I finally painted stripes on one wall of our second floor! I just wanted an accent wall up there because the area seemed too plain.
Originally, I wanted black and white stripes to match the pillows we have on the first floor. But it seemed a little too formal for the second floor, where the bedrooms are. Former Real Living stylist Coni suggested Tiffany blue. At first I was hesitant, but I figured a very light blue would complement the cappuccino-bordering-on-beige-colored bedrooms. My husband, who normally lets me have my way, mentioned that he didn't like the idea of a multi-colored house. So I settled for Ivory, very similar to our existing bedroom color.
To paint your own stripes, you'll need:
- Masking tape (not shown), for making stripes
- A small can of paint (I used Boysen's enamel paint in Ivory)
- A roller and paint tray
- A paint brush for little corners and edges
- Something to mix the paint with (e.g., that stick up there)
- Old newspapers--but we didn't have newspapers so I used a beach mat to protect the floor
- A ladder (not shown)
The step-by-step for a prepped wall (meaning no paint removal, sanding, and putty-ing needed):
1. Clean wall! You don't want dust and random cobwebs getting stuck under the paint.
2. Protect the floor and surrounding furniture. Cover with newspapers, drop cloths, or (in my case) a beach mat. Cover outlets and light switches with masking tape.
3. Make stripes by taping even sections with masking tape. I used two-inch wide masking tape.
4. Mix paint then pour into paint tray.
5. Dip roller into tray and start painting, using up-and-down strokes.
6. Using paint brush, paint corners and edges not covered by roller.
7. Let dry. Slowly peel off masking tape.
8. Retouch areas as needed.
Ta-dah!
With our dreamy MDF chandelier (must buy energy-saving bulb!)
5. Dip roller into tray and start painting, using up-and-down strokes.
6. Using paint brush, paint corners and edges not covered by roller.
7. Let dry. Slowly peel off masking tape.
8. Retouch areas as needed.
Ta-dah!
With our dreamy MDF chandelier (must buy energy-saving bulb!)
Sounds simple enough, and it would have been had I not knocked over a can of paint (more on that in a future post)!
It's far from perfect--the original white paint peeled off some parts and I had to retouch, some edges aren't fully Ivory, the last stripe on the right is a tad darker (I had to use a brush since it was too small for a roller)--but I'm still quite proud of my handiwork!
It's far from perfect--the original white paint peeled off some parts and I had to retouch, some edges aren't fully Ivory, the last stripe on the right is a tad darker (I had to use a brush since it was too small for a roller)--but I'm still quite proud of my handiwork!
