When it comes to interior paint, choosing the right colour is usually the biggest challenge. A metallic interior paint imparts a shiny finish that may adds a striking look to any room. You may choose from several different applications for metallic paint, so consider your room and overall decor style to identify the best option.

All-over colour

With its shiny finish, a metallic paint allows your walls to reflect light, which can make a space look bigger and brighter. If you have a small or dark room, applying a metallic interior paint as all-over colour is an ideal way to make it feel larger and full of light.

Choose a lighter metallic shade such as silver, gold or even taupe, to amplify the effect. However, if you plan to use a metallic paint all over, the walls in your room must be in good shape because the reflective finish will show every dent, scratch and imperfection on their surfaces.

Accent

Painting an entire room with a metallic paint sometimes may be too much; that’s why applying it as an accent is ideal. Choose a single wall that you want to emphasise in your room, and use a metallic paint just on that one surface. It might be the wall around your fireplace or the space where you plan to display your favourite art pieces.

In a bedroom, the wall behind your bed makes a striking accent wall. The metallic finish alone will make the wall stand out, but if you want a bold look, choose a shade that contrasts with the rest of the room. For a subtle look, opt for a metallic paint shade that’s from the same family as the colour on the other walls.

Border

You don’t need to cover an entire wall with a metallic interior paint to create an impact in your room. Instead, apply the paint as a border around the room for a metallic look.

You may keep the design understated simply by painting a metallic stripe along the top of the walls. Metallic paint also may highlight decorative moulding and trim, and bring attention to interesting architectural details.

Pattern

Because of its striking, reflective finish, a metallic interior paint packs a decorative punch — and using it sparingly sometimes gives it an even bigger impact. Apply metallic paint as part of a pattern or design to create an accent wall, or give an entire room a faux-wallpaper effect. Instead of using a traditional interior paint with wall stencils, use a metallic finish over a dark wall colour such as black, navy or chocolate brown to create an eye-catching pattern. For a stunning look, apply gold metallic paint with a damask stencil pattern to create a gilded design that’s sure to turn heads.

— The writer is the head interior design at Crown Paints Kenya Limited.