There's only so much your furniture can do for a room. Sometimes you just need some colour added in certain areas.
By using coloured acrylic, you can allow sunlight to shine through, add some interest to your shelving units and make bare walls pop. Here are 4 DIY ideas using coloured acrylic that you can try at home without having to repaint your entire room.
Adding pops of colour has been very popular lately. A September 2026 Houzz report found that, among surveyed UK bathroom renovators adding an accent wall, 59% cited colour as a way to make it a focal point. You can apply this to any room in your house.
Here are 4 projects you can try with coloured acrylic.
DIY Coloured Acrylic Projects
Make:- Layered wall art
- Sun catcher for windows
- Coloured backings for bookcases
- Colour glow light
Pick Your Colours
Take a look at your room and the colours you already have. Cushions, books, rugs, paintings, etc. Pick one colour to repeat or pick something contrasting for fun.You will also want to consider how much light you want to shine through the acrylic.
- Clear - You will be able to see through this acrylic, which is great for windows and overlapping artwork.
- Semi-clear - Allows light through but obscures what's on the other side. Great for creating glow panels.
- Solid colour - Perfect for creating solid coloured panels for shelving or graphic wall pieces.
Always buy a sample to see the colour in person before buying larger sheets. See how it looks next to your furniture during different times of day. The colour may look different to what you see on a computer or phone. Always leave the protective film on when measuring, cutting, and placing in its intended area.
1. Create Acrylic Wall Art
If you have a blank wall and don't want to buy a painting, acrylic can create a beautiful piece of abstract art.You can use 2 squares and a circle in different sizes and colour. Clear colours are best for this as they create a new colour where they overlap.
Materials you will need: Pre-cut acrylic shapes, a paper template, suitable mounting hardware, wall fixings, a level and a pencil.
Lay the acrylic pieces out and create a template by tracing where the pieces are positioned. Place the template on your wall and step back.
Using standoffs, attach the acrylic pieces to create a floating effect. These will most likely require holes, so either buy pre-drilled pieces or drill using a bit suitable for acrylic, and make sure the sheet is fully supported. Use appropriate wall plugs and fixings for the weight of the art and the wall it will be hung on.
Tip: Create paper cutouts of the acrylic pieces and stick them up where you want to place them before drilling into your wall. Check from different angles to make sure it looks how you want it to. Use amber with light pink for a soothing effect or try cobalt blue and orange.
Hang acrylic pieces near a window and, depending on where the sun is shining and what type of acrylic you use, you may notice colour appearing around the room.
Circles, long strips and other geometric shapes work well for this. Make sure they have been sanded and drilled with holes.
Attach each piece to some clear string using different lengths. Fix the strings to a small wooden pole and hang this above your window using appropriate fixings. Pull gently on the knots to make sure they are secure. Ensure that the sun catcher won't get in the way of opening the window, curtains, or other things you may need to reach.
Use varying lengths of string, but make sure there's enough room for each piece so they aren't banging into one another. Try one warm colour and one cool colour such as yellow and blue in a kitchen or pink and turquoise in a bedroom.
Make sure that your sun catcher isn't obstructing the path of the window or fire exit. Also make sure it isn't too close to any flames or heat sources.
Measure the inside back of one shelf compartment and get a thin, opaque acrylic panel cut slightly smaller than that opening. Once you have the right size, take off the protective film.
Slide the acrylic into the back of the shelf and use some clips to keep it in place. These can be bought from most hardware stores or made from small pieces of wood attached to your shelf unit (not the acrylic). Ensure it can't fall forward if your shelf unit has lighting, electrical wiring or any other features that could get blocked.
Yellow looks great behind black pottery, or a pale green can be used with wood tones. Use different colours for each shelf if you wish.
You can use a lighter coloured panel behind darker items to really make them pop. Leave a few shelves plain so your coloured ones have more impact. You can always move the acrylic panels around to different colours in the future.
Using a small wooden box, one piece of semi clear coloured acrylic, and an LED light, you can create a lovely soft glow. Use a box that allows you to remove the front or has some sort of lip that will hold the acrylic in place.
Place the LED light behind the acrylic, following the manufacturer's instructions for distance. Leave room for the on/off switch and batteries if required. Make sure the light is evenly distributed and not creating one bright spot.
Use an orange acrylic for a soft glow on a side table or try blue on a shelf in your bedroom. If the light isn't showing through, try a lighter colour of acrylic.
