Saturday

DIYP #3- Classy, Easy Paint Technique

The easiest and cheapest way to transform a house is with paint.

We have lived in houses that needed a major miracle transformation.

And so, we’ve painted.

A lot. 

So much, that if I even hint at painting, my hubby moves out gets very busy at work. 

He’s not a fan of the paint can.

But he’s frugal and usually chips in once I’ve made up my mind to do it.

Amanda, a friend of mine over at The Eck Life, taught me this great paint technique. Her home is gorgeous and she’s an awesome do-it-yourselfer!   This technique is classy and fabulous for a small space that you want to dress up like a bathroom or dining area.

My favorite decorating color is deep red.  And there are two things I must have in every home I live in:  a red front door and a red room. 

And so, I used this technique in my powder room and I did it in red.

First, tape off the space-ceilings, baseboards and around outlets.  This is really the key too good painting.  I use the blue painter’s tape because it comes off easily.  

Second, paint the room in a flat paint.  It will look, well, flat.

And if you want my expert opinion (*snort*), you can't go wrong with red, but not tomato red, go deep red or there will be many regrets.

Let that completely dry.

Now, this is the hard part for me because I do not excel at measurements.  I’m more of an eyeball-it-kinda-girl.  Since this drives my hubby crazy, he jumps at the chance to measure for me.  Jump might be an exaggeration. 

You're going to tape off stripes.  And since we’re going for even stripes, you better get out your measuring tape.  Decide how wide you want your stripes.  I think the smaller the room, like my powder room, the stripes need to be small.  I made mine 3 inches.  But if you’re doing a larger room, you want the stripes to make a statement, so I would make them around 6 inches. 

We used a pencil and went around the small room, drawing lines to indicate stripes.

Tape off the stripe, a piece for both lines.

When you are done taping, you will take your high gloss paint of the same color and paint the inside of the stripes. (You only need enough of the high gloss paint for the stripes.  For a small room, a pint will usually do).

Once it dries, remove the tape and you will be seeing stripes!


 Give it a try!

38 comments:

Unknown said...

That looks really cool! Great job and a good decorating idea. Our walls are all textured so I don't know that it would look as good.

Kisha said...

That looks so good, I can't wait to move and be able to paint something.

Tara @ Feels Like Home said...

That is gorgeous!

gina said...

Sexy! I love it- and it doesn't sound too hard!

marky said...

Beautiful!! I love it!

Happy Mommy said...

Ok I must also have a red door and a red room or 2 or 4, ok I love red its my favorite color!
But help me out here do you put tape on the red flat paint? And then fill in the untaped strip?
Beautiful bathroom!

Threeundertwo said...

That's gorgeous, but I'm more of a "write the check" type of painter myself.

Lisa said...

Well that is interesting. I am sure that "if" I were going to be painting ANYTIME soon, I would give that a try. I will file that away in my head for future things to try! But it does look great in your bathroom!!!

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

I recently painted my son's room in stripes. Turned out fantastic.

Check out my slide show here of the finished result.

Anonymous said...

That's beautiful. I love my red room. It was here when we moved in and I do NOT want to change it! Of course, I cannot imagine the amount of coats of Kiltz (sp) it would take to cover it up! Good thing I like it.

Kristen said...

Yes, Happy Mommy, once you paint the flat paint and it dries, add the tape and paint the gloss paint inside whatever you've taped off as stripes. (If you paint it on the outside of the tape, it will be much bigger stripes, but still the same effect)!

A Christian Mom said...

Wow, that's really pretty. Thank you for the tip!

April said...

Oh my, I too am a lover of color !! People sometime to refer to my home as the skittle house, more of the tropical flavors though. Your stripes are beautiful, I am so not patient enough for taping, I too believe in eyeballing everthing, which is is scary. I am enjoying your blog.

Kim said...

Oooh...I'm bookmarking this page. I am SO using this tip for my new house!

Karen said...

Dude! I did that in our bathroom! I feel so in the loop. :)

I did navy blue stripes under the chair rail/trim piece/thing and white on top.

Tami said...

Thanks for the great tip!! I can't wait to try it out :)

Anonymous said...

So gorgeous!

Amanda said...

Wow I feel honored! It is an awesome paint technique-- but you do tend to want to pull your hair out before your finished. I was also thinking that you you could always add this to any room that is already painted just get the gloss of the same color. So once your bored with a room- instead of painting the whole room again- just add some stripes. hmmmm Eriks out of town- I may need to make a run to Sherwin Williams :-)

Anonymous said...

I want a red door next time we move. I already told Caspian.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the stripes! The gloss and flat is so great for a bit more impact without the craziness of two colors. Love it!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that looks so classy! If I ever live somewhere that I can actually paint, I will be stealing this idea!

Amanda said...

ok since you mentioned me in this post I figured I should add the pics of the rooms I did- and also because I havent posted in like 10 weeks!!! I didnt want everyone going to my page and seeing my ugly face stuffing myself with ice cream- so the painting pictures were a better choice. I put a link to your page- but you know I am still not getting that right- so I hope it works!!

Tracy DeLuca said...

That is so incredibly cool looking that I cannot stand it. I may be using this technique very very soon. Thanks for sharing!

Grateful for Grace said...

Once I read 'stripes' I thought I would hate whatever effect you were going to finish describing, but I really like it. I might actually do this when we move. And we're moving in August!

blessings,
GfG

Anonymous said...

Holy Hades, Batman! That looks great! I definitely have to figure out where to do that in my house.

Anonymous said...

I. Love. That.

Would it be going overboard to try it with polka dots? Say,.. in a bathroom or a little girls room? :P

World's Greatest Mommy said...

Gorgeous!

I'm totally trying this in my room. I love red, but I am an inept painter. My husband rocks, though. I usually only get to watch, but that's a nice place to be.

3XMom said...

i have wanted to do this in my bathroom forever. Aftere seeing this I am totally doing it. Thanks!

DD said...

too cute

Andrea said...

OMG LOVE IT! Too Easy!

Marni's Organized Mess said...

How awesome!

PS. I sent over my address. I am so excited. :)

Joy said...

I love painting! I just did our Master Bedroom (check out the pics, chicka!).

Anyway, I love this technique. I've seen it done in many colors and styles of homes. Red is definitely the best color to use this technique with. I've seen it in taupe and it's NOT the same!!!

I have a "powder room" in my bedroom (you can't see it in the pics) and it's empty and needs a makeover. I may "borrow" this idea!!! Red would look HOT HOT HOT with what I've just done in the main bedroom area!

Mama Smurf said...

OMG...I've been wracking my brain for months with what to do in my master bath as we have wall paper and a gaping hole in the wall that can't be fixed without removing all the wall paper...now I know what I'll be doing!

I already have a red room so I think I'll go with a taupier color.

Miss Mandy said...

I'm w/ greatest mommy...I only get to watch. But we're getting ready to remodel a bungalow in the woods...I'm thinking a red stripedy bathroom is just what it needs...;)

Colleen - Mommy Always Wins said...

I'm with you - I think the effect is awesome but the mere measuring alone might make me batty. Literally.

Lilypad Mom said...

That looks really great! When we looked at our house I fell in love with the red door, and red dining room. I had always wanted both and knew this was the house when I saw them.

Jessica said...

As much as I HATE painting this really makes me want to try.

twin power mommy ♥ said...

That looks great! Nice job. Hate painting cause i am no good at it. Although my first painting project was the corner wall in my living room that i decided to do dark red. Red is a hard color to paint on your first try.
It turned out great, though!

Lua said...

I WILL be doing this to my bathroom! I love it! <3 thanks!