Paint Playful Patterns

A playful plaid pattern is great way to liven up a dull room!
Choose a pattern sample. Next, mark out the pattern on the walls, big horizontal lines first.
Choose a pattern sample. Next, mark out the pattern on the walls, big horizontal lines first.

Keep it simple. Use a level to draw your lines and use tape to create the plaid, one stripe at a time. In this case, the big yellow lines will remain yellow. The thin yellow lines in between the tape will be painted green and blue.

Dilute all the paint with glaze to get very thin, light stripes.

Make the process easy on yourself. Use thick rollers for fat stripes, thin rollers for thinner stripes.
Paint one wall completely before starting the next. That way, if you want to change your pattern, you'll only have one wall to fix!
Paint one wall completely before starting the next. That way, if you want to change your pattern, you'll only have one wall to fix!

Here is the before...

...and here is the after. It looks just like fabric!

A gingham pattern is another great way to break away from boring white walls. Decide on the size of your squares and mark off the horizontal lines with a chalk line and tape.

Paint on the horizontal lines first. To get the effect of fabric, drag the stiff bristle brush through the wet paint.

Here is the room before...

...and here is the after!

Open up a room and make it less claustrophobic with big, fat stripes!
Take the height of the wall and divide by four. Draw lines using chalk and apply tape. Choose four colors that are very close to each other, maybe one shade off. Start with darkest color on top.
Take the height of the wall and divide by four. Draw lines using chalk and apply tape. Choose four colors that are very close to each other, maybe one shade off. Start with darkest color on top.

This is a dining room before...

...here it is after color!
"The finishing touch is the this white stripe you get when you remove the tape. I think it looks fabulous!" Debbie Travis
"The finishing touch is the this white stripe you get when you remove the tape. I think it looks fabulous!" Debbie Travis

A common problem for people who rent is how to pull a room together when remodeling is out of the question. Spruce up a kitchen wall like this by painting tile!

To create this lattice look, map out a diagonal tile grid with tape.

Paint a light color in a thick stripe over it.

When that is dry, apply a thicker tape line over the new stripe and paint over the tape with a darker paint.

When the paint dries, remove the tape and you have created a marvelous back splash with the illusion of tile!
Published 01/01/2006