How to Paint Stripes in a Room

Painting stripes along a wall is a great trick to help a room appear to have more space than it actually has. You'll find many ways to add dimension to a room with stripes, but some popular options include using two different colors or using the same color in different finishes, such as gloss with flat paint. You can also decide whether you want to make a room look taller with vertical paint stripes or longer with horizontal paint stripes. Painting stripes isn't as easy as it looks, but the following steps will help you do it right.

Step 1: Pick Your Colors

The paint colors that you choose can be any combination you wish. However, using more than two colors will usually make the wall appear too busy. This detracts from your style rather than adding to it. High contrast colors can also become distracting. When you paint stripes, the effect works best if the stripes are close in color or are different tints of the same color. For a subtle variance, use different paint finishes with a close relation. For example, use flat and semi-gloss, but don't use flat with high-gloss.

Step 2: Determine the Stripe Thickness and Orientation

You'll need to consider the size and shape of the room. In general, you should keep the stripes within 4 – 12 inches wide. For smaller rooms, incorporate thin paint stripes. To find the right size stripe, create a mock up of your design with tape or butcher paper.

Vertical stripes work well in rooms with low ceilings or in tight places like hallways, but the width will play a factor in how a person will perceive the space. For example, if you use stripes that are too thick, it will draw the eye sideways rather than up.

Step 3: Prepare to Paint Stripes

You will need painting supplies, including a quality low-adhesive painter's tape for marking out your stripes, from a local store like Ace Hardware. To make sure you have straight stripes, use a laser level. You can rent a laser or use this paint project as an excuse to add this item to you toolbox. Good quality paint and painting equipment will always create a better result. Finally, prepare to paint walls as you would with any other project and cover items as needed.

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Step 4: Paint the Base Color

Paint the entire wall in one color. This will be the color of one of the stripes. It is easier to use the lighter of the two colors as the base color, since the darker color will cover over the lighter one with fewer coats than the other way around. If you are using the same color, use the color with less gloss first. Allow the paint to dry completely, usually 48 hours, before performing the next step.

Step 5: Tape the Wall

If you are only striping one wall, start by taping the line that will be in the middle. This will allow you to adjust slightly (¼ – ½ of an inch) as you work to make sure the stripes fit nicely in the space. If you are painting over more than one connected wall, start at one of the corners and work to the other end. Any excess of a stripe in a corner can continue onto the next wall if your measurements did not work out perfectly. Using the laser level and a tape measure, mark out the lines for all the stripes, taking care to makes sure the tapelines are straight. If you put the tape on crooked, the stripes won't be straight.

Step 6: Seal the Tape

With the same color as the base color, paint a light coat over the inside edge of the painters tape. Paint every taped line and allow the thin paint layer to dry completely. This will create a seal along the edge of the painter's tape and keep the new color from bleeding under the tape. If you skip this step, you will not have straight paint lines, no matter how straight you got the tape.

Step 7: Paint the Second Paint Color

Paint the inside of the stripes using the paint color you selected. The number of coats you'll need will depend on the type of paint technique you are using, the paint finish, the type of paint, and the color of the paint. You should try to stay at the edge of the painter's tape; however, you can overlap it some, provided you don't cross completely over it.

Step 8: Remove the Tape

Gently peel the tape away from the wall, pulling at an angle that moves away from the last color you added. It's a good idea to have a razor blade handy in case any paint tries to stick to the tape. If you've done the job right, you'll have perfect stripes.

This paint technique works well in a variety of styles. You can paint only one wall in a room or paint them all. You can center your stripes or offset them. Take your time with the preparation work, and you will be thankful when you see the results. Find out the best paint brands to use for your project at our DIY blog.