Test your light in a dark room before fixing the acrylic in place. If your light is creating a circle, move it further away from the acrylic (within the limits stated by the light). Use only LED lights for this project and ensure the light can breathe. Never place a naked bulb or flame next to acrylic. There's no need to wire a lamp from scratch for this project.
Once your pieces have been sanded, place them where you want them and make sure they look the way you want them to. Use a microfibre cloth and an appropriate cleaner to clean your acrylic. Don't use any abrasive products or regular glass cleaner on acrylic, as this can cause it to scratch or dull.
Try one small section and see if you like the colour before committing to a whole project.
Just pick the project that suits your space, choose some colours you like, and try them out during the day and night. They can go a long way.
Using standoffs, attach the acrylic pieces to create a floating effect. These will most likely require holes, so either buy pre-drilled pieces or drill using a bit suitable for acrylic, and make sure the sheet is fully supported. Use appropriate wall plugs and fixings for the weight of the art and the wall it will be hung on.
Tip: Create paper cutouts of the acrylic pieces and stick them up where you want to place them before drilling into your wall. Check from different angles to make sure it looks how you want it to. Use amber with light pink for a soothing effect or try cobalt blue and orange.
2. Sun Catcher
Allow the sun to do the work for you with this easy DIY.Hang acrylic pieces near a window and, depending on where the sun is shining and what type of acrylic you use, you may notice colour appearing around the room.
Circles, long strips and other geometric shapes work well for this. Make sure they have been sanded and drilled with holes.
Attach each piece to some clear string using different lengths. Fix the strings to a small wooden pole and hang this above your window using appropriate fixings. Pull gently on the knots to make sure they are secure. Ensure that the sun catcher won't get in the way of opening the window, curtains, or other things you may need to reach.
Use varying lengths of string, but make sure there's enough room for each piece so they aren't banging into one another. Try one warm colour and one cool colour such as yellow and blue in a kitchen or pink and turquoise in a bedroom.
Make sure that your sun catcher isn't obstructing the path of the window or fire exit. Also make sure it isn't too close to any flames or heat sources.
3. Add Some Colour To Your Bookshelves
Using coloured acrylic as a background for your books will add some colour to your shelf.Measure the inside back of one shelf compartment and get a thin, opaque acrylic panel cut slightly smaller than that opening. Once you have the right size, take off the protective film.
Slide the acrylic into the back of the shelf and use some clips to keep it in place. These can be bought from most hardware stores or made from small pieces of wood attached to your shelf unit (not the acrylic). Ensure it can't fall forward if your shelf unit has lighting, electrical wiring or any other features that could get blocked.
Yellow looks great behind black pottery, or a pale green can be used with wood tones. Use different colours for each shelf if you wish.
You can use a lighter coloured panel behind darker items to really make them pop. Leave a few shelves plain so your coloured ones have more impact. You can always move the acrylic panels around to different colours in the future.
4. Create a Colour Glow Light
Add some colour to your room at night with this simple project.Using a small wooden box, one piece of semi clear coloured acrylic, and an LED light, you can create a lovely soft glow. Use a box that allows you to remove the front or has some sort of lip that will hold the acrylic in place.
Place the LED light behind the acrylic, following the manufacturer's instructions for distance. Leave room for the on/off switch and batteries if required. Make sure the light is evenly distributed and not creating one bright spot.
Use an orange acrylic for a soft glow on a side table or try blue on a shelf in your bedroom. If the light isn't showing through, try a lighter colour of acrylic.
Test your light in a dark room before fixing the acrylic in place. If your light is creating a circle, move it further away from the acrylic (within the limits stated by the light). Use only LED lights for this project and ensure the light can breathe. Never place a naked bulb or flame next to acrylic. There's no need to wire a lamp from scratch for this project.
Tips For Easy DIY
You can score thinner acrylic sheets with a scoring tool and snap them along a straight line. Thicker sheets may need a saw and blade designed for plastic. Always support the sheet and wear eye protection when cutting. Cutting acrylic to your desired shape is best done by a professional if you need curves or specific holes drilled.Once your pieces have been sanded, place them where you want them and make sure they look the way you want them to. Use a microfibre cloth and an appropriate cleaner to clean your acrylic. Don't use any abrasive products or regular glass cleaner on acrylic, as this can cause it to scratch or dull.
Try one small section and see if you like the colour before committing to a whole project.
Add A Pop Of Colour To Your Home
Whether it's a wall piece, sun catcher, bookshelf backing or glow light, you can add colour to your home with these easy DIY projects.Just pick the project that suits your space, choose some colours you like, and try them out during the day and night. They can go a long way.
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