PAINTING & DECORATING
BLURREDLINES
Feature walls are blurring the lines between commercial and residential decorating. Jason Burns, md of decorating brand Shurtape, talks to BMJ about all things decorating design.
T
he new series of Interior Design Masters (BBC 2) has shown us a wealth of wonderful painting and decorating; using impactful papers, bold prints and excellent effects with paint. The ‘offices’ episode was particularly interesting, as it showed us how far the workplace has come. No longer a simple, functional space, the contemporary office features flowing fabrics, textured walls and imaginative colour schemes. We saw bright yellows, vivid greens, stripes and arches on the walls to bring character and inspire creativity. It’s natural to want to make commercial spaces feel more welcoming, and it’s something observed by many commercial interior specialists. Ollie Plastow of Consensus Workspace comments: “2020 has seen many of us blur the lines between home and work and this, combined with a need for comfort and security, means we will see the comfort level of the workplace get ramped up, alongside zoning to manage social distancing. Clever use of plants, paint effects, flooring, and furniture means that these elements, which already provide a role, are now helping to create a comfortable, stylish interior that looks good and invites the employee in, while carefully ensuring people keep their distance from one another in line with current government advice.”
Artistic licence
We’ve done it in our office: we welcomed artists Art + Believe at the end of last year so that they could give our plain white walls a bit of life. They are world-famous for their bold, colourful designs and use of straight lines and their feature walls are usually vast geometric vibrant designs, on buildings, floors and in public spaces. One of their most famous works is Alexandra Palace: as part of its recent restoration work, they were commissioned to create a 1200sqm piece of floor art in the East Court of the venue. The handpainted result is stunning.
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Art + Believe created a wonderful feature wall at our UK headquarters and in doing so, illustrated what we do as a business, as our Delicate Surface FrogTape® was used throughout, and it brings a vibrancy and expanse of design that is quite unusual for a smaller space.
As living spaces are opened up to create larger open plan areas and offices are made open plan to be more COVID-safe, one room can carry out a number of functions. Feature walls help create zones within that room, sectioning off the living area from the kitchen, or the home office from the dining room. Paint can denote a one-way system and keep people safely distant without it feeling enforced.
The beauty of paint is that it is easy to work with, and the finish suits both modern and period properties: it can be contemporary yet homely, whether used in a commercial or residential space. The simplicity of feature walls means that they are not difficult to achieve, and the tools are minimal - a good brush, a spirit level and some masking tape are accessible starting points even for amateurs. Paint works well on high traffic areas. Flat matt and endurance paints are tough and hide wear and tear while reflective paints can really brighten rooms, so are perfect for smaller areas or those with less natural light. Businesses can use feature walls to promote
their own brand – through colour matching with their existing logo, or creating a mural or artwork that conveys their business ethos.
Colour me beautiful
Colour blocking and creating feature walls with paint look set to stay: perfect for consumers who are looking for a splash of colour or pattern on a wall, and ideal for businesses looking to add something extra to their interiors. It’s cost-effective and on-trend and allows for creativity and individuality, with little inconvenience to the user.
While simple designs are accessible, more complex feature walls can take a little longer to mark out and it’s sometimes trickier on an uneven surface. The key is creating the designs first and of course, use quality tools to make the best finish.
This is where it provides an opportunity for the builders’ merchant. A wealth of inspiring images can be used in order to create point of sale spots with real impact, illustrating the way different products – masking tape, string, brushes, rollers etc. – can all be used together to deliver a bit more individuality for a client. This is the perfect opportunity for cross-marketing and selling, bringing complementary paints, fabrics and accessories together to help drive imagination. The feature wall is evolving – and it’s getting more interesting all the time. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net March 2021
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