Green and ochre colour blocking in a kitchen styled with Dulux Soulful Sage.
A fresh coat of paint can do more than refresh a wall. With thoughtful placement, it can define a corner, frame a favourite piece of furniture or introduce a new focal point. Dulux colour expert Palesa Ramaisa suggests looking beyond the usual four walls when planning a change.
Colour, shape and placement offer room to experiment without committing to a major renovation. The most useful starting point is the room you already have: its light, furniture, flooring and the way you use it.
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Create Impact with Colour Blocking
Colour blocking combines two or more colours in clearly defined sections or shapes. Use it to mark out an area in an open-plan room, highlight an architectural detail or give a feature wall more structure.
For a quieter result, work with complementary tonal shades. For a stronger focal point, consider contrasting colours. The supplied Soulful Sage kitchen image shows a green-and-ochre combination from the Dulux Colour of the Year 2027 inspiration.
Yellow geometric paint shapes create a focal point in a living room.
"Paint has the power to completely change how a space looks and feels"
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Get Creative with Shapes
Arches, circles, curves and freeform shapes are alternatives to a straight-edged feature wall. A painted shape can frame artwork, draw attention to shelving or introduce a playful note without covering the entire room.
The yellow geometric living-room image is from the supplied True Joy inspiration. It illustrates the technique; it is not presented as part of the 2027 palette.
Frame Furniture with Colour
A block of colour behind a bed, sofa, desk or console can help anchor the furniture within the room. A painted arch behind a headboard, for example, creates a focal point without adding another physical object.
This is also a manageable way to try a bolder shade before deciding whether it belongs across a larger area. Let the furniture and the shape work together rather than compete for attention.
Look Up, and Beyond the Feature Wall
Creative painting can continue onto a ceiling, around an alcove or across an architectural feature. Extending the colour in this way can connect adjoining surfaces and bring attention to an area that might otherwise be overlooked.
Ramaisa recommends choosing colours that work harmoniously with existing furniture, flooring and décor. The supplied pink-ceiling kitchen and neutral bedroom images offer two different ways to frame a space with paint.
A pink painted ceiling adds colour above pale green kitchen cabinets.
A painted arch frames the bed in a neutral bedroom.
Make the Room Your Own
“The most successful spaces are often those that reflect the personality of the people who live in them,” says Ramaisa. “Don’t be afraid to experiment, have fun with colour and make your space your own.”
#HelloRecommends: Choose one feature to start with — a shape behind a desk, an alcove or a ceiling — and use the rest of the room as your colour reference. Explore the Dulux inspiration pages for combinations before settling on your approach.
Kirstenbosch’s 34th summer concert season runs from 22 November 2026 to 28 March 2027, with 19 concerts, South African favourites and orchestral performances.
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