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There are usually two routes to take when dealing with prominent (and awkward) structural details in a home: spend years trying to disguise them or make them the main character. Increasingly, homeowners are embracing the latter approach, turning exposed pipes, chunky beams, old radiators, and other once-“unfortunate” architectural elements into bold design moments with a simple tool: paint.
These features are getting drenched in saturated reds, warm yellows, minty greens, and primary blues. The effect is playful, intentional, and a little rebellious, especially in older homes or industrial spaces where quirks are part of the charm. Below, just a few ways we’ve seen the impact it can make.
Show Off the Structure
Together with her brother and architect Felix von Bechtolsheim, interior designer Valerie von Bechtolsheim renovated her Victorian row house in London to show off the bones instead of hide them. The cherry red beams allude to how the addition was built, and add a little drama to the home without introducing more furniture or clutter.
Instead of trying to visually minimize these elements, a coat of high-gloss or highly saturated paint can completely shift the mood of a room. It’s also a surprisingly renter-friendly way to define a space architecturally without renovating.
Turn a Forgotten Detail Into a Design Moment
In cookbook author and creative Dan Pelosi’s Hillsdale, New York, farmhouse, the support system of his kitchen ceiling offers a punch of color among the already vibrant design scheme. Plus, in his bedroom, a tucked away radiator gets a glow-up by way of Farrow & Ball’s Arsenic paint, which perfectly matches the built-in wardrobe and window trim.
Once treated as purely functional, cast-iron radiators are increasingly being painted in standout shades that complement—or intentionally clash with—the room around them. A pistachio radiator in a wallpapered bedroom like Pelosi’s feels soft and whimsical. A glossy black radiator against pale pink walls feels sharp and graphic. The key is choosing a paint specifically formulated for high-heat surfaces so the finish holds up over time.
Punch Up That Pipe
In the Vermont farmhouse of Julia Noran Johnston, founder of Business of Home, a hulking pipe in the bathroom is integrated rather than dismissed. The hue even matches the cast-iron tub to make the entire room feel cohesive. The trick to pulling off the look is commitment: a timid neutral can feel unfinished, but a bright color, like this emerald green, is deliberate.
Pipes, ducts, and conduit lines are the kinds of utilitarian details that many people spend thousands on boxing in with drywall, but painting them a punchy color can make a room feel more dynamic and layered, especially in lofts, basements, or small apartments. Designers often recommend carrying the same accent across multiple structural details in a room to make the choice feel confident rather than accidental.