Painted ‘Wallpaper’ Hack

I’ve had this idea for painted stripes in my head for a while and have just needed an opportunity to try it. I love stripes and originally I wanted to add some actual wallpaper to this space but that was far out of budget so I had to get my DIY pants on. 🙂

For this you’ll need:

3-4 rolls of painters tape
2 different paint colors
Several paint brushes
Small foam roller ( I love this one )

First, paint your wall in your base color. Mine was white but really you could use any color combo. The white I used is my favorite neutral white called ‘Du Jour’ by Valspar paint.

Next, apply the painter’s tap in straight sections. **This would have been WAY EASIER with a laser level (like this one) but I didn’t have one so as always, I got creative. I made sure my first piece of tape was level and straight and then I used it to guide the rest of my rows.

I used small pieces of tape in between the rows to keep the space the same and make sure my rows continued to be straight. There is a tiny bit of wonkiness but I decided that added to the whimsy since this is a kid’s room. If you are very particular then I would suggest a laser level.

Repeat this process across the whole wall. This 10-foot wall only took me about 30 mins to apply all the tape.

The next step is VERY IMPORTANT!

Seal the edges with the base paint color! You do this by painting the base color over all the edges of the painters tape. I know they sell tape that claims to keep the edges sealed but none of them work 100%- I have tried them all. The ONLY way to get a perfectly crisp paint line is to seal the edge.

Once this is done take a break to let it dry thoroughly. ( 30-50 mins with a fan on it)

Then you want to apply your accent color. I used a small foam roller for this step and applied two coats so the color was perfectly saturated. You could also brush this layer. If you use a roller just be very gentle and dont push too hard since you are painting overtop of fresh paint.

The yellow I used is called ‘Sweet Lemon’ by Valspar paint.

Once you have finished the second coat of your accent color, peel up the painters tape while the paint is still wet. If you want to see a very satisfying video of this on Instagram check it out here.