How to add character to a contemporary property

Contemporary or new build properties may lack the architectural details of more traditional homes. Instead, the clean lines and minimalist style of contemporary homes can sometimes feel a little stark and impersonal. This can make it harder to create spaces that exude character and personality.

Careful use of colour can enhance a modern home. Fully embrace contemporary style or use timeless design principles to emulate a classic interior.

Discover five innovative ways to transform a contemporary property with colour, creating a characterful setting that encompasses your unique design choices.

Five ways to add character to a modern home

Utilise colour blocking for added contemporary interest

Embrace a contemporary interior design style by favouring bold choices, graphic lines and contrasting colour combinations.

Colour blocking is an excellent way to create a strong, contemporary feel in any space. Use two related, contrasting colours in combination to produce a statement focal point. For more impact, take the colours across the walls, doors and woodwork to create an asymmetric design.

Walls: Sprig III, Sprig V, Sprig I

Ceiling: Sprig I

For a simple way to achieve this look, utilise shades from one group of Architectural Colours. Pair Steel V with Steel II for a dining room scheme based on cool grey-blues. Or use a combination of Sprig I, III and V to introduce an element of the outdoors into your living space.

Upper wall: Steel V

Lower wall: Steel II

Explore our guide to choosing paint colours in contrasting combinations

Experiment with the effect of paint finishes on colour

The paint finish you choose can create real design impact. Different sheen levels can alter the appearance of a colour. From flat matt to distinctive gloss, your selected finish will bring another textural dimension and add character to your scheme.

The ultimate soft and chalky finish, Pure Flat Emulsion has an alluring low sheen of just 2%. The high pigmentation of our emulsion paint creates a sumptuous matt effect. This finish is especially ideal for deep shades like Kigali, Mockingbird, or Squid Ink, perfect for bedrooms, snugs and libraries.

Walls: Kigali

Ceiling: Ice V

Trim: Squid Ink

For a more dramatic effect, consider using Architects’ Gloss and Architects’ Matt together. Architects’ Gloss has the highest sheen level of 80%, which creates striking textural contrast alongside a flat matt finish. This finish pairing is the perfect way to showcase the complexity of vibrant hues such as the exciting Moroccan red, Caravan.

Walls: Caravan

Ceiling: Tablecloth

Window: Lead III

Read our guide to Understanding Paint Finishes

Add texture with panelling, trim and dado rails

Elevate your design scheme by adding panelling, coving, and dado rails to add an element of texture in a modern interior.

Ceiling: Stone

Upper Wall: Desert Rose

Panelling/Architrave: Caddie

Dado Rail: Aqua Viva

In spacious hallways, paint the dado rail in a strong shade like Acqua Viva. This charcoal blue will punctuate and frame the upper and lower walls, allowing you to combine different colours or introduce wallpaper. Paint your dado rail in the robust Architects’ Satin finish for dual elegance and durability.

Panelling provides a fabulous uplift for an all-over, monochromatic colour scheme. The panels will create subtle light and shade that will highlight your chosen colour to produce an enticing atmosphere. In living rooms, choose a rich colour like Iguana for a luxurious, enveloping effect.

Walls: Iguana

Ceiling/Cornicing: Cotton II

Explore more blue and green design schemes

Combine bright, bold colours to enhance a contemporary kitchen

In new homes, kitchens can often be very minimalist designs. Use a combination of bright paint colours to counterbalance this atmosphere, for a space that instead feels convivial and inviting.

Add character to any home with an audacious pairing like Roben’s Honour on cabinets and the zesty orange, The Long Room, on all walls.

Walls: The Long Room

Cabinets: Roben's Honour

Or introduce vibrant greens and blues on kitchen cabinets to bring contrast to bright white walls.

Walls: Salvia

Tiles: Glass I

Shelf: Canvas I

Units: Deep Water Green

Door: Clean White

A striking yet sophisticated scheme uses the deep purple brown, Copper Beech, across floor to ceiling cabinets. Euphorbia provides a sharp yellow green highlight that contrasts well with rich brown marble worktops.

Cupboards: Copper Beech

Stripe: Euphorbia

Explore more inspiring kitchen schemes on our blog

Choose dark colours that bring instant character to your living space

When choosing interior paint colours, we often shy away from dark shades out of fear they will make the space feel overbearing. But the liberal use of dark paint colours can instantly transform the character of your scheme. In smaller contemporary living rooms or snugs, using dark shades throughout creates a wraparound feel for a real sense of intimacy.

Rich deep greens are a great choice if you want to maintain a sense of connection with the outdoors. Consider sumptuous off-blacks like Ilex or Stable Green, or more verdant shades like Hunter Dunn and Apple Smiles II. Paint the ceiling in the same shade as the walls to maximise the cocooning effect.

Walls: Apple Smiles II

Ceiling: Hunter Green

Trim: Wattle

For a subtle uplift, use complementary whites with green undertones for the skirting, ceiling, and trim. Colours such as Raw Chalk and Wattle II can add a touch of freshness and harmony to a modern, monochrome space.

Ceiling: Raw Chalk

Main Wall: Ilex

Highlight stripe: Sobek

Read our guidance for using light and dark colours in combination

Browse our paint and wallpaper collections to start planning your project.