10 Amazing Ways to Decorate Your Walls with Paint

There are many reasons why you might want to decorate your walls with paint. From using light hues to brighten up a windowless room to adding a unique design element, paint has the power to transform any area in your home. And it's much more affordable than a full room renovation.

Enhancing your space with dark colored paint or simply using a fresh can to cover a brick wall offers an instant refresh. But, if you're not a fan of a one coat wall, not to worry. An ombré effect is an easy way to add depth to any room. Forego hanging artwork and use your wall as a canvas to paint a mural featuring a dreamy scene for a gorgeous addition to your home. Or spice up your bedroom with a raw-silk wall, which mimics the look of the fancy fabric by using two simple tools and your favorite shade. Another fun option is to build a wall clock with stencils and your preferred hue so you're always on time.

Paint can also add a textural effect, especially when choosing a special blend to craft a Chalkboard Wall Calendar. Kids can draw on the walls—using chalk—without reproach, while you and your family can keep track of appointments and important meetings for all to see. Or make every day a picnic and brighten up your kitchen with a fun and simple gingham pattern in bright yellow. No matter your aesthetic, we're sharing a variety of easy and gorgeous paint techniques to use on your walls.

Don't be afraid of darkness: Dark walls, even those bordering-on-black, will accentuate the silhouette of the rest of your furnishings. Just remember our rule of thumb: When you are starved of light, painting walls a strong color will add depth to the room. You can decorate with lighter elements to make it more welcoming.

Bring the outdoors inside by painting a forestial mural that gives your room a touch of nature. To keep the elaborate design from being too overwhelming, go for a thinner design by starting from the middle of the wall, and working up, and then use molding to fill out the space beneath.

If you're not quite ready to do anything too crazy to your wall in the interest of changing things up, opt for a traditional, monochromatic paint job, but using a bright, unexpected color that will instantly refresh your space.

This subtle ombré technique is actually quite simple (a slightly imperfect flow looks more interesting and organic anyway). Start at the top with the deepest of three graduated shades, finish with the lightest, and blend for a stunning result.

If your home features a brick wall, adding a wash of paint serves as an instant update with a fresh, texturized look. We're partial to a dark blue, like the navy hue pictured here.

Choose one wall as the focal point of the room and decorate it a different color than the rest. This is great a way to add dimension to your home and the pop of color gives the space an instant refresh.

Decorate your wall with a stripe of paint at the top that continues onto the ceiling. This adds depth to the room and is a simple way to spice up your décor.

Is your to-do list getting the better of you? Take advantage of an open wall and use chalkboard paint to turn the area into a functional calendar. To create the interactive wall, start with a flat-finish latex paint in any color. For small areas, like a door panel, mix one cup at a time and pour one cup of paint into a container before adding two tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps. Next, apply the paint with a roller or sponge paintbrush to a primed surface, working in small sections going over the same spot multiple times to ensure full, even coverage, and let dry. Smooth the area with 150-grit sandpaper and wipe off dust. To condition, rub the side of a piece of chalk over the entire surface and wipe away residue with a barely damp sponge.

What time is it? You'll never ask again with this stenciled wall clock that tick-tocks the minutes away. (That part is easy—all you need is a battery-powered clock mechanism.) The painted numbers in our version are modeled after the ornate face of an 18th-century case clock.

This sweet and simple pattern is perfect for a kitchen or a child's bedroom. To create your own colorful wall, start by applying a base coat using a nine-inch paint roller with a 1/4-inch nap in the color of your choice. Let it dry thoroughly before mixing one-part latex paint (pearl finish or satin finish) with one-part latex or acrylic glazing liquid and two parts water. If you prefer to use oil paint, mix one-part oil paint with one-part oil glazing liquid and one-part mineral spirits.

Proceed with any of the patterns, applying the tinted glaze over the dried base coat. Smooth irregularities as you work as they can catch the glaze and obscure its effect. Next, mark several 9-inch-wide sections on the dried base coat using a pencil and a level and cut several 1/4-inch-wide teeth into a rubber potter's rib with a utility knife. Apply a thin coat of tinted glaze to the dried base coat using a 9-inch paint roller with a 1/4-inch nap. Working in sections, drag the teeth of the potter's rib through the glaze vertically and let it dry completely. Apply a second coat of tinted glaze before dragging the comb through the glaze horizontally. We suggest using a small artist's brush to touch up lines that are not well defined.

This fine paint effect is the perfect addition to any room. The technique is simple, and involves a China bristle brush, unraveling extra-coarse steel wool, and paint. Simply use a 9-inch roller with a 1/4-inch nap to paint the wall in the color of your choice, and let it dry completely. Next, mix one-part latex paint with a pearl finish or satin finish, with one-part latex or acrylic glazing liquid and two parts water. If you're using oil paint, mix one-part oil paint with one-part oil glazing liquid and one-part mineral spirits. Then apply a thin layer of tinted glaze to the dried base coat using a China bristle brush. To avoid any irregularities, smooth as you go. Use the unraveling extra-coarse (No. 4) piece of steel wool and roll it back up in the opposite direction, dragging it through the tinted glaze. Be sure to begin at the top edge of the surface and end at the bottom edge. Finally, work across the surface with the steel wool, overlapping each previous pass slightly as you go.