You can love or hate them, but there is no denying that striped walls can add drama to any room. Adding stripes is an easy and effortless way to add a bold punch to any room.
As in fashion, striped walls have the same effect on a room. Stripes have the power to redirect your eye and your interpretation of space.
Wearing horizontal stripes makes you look wider. Horizontal stripes in a room have the same effect – they can widen a narrow room. On the other hand, vertical stripes can elongate a space and make ceilings appear higher than they actually are.
Stripe Sizes
When using stripes on walls, you need to choose the stripe width based on the expanse of your room. A very large room needs very wide stripes, especially if they are vertical. A very thin stripe in a large room would offer little visual impact.
Striped Wallpaper Pros & Cons
Wallpaper is expensive and permanent which is a big reason people avoid using it. However, the vast amount of styles and designs available in striped wallpaper may be worth it! Wallpaper allows you to make your walls as unique and colorful as you want.
Who said stripes have to be solid? What a way to add some character to any room.
Wood Stripes
Go 3 dimensional by adding wooden stripes to your walls! Sounds crazy, but it looks terrific in this boy’s room. For a dressier look, cover the wood stripes with fabric and go from rustic to sophisticated.
Painted Stripes
Painting your walls with stripes can be challenging, but the look is well worth your effort! Alternate as many colors as you like or keep it traditional by alternating one color with white.
For a more subtle stripe choose a tone on tone approach. This can be achieved by alternating flat and glossy paint finishes in the same color. The darker the paint color, the more the contrast will show up. Lighter colors appear soft & graceful.
Quick Step by Step Guide to Paint Stripes
1. Choose a Look
Pick a vertical or horizontal stripe. Clean & Prime your walls, then apply a base coat of paint which should be the lighter color of one of your stripes.
2. Measure & Mark Walls
For horizontal stripes, measure the height of the wall, for vertical stripes measure the width of the wall. Divide that number by the number of stripes you want. If you want the 1st and last stripe to be the same color, divide by an odd number.
Use a measuring tape and pencil to mark where the stripes will go. Then draw the entire stripe using a straight edge.
3. Tape the Wall
Apply painter’s tape on the outside edge of each of the pencil stripe. Seal the edges with a credit card or burnisher so the paint can’t get unerneath the tape.
4. Paint Your Stripes
Use a paint roller to paint the stripes and roll over the edge of the tapeso you have a clean line.
5. Remove Tape
Peel tape off at an angle before stripes have fully dried.
Click here to watch a video on How to Paint Stripes on Walls by Youtube.com.
Best Room for Striped Walls
If you are nervous about committing stripes to a large space, start in small spaces such as a foyer or powder room which are a great place to experiment. Or, instead of adding stripes to an entire room, just add them to one wall. Striped walls add drama to your small spaces as your guests are passing through.
Best Color Patterns for Striped Walls
Mixing wide and thin stripes work really well in children’s rooms or game rooms. They can add a playful punch to any space. When painting with stripes, use either complementary colors or contrasting colors on the color wheel.
If you have striped walls, solid fabrics on furnishings are the way to go. The solids give your eye a place to rest. Stripes and florals are a winning combination as well.
Please weigh in: Do you LOVE or HATE striped walls?
image 1: Elle Decor | image 2: Matterofstyleblog.com| image 3: Designinginbold.wordpress.com| image 4: Thebooandtheboy.com| image 5: Budgetwisehome.com