Here’s How You Can Use Words As A Decorative Element

The ever increasing exposure to social media in our daily lives is a phenomenon that nobody could have predicted 10 years ago. On a daily basis, we consume more and more imagery due to social media sites or apps such as Instagram or Snapchat and less of the written word.

This has influenced many aspects of our lives, including our design aesthetic. This is no wonder that when AkzoNobel, the world’s leading paints and coatings company and producer of Dulux, introduced the ColourFutures^TM trends for 2016, Words & Pictures (pictured above) was one of the four major trends selected for the year. This trend puts an emphasis on the written word and shows how it can be used when decorating any space.

Written Word

We have all heard the phrase ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ but today a single word can be just as powerful. This is why we are seeing more and more alphabets and words being incorporated into design around the home to compliment the functionality of a space.

A great example of using this trend is to decorate your home which can include stencilling the word ‘eat’ in your kitchen or the word ‘play’ in your kids’ playroom. You can also personalise your children’s bedroom by painting their names on the walls.

This trend is not only limited to a single word, you could even stencil your favourite quote or saying that can remind you to stay positive and give you a boost of motivation.

Adding words to your walls does not require you to repaint the entire wall if it is still in good condition. By simply using the Dulux Visualizer app, you can see what colours go well with your existing wall and preview it in real time. If you want a change to a different colour then, the app allows you to play with colours and pick the perfect shade that can complement the word or phrase you would like to stencil. The Dulux Visualiser 3.0 app can be downloaded at the Apple App Store.

Guide to stencilling perfectly:

1. Once you have mapped out where and what you want to stencil, you can allow your creativity to go wild picking the perfect font on your computer.
2. To achieve a large font, each letter can be printed on a single A4 page. Alternatively, you can use an A3 page for an entire word.
3. Using a light colour crayon or chalk, colour the blank side of the paper and arrange   the   alphabets   on the wall
4. using painter’s tape. Note: The printed side of the paper should be facing you.
5. Trace each alphabet with a ballpoint pen or pencil.
6. Remove the paper and each letter should be transcribed to your wall.
7. Using a small brush, paint between the lines with your desired colour.
8. Sit back and admire your handy work.

Ink and graphite

The colour palette associated with the Words & Pictures (pictured above) trend for 2016 plays homage to the past while looking towards the future. Using blue tones of ink and grey of graphite, it gently reminds us on how communication was traditionally carried out. The colour palette also features more familiar tones that are found in smartphones as well as social media filters.

This proves how flexible the colour palette truly is as it can appeal to any generation. This colour palette also has the perfect balance of masculine and feminine tones. The darker grey tones give you a more masculine tone while the lighter colours give a more feminine tone.

Now that you have been inspired, it is time to take matters into your own hands and start planning on which wall your words should go on.