DIY: Painted Wall Stripes

Painting Stripes. I have always loved stripes. I even attempted to paint stripes on my bedroom wall when I was a teenager. Let me tell you, I was not terribly successful. I had paint bleeding through the tape, which led to not very crisp lines. I also just free handed the tape lines. My lines weren't exactly precise. With all the Pinterest viewing and H&G shows, I have since regained the thought that this CAN be done! 

This was my journey. 

(Please note that most of the true work was completed by my husband, but I consider his work part of the generic "My")

Step one: Pick your wall. 

Step two: Determine the direction of your stripes. Horizontal? Or Vertical? Both have their purpose. I chose vertical to make the ceiling look higher as well as vertical lines are better, in my humble opinion. 

Step three: Pick your color.

I went with black stripes on a white wall. I love high contrast, especially, black and white.

Step four: Go supply shopping!

We purchased our black paint, frog tape, and chalk line at Home Depot. We already had a ruler, pencil, ladder, level, mini roller brushes and regular paint brushes.

Step five: Decide the width of your stripes. Research told me that 8"-12" is the best visually. 

Step six: Measure out your first line. To do so, make a small mark near the top of the wall and then near the bottom. 

Step seven: Use your chalk line to carefully make a line between the two marks you made in step six.

Step eight: Use a level to make sure your line is straight. If not, use a damp rag to wipe off the chalk and try again. Repeat Step seven and eight until you have a straight line (it gets easier, the more you go along).

Step nine: Repeat Step six through eight until you have the entire wall mapped out.

Step ten: Recognize your wonderful helpers.

Step eleven: Carefully follow the chalk lines with tape.

Step twelve: Mark which stripes to leave unpainted. The below picture shows that the tape lines were inside of the space to be left white, as well as a piece of tape to represent DO NOT PAINT.

Step thirteen: On the inside of the stripe that needs to be painted, seal the tape with the base color, in this case, white. That way, if there are any gaps in the tape, the color that bleeds through will be the same color as that stripe. This is the key to crisp lines. 

Step fourteen: Allow to fully dry.

Step fifteen: Paint your stripes!

Step sixteen: Allow to fully dry.

Step seventeen: Decide if a second coat is needed. Paint second coat or move on. Allow to dry.

Step eighteen: Pull off the tape! Quite a satisfying gesture. 

Step nineteen: Correct any boo-boos if there are any.

Step twenty: Stand back and admire your handiwork! 

Happy painting!

Please note that no animals were harmed in the painting of this wall.


 Don't forget to wash your hands at some point.