work in any scheme.

6. Creating color harmony\nThere are three main ways to build a color scheme, each creating a different kind of atmosphere:\n\nMonochromatic color schemes\n use the same color in lighter and darker shades, for example, pale blue, mid blue (like our \ndusky Blue 10 paint\n) and deep blue. The effect is usually serene and relaxing - perfect for bedrooms or tranquil home offices.\n

\nAnalogous color scheme \nuse colors that are next to each other on the \ncolor wheel\n, like supporting a burnt orange with accents in deep yellow and red. The effect is a little more energized to look at than tonal colors and can bring a hint of spice into a hallway or dining area. Another great way to spice up a hallway is through wallpaper. Try an analogous color scheme in the design and instantly energize the space.

\n\nComplementary color schemes\n involve colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel, like green and purple. These bold combinations are fun and inject life into a room, but can be a little overwhelming in large doses. Try sprinkling these kinds of contrasts into statement kitchens or vibrant living areas.\n

Choosing colors with the same weights and undertones will make even the brightest combinations feel easy on the eye, rather than jarring.\n\nFind rhythm in the repetition of your colors throughout the house. Even if each room has a different base shade, add flashes of each accent color to keep a sense of consistency and balance. The rule of thumb is that your space should be 60% your dominant shade, 30% your sub-dominant shade and 10% your accent color.\n\nRemember that color is everywhere, not just walls. Add textiles, paint woodwork and cover shelving with wallpaper if it helps tie your rooms together.

7. Getting practical: choosing colors and samples\nWe would recommend choosing 8-10 colors for your palette to cover an entire house renovation with some variety. In addition to our pre-curated \nNeo Deco pastels\n, \nJapandi style\n and \n70s retro color\n palettes that we mentioned earlier, we’ve got \npastel color tips\n, \nspring colors inspiration\n, and \nthe Year of the Ox shades\n to give you more ideas.\n\nOnce you’ve decided on your colors, ordering \npaint samples\n is the best way to understand how your palette will come to life. Start with one space, like the entryway or the room you want to have the biggest impact (probably your living room or kitchen).\n\nNext, move onto the connecting rooms and areas you can see from the first room, choosing different colors from your scheme. Each part of the house can still have a distinctive style and focus, as long as you link them together through trims, flooring, accents or neutral elements.\n\nOur \npeel-and-stick paint samples\n allow you to move them between walls, helping you to understand the way the light hits the colors at certain times of day and how they look in different rooms and corners. Stick them up 1-2 days minimum to see how they make you feel and you’ll be much more confident that the colors you pick are 100% right.

Renovating a whole house is a big undertaking, but the process should still be enjoyable. Choosing a color scheme is a surprisingly simple way to add personality and make your decisions easier at the same time. Now that you know how to create a color scheme when planning a house renovation, check out our range of \npaint colors\n and \nwallpaper designs\n, and \norder some samples online\n or read on for more \ndecorating tips\n.\n

The difference between paint drying and paint curing could be the difference between you being happy with your paint job or not. What's more, getting it right the first time will save you hours (if not days) in the future. So let’s take a closer look at the difference between these often confused decorating terms.\n\n\nShop Lick paint\n\n\nWhat is paint curing?\nThe paint curing process is what happens when your paint is fully hardened and preserved. It means it's ready for whatever life throws at it—the odd bump or occasional wipe down. Our \npaint\n is high formulation multi-surface paint, so this hardening process can take upwards of five days. Until then, it can have a flexible, almost plastic-like sensation to it. Once this has gone, your paint is fully cured, and you're ready to start rearranging your furniture and putting your room back together!\n\nWhat is the difference between paint drying and paint curing?\nPaint 'drying' happens when the solvents evaporate from your paint coating, leaving the paint feeling dry to the touch—even though it is not 100% dry. Whilst paint 'curing' happens when your paint coating is completely hardened and fused to the wall. Now (and only then!) is it completely dry.\n\nHow long does Lick paint take to dry?\nWe advise leaving between 2-4 hours before you start painting your second coat. Once your second coat has been applied, your paint will take about 24 hours to dry. But like we've said, this doesn't mean the job is done just yet!\n\nHow long does Lick paint take to cure?\nIt's not always an exact science. Factors like whether you've plastered, the temperature of your room, or even the weather can affect how long your paint takes to cure, but depending on moisture levels and heat, our paint takes 5-10 days to cure fully. \n\nIf, for example, your painting conditions are hot with high moisture (like in a bathroom), then both drying and curing time can take longer. In this case, we'd allow 7-10 days for your paint to fully cure. \n\nWhereas, if the room you are painting is hot and dry (hello, toasty living room), both drying and curing time can be much faster. We'd recommend 5-7 days.\n\nWhatever the environment, we'd recommend waiting 5-10 days before you put any objects directly against your walls or hanging any paintings. If your paint is not fully cured, it might stick to these surfaces or peel off.\n\nI’ve painted onto plaster. Why is my paint peeling off in sheets?\nA common mistake, don't beat yourself up about it. If you've painted straight onto plaster, the paint can either get absorbed into the plaster or have problems adhering. This is why it's peeling off—it's the surface it's painted onto rather than the paint itself. It's actually sticking to itself rather than the wall. The good news is, this is a fairly easy fix. It just requires a little patience. All you need to do is wait for a few days and allow your paint to dry fully before you repaint.\n\nTo ensure this problem never happens in the first place, we'd recommend applying a mist coat of 70% water, 30% paint onto fresh plaster, as this is perfect for the porous nature of plaster. Once this has dried, you can begin painting as you usually would, over the top.\n\nAs ever, before you get going on a DIY project, don't forget to prep (and the right \ntools for the prep\n). Take a look at our guide on \nhow to prep a room for painting\n and \nhow to paint a wall\n.

Tips and Tricks

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Color explained: everything you need to know about grey paint

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Get the Miami look: Art Deco style

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5 ways to make your living room more Scandi

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4 decor ideas for designing a restful master bedroom