How to Paint Stripes

Okay, so you L-O-V-E the looks of stripes as much as I do? Well here is how I do it. There are several different ways to do this, I have found what works best for me.

First you will need to decide what kind of effect you want to achieve. The more different the colors, the more dramatic the stripes' effect will be.

One of my favorite effects is the one color gloss/matte stripe. You use the same paint color, just different sheens. It is very subtle, but oh so classy! I have this effect in my master bedroom. Here is an example Ifound online:

Another option is for you to choose "sister colors" which, in my language, means colors that go really well together and are not too different of each other, such as 2 pinks, one maybe just a little darker than the other. Here is an example in my little girl's nursery:

Or you can just choose 2 different tones of one color, going for the most dramatic effect. In my little boy's room I chose the colors from his bedding set. Here is how it turned out:

Okay, so after you have chosen the effect you want to achieve, here is what you will need:

- 2 colors/sheens of paint: I recommend you getting more of the flat one (if you are going for the glossy/matter effect), since it is cheaper. The shinier the paint the more expensive!

- Painters Tape: I recommend the 1 inch 3M Painters tape you can get either at Home Depot or Lowes.

- Pencil

- 3 foot level and ruler

- LOTS OF PATIENCE (glasses too, if you have a hard time seeing the pencil...)

Here are the steps:

1. Choose one color as the base coat. I usualy use the paint that is flat, since it is cheaper. ALWAYS do 2 coats. Trust me, doing 2 coats takes more time, but, oh, is 1 coat ever soooo noticiable, and NOT in a good way, especially if you are using dark colors like red or brown.

2. Choose the width of the stripe. I usually do 6 inches, but you can choose to go wider or narrower. Here are 2 examples I found online:

3. Once you decided your width, start at the edge of a wall. Using the ruler mark the width of your first stripe, then use the level to draw your vertical line (it is very important to use a level so your lines are straight).

4. After you are done tracing all the stripes, its time to tape! FUN! VERY IMPORTANT: cut a small piece of tape and put it in every other stripe to mark the ones you WILL NOT PAINT. Follow the line as you tape making sure the tape is INSIDE THE STRIPE YOU WILL NOT PAINT. It will look kind of like this:

5. To avoid bledding of the top coat, using a brush seal the edges of the tape OF THE STRIPESYOU WILL PAINT with the base color. After it dries, you are ready to paint your top coat.

6. Using a small roller (easier to stay inside the lines) paint the stripes with the top coat. Again, 2 coats is recommended.

7. Final word of advice: take the tape off BEFORE the top coat is completly dry to avoid peeling!

And you are DONE!

ENJOY!!!!!!

Email me if you have any questions!

How to Paint Furniture

Want a FABULOUS piece of furniture and have a tight budget? Here is your answer P-A-I-N-T! Yes, painting a shabby, old, ugly, $3 dollar coffee table can make is look really, really sharp! Found a beautiful $2 headboard, just the right size and shape, but hate that it is yellow and does not match the red night stand you love so much?Well, painting it will give the uniform look you are looking for!


However, painting furniture can me very, very tricky! I am not a specialist at this at all, and I am learning as I go, but here are some of the tips I have learned as I try to furnish my home with a champagne taste on a pop budget!


Whatever it is that you are painting again the quality of your materials, and not skipping steps, is essential! The great plus of painting furniture is that a gallon, or even a quart, of quality paint will go very far! I have used the same can of black paint for 4 years!


So here is the basic process I use when painting furniture:


1. Sand it, sand it, sand it! Sanding your funiture will ensure better quality of priming, therefore a more finished look project. How much you need to sand will depend of the kind of finish your furniture has on it. If the lacker is heavy and shiny, you want to sand it down more. This does not mean sanding it down until you get all the finish out, but making the surface a little rougher to guarantee that your primer and paint will stick (and last). Also, you want to scrape loosed paint and sand so the surface is smooth and ready for the next step. My husband found me a little (but AMAZING) hand sander at a garage sell for $3, and it has made my projects much easier. I use the hand sander to sand flat surfaces, and I hand sand the details. Be careful not to sand away the character of your piece by sanding outside where lighting is great and you can check on your progress without difficulty.


2. Clean it, clean it, clean it! After the sanding is done, brush it out with a hand brush and use a clean dump cloth to clean your furniture. Let it is for a few hours to ensure the wood is dry when you are ready to prime it.


3. Prime it, prime it, prime it! Quality primer will ensure the finish look of your project. Again, a can of primer will last a long time! I use white primer for light paint colors, and tinted primer for darker colors. Appying primer using my little roller will ensure uniform coverage, always following the direction of the wood grain. Next, immediatly after I apply primer with my roller I get a paintbrush and lightly brush on top of the paint I rolled, to give the brushed look and make sure the bubbles left by the roller are gone.


4. Time to Paint!!!! After all this preparation it is finally time to paint! I follow the same process in applying the paint that I used with the primer, rolling and brushing, rolling and brushing, always follwing the grain of the wood. How many coats your peice need will depend on the color you are using. Usually 2 coats are enough. You can apply the second coat a couple hours after the first one is done, just make sure the surface is dry. However, if you are using red, it is a whole different ball game! I painted the furniture in my son's room red (check it out here _________________) and it is FABULOUS, but it was a painfull process of 4 coats of red paint!!!!! I usually use semi-gloss sheen in painting furniture just because it can be wiped clean easyy! However, when you are going to a more shabby chic look, you probably want to use a more flat sheen. I personaly do not recommend going to a totally flat sheen, especially when painting furniture, but that is just a personal preference. I also have used spray paint as my second coat, as in this project _________________, I love the look!


Now it is time to enjoy your Pottery Barn inspired furniture, Goodwill budget, FANTASTIC piece of furniture! And yes, you can feel really good about all your hard work and talent!!!!!