Colour of the Year 2022 The Workshop Colours shown in bedroom Inspirational roomset

“How can I zone an open-plan space?”

Dr Dulux: How to create a zone with the Dulux Colour of the Year 2022

14 September 2021

It’s easy to feel lost in a large open-plan space, especially if it’s performing multiple roles. If you’re looking for a simple but effective solution, Dr Dulux recommends giving zoning a go.

Using different colours of paint, you can bring focus to separate areas of your room. Better yet, our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™, and its ready-made complementary colour palettes provide you with the perfect colour combinations to make zoning easy.

How you use these shades depends on the function of each area. Not sure where to start? Here are four ways to zone using our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™.

Paint a dedicated home office

Colour of the Year 2022 The Workshop Colours shown in HomeOffice Inspirational roomset

If you’re working from home and don’t have the luxury of a study or home office, you can still create a dedicated workspace in your bedroom or living room. You just need the right colours of paint. The Workshop palette is perfect for zoning a multi-functional space, thanks to its unique selection of vibrant and adaptable hues.

Here we used warm tones to separate the desk area from the rest of the bedroom. We then painted the ceiling in Bright Skies™ to make the room feel fresh, airy and in touch with nature.

Which colours?

Treasured Coral
Bright Skies™
Spiced Honey™

Divide a space for homework and play

Colour of the Year 2022 The Workshop Colours shown in HomeOffice Inspiration roomset

When a space needs to serve two purposes, such as this child’s room, splitting it with different colours is a clever solution. Bright Skies™ is just the right shade for inspiring focus and concentration, while a coordinating tone of muted mustard is perfect for play. A dividing line in a vibrant colour adds an extra highlight.

Which colours?

Golden Cookie
Lemon Jester
Bright Skies™

Highlight a standout feature

Colour of the Year 2022 The Workshop Colours shown in LivingRoom Inspirational roomset

One way to break up a large open-plan living room is to single out a particular section with colour. Take a look at this mezzanine-level office, for example. We used our Colour of the Year 2022, Bright Skies™, to define the space and separate work from relaxation. This light, airy and optimistic shade is also great for boosting concentration.

For the rest of the room, we integrated soft shades of pale pink and muted mustard. It’s the perfect space for unwinding at the end of a busy day.

Which colours?

Bright Skies™
Healing Spice
Rose Canopy
Golden Cookie

Link rooms with colours of paint

Colour of the Year 2022 The Workshop Colours shown in Kitchen Inspirational roomset

If you have a partial division between connecting rooms, painting walls with complementary colours of paint can create a seamless flow from one room to the other.

Here, a circle of Bright Skies™echoes the colour of the walls beyond and draws the airy feeling of the sky from the home office into the hallway. You can continue this sense of unity by styling each space with natural materials and warm tones.

Watch our video on ‘How to zone an open plan space’ for more wall painting tips and ideas.

Which colours?

Bright Skies™
Spiced Honey™