Easy, inexpensive DIY project: painting stripes on walls

Beautiful Easy, inexpensive DIY project: painting stripes on walls

Wallpaper has resurfaced as a major decorating trend in the last five or so years, and much as I’m dying to partake, the expense of not only the actual wallpaper but the labor to hang it (this definitely falls under the category of home improvement projects I don’t trust myself to tackle on my own) is daunting. Instead, I’ve been considering painting a pattern on my walls to mimic the graphic effect. And if you go with something relatively straightforward, like stripes, it doesn’t seem that hard to accomplish.

First, pick your colors. If you’re craving something really bold you can go with opposing shades of black and white or something similarly high-contrast. For a more subtle look, try shades within one color group, like robin’s egg and powder blue. It can also be fun to mix paints with different finishes—like matte and semigloss—for more visual interest.

Consider whether you want vertical or horizontal stripes. Both add dimension to a space, though vertical stripes make the ceiling seem taller, while horizontal ones can make a room feel bigger.
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