7 creative ways to use on-trend magnolia paint colours in your home

2024 is the year to go warmer with our choice of neutrals. Gone are the cool, steely shades of grey, replaced by the warm comforting tones of magnolia paint colours to add depth and a hint of cosiness to all rooms.

One of the most noticeable transitions within interior paint colour trends of 2024 has to be the desire from interior designers and decorators to lean into timeless neutral shades. 

While decorating with dark colours remains hugely popular there's a growing demand for decorating homes in warmer-toned neutrals that feel more comforting and easy to live with than stark whites and pale blueish greys. 

An enduring warm neutral is ideal for creating a blank canvas for a more luxe way of styling, as demonstrated by the popularity of the 'quiet luxury' and 'minimaluxe' decor trends. Cue the rise in Google searches for 'magnolia paint colours', as this creamy classic makes its 2024 comeback in style.

7 expert ways to decorate with magnolia paint colours

Decorating with magnolia is back in fashion in a big way, as we strive to make our homes feel more inviting and warm. Magnolia is a creamy neutral with undertones of yellow pigment that prevents it from feeling cold and flat, unlike some of the best white paint colours that have proved so popular for far too long.

"We're seeing neutrals coming through as a colour family that is growing in popularity," says Kathryn Lloyd, colour specialist at Crown Paints. One of Crown’s best-selling neutral shades is Snowfall, the brand's modern magnolia paint colour.

“The beauty of Snowfall lies in its versatility, " says Kathryn, "It’s perfect for period homes with their ornate cornice and panelling, but also well suited to light and airy modern properties, the possibilities with magnolias are endless," 

To inspire your decorating journey explore seven interesting ways to use the on-trend tone of magnolia paint colours in your home...

Kathryn Lloyd

Kathryn Lloyd is an expert colour consultant at Crown Paints who plays an integral role one the 'Colour Insights' panellist who determines the latest paint trends and forecasts projections.

1. Decorate ceilings

Using magnolia on the ceilings is a great way to avoid a stark white contrast to soften the look. The shade is neutral without feeling devoid of undertone which means it is ideal for adding a warming feel to whichever shade you choose to paint the walls. 

This is especially effective when you use bolder or darker pigmented colours on the walls because as a ceiling colour, magnolia feels less of a sharp contrast than bright white. 

“Crown’s Snowfall is a great choice for the ceiling, especially in restful spaces like the bedroom or living room," says Kathryn.

“Used on a ceiling, it’s light on the eye to prevent the stark, sometimes jarring effect of the brilliant whites that are too often seen as the go-to choice for the fifth wall.” 

2. Colour drench all surfaces

Colour drenching is one of the biggest interior design trends of recent years. Enveloping a room in one single shade helps to make the space feel more cohesive, where every surface is a continuation of another. 

Painting internal doors the same colour as the walls and painting skirting boards the same colour as the walls is easy when the colour in question is a light, soft shade like magnolia.

“Colour drenching with Crown’s Snowfall as the canvas shade will have a refreshing, grounding impact on any space," says Kathryn, "whilst also working to make it look bigger than it is." 

“To truly inspire calm and comfort, colour drench with Snowfall in a north-facing room where the light will work to further soften the shade’s yellow undertones. This works particularly well in an office or attic room.”

3. Brighten dark spaces

Magnolia is an ideal choice for brightening rooms that are devoid of valuable natural light because of how the pigments react to different light temperatures. It's perfect for darker rooms. 

“The light in west and south-facing rooms tends to accentuate the undertones in a shade," says Kathryn. "When it comes to magnolias, this means the yellows appear more vibrant." It's this quality that helps to naturally lighten the room, no matter how dark it feels at different times of the day.

4. Make a room look bigger

Light colours can help enormously when trying to make a room look bigger with paint because the light shades appear to make the walls of the room recede.

The tone is light enough to reflect and bounce both natural and synthetic light around the room to help create the illusion of an airy and light space. 

A soft shade such as magnolia envelopes the room in an earthy neutral to create a seamless backdrop to add decorative layers. This airy aesthetic offers the perfect blank canvas to build a Parisian style decor or an understated cosy aesthetic in an intimate small space. 

5. Temper darker shades

Magnolia 'highlights' is a creative way to counterbalance using strong colours on the walls. Just as Crown's colour specialists have in the room shown above you can apply magnolia features to help attract the light and accentuate architectural details, 

Decorating with brown is the other key colour trend making a resurgence in 2024 and as you can see it pairs beautifully with magnolia paint colours thanks to the warming quality of the colour palettes.

6. Add depth with two-tone walls

The trend for two-tone walls is still very much in favour of creating height and adding depth to a room. A soft shade such as Snowfall is the perfect pairing to enhance and transition darker, more prominent paint colours. 

Using a lighter shade on the top half or third of the room prevents the room from feeling swamped in strong colour, breaking it up to create a sense of relief because sometimes block colour and colour drenching can prove too overwhelming – especially in smaller rooms that are starved of natural light.

“Play on the yellow undertones of Crown’s Snowfall by accessorising with a pop of colour or creating a statement wall with a strong, cool-toned shade such as Crown’s Runaway,” suggests Kathryn.

7. Lighten floors

Painted floors are an easy way to refresh any space on a budget because replacing existing floors can be a huge investment. When done properly (with the right primer and paint material to withstand footfall) paint can offer a cheaper solution to transform the floors.

White-painted floorboards can sometimes feel clinical whereas a colour such as  Snowfall feels warmer but offers a softer approach to using a light colour on the floor.

On a practical note, it's always worth investing in rugs to protect painted floorboards, especially in high-traffic areas such as hallways. 

Where decorating with grey has fallen out of favour, warm neutrals are very much moving in and taking the limelight. What once were shades of grey are now shades of magnolia and it's a deliciously creamy affair that we're happily encouraging.