Painting your walls can be a daunting task — not to mention painting stripes! Don’t call the professionals in just yet — we have everything you need to know about painting stripes on any wall in your home without causing a decorative disaster.
Pick your stripes
First you must decide whether you want to paint horizontal or vertical stripes. Horizontal stripes give the illusion of a larger room, while vertical stripes give the illusion of height. So if you want your room to look more spacious go with horizontal stripes; if you want the ceiling to appear higher, go with vertical ones.
Go two-tone
Let’s say you decide to go with vertical stripes. First, pick a base coat that you will paint on all of the walls. Make sure it is a colour you like because it will be the colour of one of the stripes.
Take measurements
After you finish the base coat, give it time to dry. Then it’s time to measure. First, measure the wall, starting from the corner that is least likely to be seen once the room is complete. After you have done your measurements divide the wall in sections ranging anywhere from four to 12 inches [the recommended width of stripes].
Start taping
Place a strip of tape across the length of the wall, so that you can mark with a pencil where each section will go. After you make marks on that strip of tape, you can use a laser level to precisely place your vertical strips of tape.
Start painting
After you have all the strips of tape in place, use something with a flat edge to seal the tape against the wall. Once you start painting make sure to completely cover each striped area with paint. When you are finished painting, allow the paint to dry slightly before you remove the tape. Voila, you’re done!
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