Spring is the perfect time for a home facelift – so give your house a new look by getting creative with paint

Sponging

Use a neutral base coat on your wall or surface and let it dry completely. Then choose a complimentary colour that's slightly lighter or darker than your base coat. Apply this second layer of paint with a sponge, dabbing it on thickly or lightly depending on the look you prefer. Start by gently dabbing the paint on until you find your preferred texture by varying your pressure. The more the colour differs from the original wall colour the less natural and blended the result of the sponging will be.

Colour-washing

Apply a base coat and allow it to dry. Then choose a complimentary colour that's slightly lighter or darker than your base coat and dilute it with a bit of water. Brush on randomly with cross-hatched brushstrokes, using a large paintbrush. This will create a similarly rustic feel to sponging, but the effect is slightly more dramatic as it doesn't blend into the original colour quite as smoothly.

• Both sponging and colour-washing are ideally done using water-based PVA paints, which dry far quicker than enamel paints and the mess is much easier to clean up afterwards.
• Use acrylic PVA, which is available in various colours, for interior and exterior walls and ceilings for a smooth, matt finish
• Choose an Interior Sheen paint for a silky-smooth interior finish ideal for the bedroom, passage, lounge and dining room walls
• Popular colours that create a warm, welcoming feel are generally earth-based, such as browns, creams, light yellows and even some terracotta reds.
• For custom colours you'll also find tinters available at Cashbuild, which will allow you to tint your paint to whichever colour you desire
• Visit your nearest Cashbuild store or call Cashbuild on 0860 100 582 for more info on high-quality paints. Cashbuild stores are conveniently located throughout southern Africa and friendly consultants are always on hand to provide useful advice