Need A Little Wall Therapy?

Love the color of your walls, just wish you had a little something more?

Often, people paint the whole house with solid paint throughout, but you can have such an impact just by adding a simple finish to one room, such as your dining room. One finish that has been requested quite often is a stripe effect. This is a great finish, especially for the dining room, which tends to be the most formal room in the home. Stripes are a great decorative technique: they’re classic and elegant and never go out of style.

Horizontal stripes make a room appear more spacious; vertical stripes make the ceiling appear higher. Pictured here, is a sophisticated tone-on-tone theme, using Farrell Calhoun’s Devine Mesquite. To achieve this same look, you will need the supplies listed below. Just remember to measure and tape carefully (anything that’s not straight will be very noticeable) and to take your time. This finish can be completed in 2 to 3 days, a great weekend project. And it’s a savvy look for a low budget cost! What could be better, right?

Supplies Needed:

• 2 gallons of latex paint (1 flat, 1 satin - same color)
• 9″ paint roller and tray for your base coat
• Low-tack painter’s tape
• Light colored pencil
• Long carpenter’s level
• Trim brush (we prefer a 2″ to 3″ angled sash brush)
• Rags and spray bottle of water for those little paint mistakes

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Measure the wall, starting in the corner that’s least seen. Divide the wall. Stripes should be between 4″ and 12″ wide. (A width of less than 4″ would be too narrow and busy; more than 12″, too wide and heavy. The picture above is 8″ stripes.)
2. Use a yardstick and a light-colored pencil or piece of chalk to measure and mark off even intervals across the length of the top edge of the wall.
3. Measure and mark off the same intervals across the bottom edge of the wall.
4. We recommend using the level and starting with your first mark at the top of the wall, add hash marks going down to your mark at the base of the wall. This will allow you to be certain your tape goes on straight, not wavy.
5. Using blue painter’s tape, tape off vertical strips from each mark at the top of the wall to the corresponding mark at the bottom of the wall. Your wall will be covered with evenly spaced, parallel strips of tape. (It may be helpful to mark every other strip with a piece of blue tape so as not to be confused which stripes need to be painted.)
6. Paint over the tape line with a semigloss paint making sure to cover the entire area of each stripe (anything missed will show up as a contrast in sheens). One coat should be enough.
7. Remove the tape once you’ve painted the wall, angling away from the freshly painted area as you pull

The dining room in the picture above-top has a monochromatic look for a more serene feel. For a more dramatic effect, paint stripes using contrasting colors as seen in the picture above.

Be sure to let us know how this works for you. If you have any questions, email us at info@offthewallhome.com.