Hand-Painted Borders and Trims Are the Antidote to Dated Accent Walls — Here's How to Make it Look Good

It feels generally accepted these days that accent walls are out, but is there a middle-ground between drenching your space in a bold color, and opting for a plain and neutral base? Yes, there is. Hand-painted decorative borders and trimmings are the perfect color pop for those who don't want to commit to painting an entire room, but still want to inject a bit of personality.

The latest paint trend works around doorways, window frames, mirrors and pieces of art hung on the wall — basically any architectural feature that feels like it could do with a little enhancing. Joa Studholme, color curator for Farrow & Ball (who first brought our attention to the style) says this trend is a great way to transform a space, without completely redecorating.

“There’s no doubt color brightens our lives and creates memories in our homes,” says Joa, “but there are several reasons why we might not always want to decorate a whole room. Luckily, modest amounts of color can make huge statements.”

So, if you're interested in finding ways to personalize features around your home, adding a sense of fun and customization, here's what you need to know about hand-painting borders and trimmings.

Why are Painted Borders and Trims Becoming Popular?

This interior design trend leans on more functional maximalism, as a way to bring color and whimsy into the home without leaving spaces feeling overwhelming. Malak Bellajdel, an interior design expert at Interior Moderna, says "We are seeing these decorative borders and details as a reaction to overdone minimalist, all-white interiors that have dominated for years. People seem to crave personalization, fun, and liveliness in their spaces."

Color is not necessarily growing in popularity — it has always been there — but we're seeing a shift in how it's being applied, and how to tastefully inject it into our spaces. Unexpected moments or colors have been some of the biggest trend predictions for the upcoming year so far.

This trend is an evolution of the preference for color-blocking walls that we saw a few years back, but this time focussing on smaller, more intricate details. It is a good way to add personality without committing to painting everything.

Where to Paint Borders and Trimmings in Your Home

There are plenty of ways to use decorative trimming for an eye-catching moment in the home. But this new evolution of the decorative trim trend offers even more creative license when adding a moment of fun into spaces.

1. Around Artwork and Decor

"If a mirror or a piece of artwork feels too small for your space, simply paint a border around it," says Farrow & Ball's Joa Studholme. "If it still looks small, extend that border with a contrasting color and keep it going until you feel you have reached the right size."

The painting technique could even save an outdated gallery wall. For example, if you want to hang multiple small pictures together (or you already have), you could paint the area behind them in a contrasting color, or customize each frame with its own painted trim.

2. In the Bedroom

Malak goes on to explain that painted borders, trims, and frames can help define designated spaces in certain rooms. "For the bedroom, try framing the headboard area with a painted border," she says. "This will create a focal point without the need for bulky furniture."

This not only allows for added creativity, but can also result in huge cost savings. Farrow & Ball's Joa also recommends a decorative painted headboard to help define the space and add a charming and playful twist. A good tip to ensure it looks good is to create or buy a stencil (Amazon has loads of options) — an easy DIY to do on the weekend.

3. In Open-Plan Spaces

"In the kitchen, you could try painting a border around shelving or along the edge of a kitchen island," says Malak. "It’s unexpected and it can tie your color scheme together,."

It's a treatment that works well for open-plan spaces in general. In the living room, you could outline a reading nook or frame a gallery wall, and in the bathroom, it can be used to highlight features like a built-in bathtub (demonstrated in the image above by Annie Selke).

How to Paint Borders and Trimmings in Your Home

Unsure how to effectively incorporate painted details? A practical tip to get the most out of this playful trend is: "If you have neutral walls, go for a border in a deeper shade of the same color family for a subtle effect. If you want more of a contrasting effect, look to your accent pieces for color inspiration," says Malak, who adds that in terms of size "keep borders between 2 to 4 inches for a crisp look."

Anything bigger tends to become more or a color-blocking effect, and you will start to lean more into accent wall territory rather than keeping it a focused detail. Playing around with curves and organic shapes adds a playful and interesting touch as well. There are no real rules on how to implement these fun details.

Ready to spice up your smaller moment with a big impact? An elevated refresh awaits in just a bucket of paint and a free weekend to try out this stunning DIY.