Five tips to consider when painting your house

1. Use light to add size: Light colours make a building look larger, and white is the favoured colour for traditional classical architecture. You can add to your home's sense of size and dignity by using white or pale cream colour.

2. Dark colours create dramatic effects: Dark bands of trim will make your house seem smaller, but will draw more attention to details. For example on older style Victorian homes, the darkest paint is often used for the window frames.

3. Discover colour shades: Contrasting colours will draw attention to architectural details. Be careful though, as extreme contrasts will clash and actually detract from details. To be safe, try creating accents by using a darker or lighter shade instead of a different colour.

4. Decide what you're using the space for: This will impact the colours you choose. Hallways and entrances work well with bright, bold colours like hot pink, aqua and yellow. Lounge rooms, offices and libraries are areas designed for peace and quiet so cool tones like blue, grey and green work well and have a calming effect. Living areas need a neutral palette so you can add accessories and boldly coloured furnishings.

5. Set the right mood: The mood you want to create in each room depends largely on the colours you choose. For a relaxed atmosphere choose neutral shades of taupe, brown, green or beige. Bold and flamboyant areas benefit from clean, saturated colours like yellow, orange or bright pink. Create a reflective mood with colours including soft shades of grey and brown. The use of stimulating colours can create the right mood in the right room – try rosy pink and peach, yellow, aqua or green.

Looking for a painter in Sydney? Check out my other site Painting Australia and email me for a quote.