Color washing and stenciling are two of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to add color and visual interest to a room. Paint-design expert Beth Cupari of Sherwin Williams warms the walls of an old-fashioned bedroom with a cloudlike yellow color wash and adds interest with a stenciled ivy border. Color-Washed Walls Materials:
Latex paint
Bucket
Water
Clean rags (old T-shirts work well)
Blue painter's tape
- Apply blue painter's tape along the baseboards and ceiling.
- Mix latex paint and water to create the color wash. One part paint to three parts water makes a light-colored wash. Dilute the paint as desired for a lighter or darker effect.
- Cut in the outline of the area to be painted. Dip a clean rag in the color wash, wring out slightly, and run the rag along the edges of the wall. Have a clean rag ready to wipe up any excess paint and catch drips.
- Use a wash-loaded rag to swirl the paint on the wall in a large circular motion for a mottled effect (figure A). Use a clean rag to remove excess paint.
Stenciled Ivy Border Materials:
Soft-green latex paint
Ivy stencil
Sea sponge
Blue painter's tape
Paper towels
- Tape the stencil to the top edge of the wall with painter's tape.
- Dip a sea sponge in paint, and lightly dab it on the wall to fill the cutout ivy pattern of the stencil (figure B). A sea sponge gives a soft effect that complements the color-washed wall.
- As soon as the stenciled area is painted, carefully pull the stencil off the wall.
- Clean the paint off the stencil with paper toweling, and tape it back on the wall to continue the ivy border.
GUESTS :
Beth Cupari
Dutch Boy Paints
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