Feeling hemmed in by your décor choices? Forget playing safe and break out of the design mould with these 10 bold décor ideas:

Explore bold colours

Paint your living room a colour that most people don’t. Charcoal, scarlet, burnt orange or even black is an option.

Choose a colour that you can live with — no point having to paint over a few months later — and make sure that the accessories and furnishings are restful and complement the bold colour.

Play with artwork

Artwork doesn’t have to always hang at eye level from the walls. Think of displaying it differently. Lean a large frame against the wall, place one on the end table, settle small pieces on the bookshelf and hang a piece you love on the back of the door.

Paint the floor

Forget bringing home a new rug. All you need to do is paint the floor! Stencil a design or use masking tape to draw off sections. Paint with porch paint and top with a couple of coats of polyurethane to seal it. If that seems too bold, consider getting a piece of plain PVC flooring and painting that.

Bring home some fur

A fur home accent — be it a pouf, a runner for the sofa or a rug — can add a touch of vintage Hollywood glam to the simplest of rooms.

Opt for high-gloss lacquer paint

Create instant drama by giving a piece of furniture in the living/dining room a coat of high-gloss lacquer paint. The sheen and shine will ensure that this old item, be it a sideboard, end table or bar trolley, is the cynosure of all eyes.

Sneak in a brick wall

That wall that you’ve always wondered what to do with…why don’t you simply have it covered with faux bricks? An exposed brick wall looks great with every kind of décor, country, rustic, modern, or industrial, and is a treat to look at in these “painted” times.

Make over the ceiling

The easiest way to add a bold touch to any room is paint the ceiling in a bright and eye-catching colour. Emerald green, fuchsia pink, aqua blue, coral red, the choices are aplenty.

Ensure that you pick a colour that complements the room décor to avoid a décor disaster.

Add memories to cabinets

Print out old family and other photographs on thick glossy paper and create collages on the overhead cabinets in the kitchen. You might have something interesting to look at while you’re waiting for the milk to boil, isn’t it?

Redo the refrigerator

Crafts stores are now flooded with a variety of fabric and washi tape. Pick a couple of patterns or solid colours and revamp your refrigerator. A colour like gold will add a touch of glam while a floral pattern will create a pretty, subtle look.

Mix and match

Make bold choices and mix and match with élan. Pair animal print pillows with florals, checks with stripes, bold colours with subdued prints, vintage with contemporary, modern with antique…just do what you would be comfortable with.