The living room of a home is often the centre of family activities and the heart of the home. It's a room where you gather at night to relax and rest at the end of the day. If your living room is feeling a little stark, cold and functional, then you may be looking for ways to make the space feel warmer and more inviting.

A new paint job is a simple, fast and highly effective way to transform your living room and create a rich and cosy feel. Here are three layered painting effects that will turn your living room from dull and drab to decadent and delightful.

1. A lime wash effect

Lime wash is a milky, white top coat that provides a dusty, translucent finish to the layer of paint beneath it. Lime wash is most commonly used on furniture and is also a feature in French Provincial style decors. It also works beautifully as a finish on your living room walls.

Lime wash will soften and slightly obscure the base colour without covering it up completely. It creates a whimsical and vintage look while still providing the warmth and depth of the base colour.

2. A burnished metallic effect

Metallic paints are a hugely popular trend in interior design. They contain flakes of metallic particles as well as metallic pigment in the paint to provide an opulent and rich quality to your living room walls. Choose a rich gold or bronze metallic paint to maintain a warm and luxurious feel.

Opt for a light covering over your base colour instead of a thick coat. This will create a burnished, antique look and allow the base colour to show through. You can also use a rag to rub back small patches to increase the aged and slightly worn effect.

3. An antique crackle effect

Another rustic and charming paint look is to create a peeling and cracked top coat. This is achieved by applying a layer of crackle medium over the base coat. The top coat is then applied over the crackle medium. This causes the top coat to shrink and crack in places, exposing the colour of the undercoat.

Crackle medium works well with any style of acrylic paint. To gain more coverage it can be watered down slightly, although this will reduce the size and extent of the cracks produced. It's important to apply the top coat of paint onto the crackle medium as soon as the medium has dried to get the desired effect.

By choosing one of these three layered paint effects for your living room, you'll be able to create a unique and stunning new look. Because the application of the products can be tricky, it's best to hire a professional painters to ensure you're happy with the end result.