Whether you are on a tight budget or have money to burn, design & decorating your own home space can be a creative work of art. How are your artistic skills? If they're not so great then stick to a clean, simple style and leave the fancy embellishments to a legitimate Picasso of the design world.
That said, don't be afraid to pick up a paintbrush and freshen up the look of your home. Most everyone is capable of doing a few home improvement projects over a weekend.
That said, don't be afraid to pick up a paintbrush and freshen up the look of your home. Most everyone is capable of doing a few home improvement projects over a weekend.
A friend of mine lives in a charming 1950s era loft. When the previous owners decided to move out, they whitewashed every wall surface. Sure it looks clean, but bland as military quarters. The bathrooms from that period were often cozy, and tiled in bold colors.
With a little scrubbing (okay, a ton of scrubbing) and a few cans of paint, I was able to breathe some architectural life back into the old bathroom.
Things you'll need before you start to paint:
- Painter's tape
- roller brush
- roller tray
- stir sticks
- tape measure
- plastic drop cloths
- rubber gloves
- pencil
- screwdriver
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| Photos by the Honest Despot. |
Step one is to paint the walls with the main color. Mint green was chosen for this bathroom to give it a retro, art deco flavor, which perfectly matched the original bathroom tile. Let the base coat dry for the recommended length of time, according to the paint can label's directions. Paint a second coat of the main color for full, even coverage. Allow the paint to dry. If the original color of the wall is dark or if the walls are thickly textured, multiple coats of paint may be required to achieve even coverage. When possible, let the paint cure for a week after applying and before continuing to the next step. This extra drying time will help avoid the risk of pulling up layers of fresh paint when using tape.
Decide how high you want the stripe to be located on the wall. In this case, a black stripe was located at 7 feet high. Use a tape measure to measure from the floor up to the desired height on the wall. Using a pencil, mark each corner and the center of each wall with a straight, horizontal line. You will want to make the line at least 1 to 2 inches wide to act as a guide when placing a line of painter's tape. Determine how thick you would like the painted line to be. In this case, the black stripe was 4 inches wide. Measure up from the pencil marks you just drew (4 inches in our case) and draw another set of lines parallel to the lines at 7 ft. Repeat this step in the corners and center of each wall.
Now you are ready to use the painter's tape. Two lines of painters tape will act as a frame for the stripe of paint. Starting in one corner, place a line of tape across the wall. Using your pencil mark guides, make sure the tape lines up straight in each corner and across the center of the wall. Try not to stretch the tape as you unroll it, as this will cause the painter's tape to be less effective in protecting the paint underneath it. Double check the width of the stripe by measuring the space inside the two lines of tape. Step back a few feet from the wall to look at the lines of tape you've placed. Once you are satisfied that they are straight, press the tape firmly against the wall. If the tape isn't firmly pressed against the wall or your wall has texture and the tape doesn't make a tight seal, paint will be able to bleed beneath it. When the tape is set, move to the next step.
Paint a stripe of paint inside the lines of tape! Let the paint dry completely, then apply a second coat. Make sure the paint is dry to the touch before gently peeling the painter's tape off the wall. However, don't let the tape stay on the wall longer than necessary (extra days or weeks), or it may adhere too strongly to the paint underneath it. After removing all the tape, check for any uneven spots or lines of paint bleeding off from the stripe. Use a ruler and a small, square foam paint brush to touch up any uneven spots. The project is complete. A crisp, clean stripe of color is the finishing touch to your freshly painted room.
**All copyrights reserved by the Honest Despot. 2010-12.
