Floor painting is a great way to brighten up rooms without the expense of tiles or carpets.

With just a few basic tools and some different colour paints, you can create unique designs, tailored to each room of your house.

The surprising thing is just how easy it is!

In my new video, I demonstrate two adaptable floor painting techniques which can be used to create a wide range of designs and finishes.

One is ideal for creating geometric patterns, and the other is great for natural 'stone' effects, on floors or even walls.

Here are some tips for floor paint projects, provided by International Paints:-

For the 'stone floor' effect in my video, I painted directly onto the concrete floor in a breakfast room. This effect can be achieved using a selection of colours from International's Floor Paint range. Polar White, Sandstone and Pebblestone are alternatives to the colours I used in the video.

International Paints recommend that when using their Floor Paint products, you should always make sure that the concrete surface is free from damp and dust.

• If you intend to paint on a newly laid concrete floor, leave the suface to dry for a minumum of two months. As a test, International suggests taping a hole-free plastic bag on to the concrete and leaving it for 24 hours. If it is wet underneath the next day, then the concrete is still too damp to paint.

This tip should also be used if you suspect that an existing concrete floor may have damp problems.

• If you are painting onto a porus concrete floor, you may find that the paint soaks in too fast. To make the paint go further, International suggests their Concrete Sealer. This will prevent the paint from being absorbed, and will enable you to cover a greater area with the same quantity of paint.

You can find more information about International's products on their web site: www.international-paints.co.uk

For your nearest stockist (in the U.K.) call: 01962 - 717001/2

For my bathroom floor project, I used the simplest of materials to create a bold, geometric design.

To start with, I removed the tatty old vinyl, and covered the wooden boards with a basecoat of International's "Floor Style" paint, to make a bright background for my design.

You can make this 'floor rug' design using the colours shown in my video, but Country Green, Victorian Blue, and Porcelain Blue would also be an attractive selection from International's Floor Paint range.

For any geometric pattern, measurements are important. Here are a few tips to get your design right...

• Try to line up your design so that it's parallel with your walls. This can be done using a tape measure and some chalk to create a 'master edge' for your design.

If your room is not perfectly rectangular, consider a smaller design, carefully placed. My 'floor rug' fits between the wall and the bath, but creates a colourful highlight, just the same.

• Sketch out your design first, using the measurements you have made and refer back to it while you are marking out the design with your chalk and masking tape. It's easier to change things at this stage, before you put any paint down!

• Remember, when you apply the masking tape make sure this is really well stuck down, in order to obtain a sharp paint edge.

• Applying the colour paint is great fun, but have an idea in your mind where you would like each colour to go. Do you want your pattern to be symetrical, like mine, or have you chosen a design which favours a more random placement of colours? The choice is yours!

You can see this complete project, and many more, in my new video, "Ellen Kharade's Style Secrets For Your Home".