The right combination of color and creativity can really transform the look of any room. Whether you want to create something that expresses your personality, or use painting techniques to make your home more interesting, here are a few ideas to add some creative flare to your home.
Rag Rolling
Rag rolling is a simple technique that can be used to create subtle or dramatic texture and everything in between and best of all, anyone can do it. You can use any combination of two colors, but I recommend using colors that are very similar for a more subtle look. Start with a basecoat that has little to no sheen and let it dry completely. Next, grab an old t-shirt that is made of 100% cotton and cut it up into several smaller rags. Any seams in your rags will be visible in your technique so cutting them out is a good idea. Pour some pearlized paint into your paint tray, crumple up your rag and lightly dip it in the paint and roll it onto the clean part of the tray to get all of the excess paint off. Before you begin applying the paint, make sure you have a very small amount on your rag and that it is evenly dispersed. Keeping the rag crumpled, place it against the wall and use your fingers to roll it up the wall a few inches and repeat. This technique works best if you roll in a different direction each time, and if you recrumple and change rags often.
Color Washing
Probably the easiest creative painting technique, color washing can bring an elegant touch to otherwise boring walls. I recommend using a color that is not too different from the base coat, but feel free to use creative color combinations and be as unique as you want to be.
After your base coat is completely dry, dip a soft cloth or sponge into your painting glaze (a soft cloth will have a more subtle finished look, while a sponge will have a more textured look). Apply the glaze to your wall using random wiping and circular motion, just as if you were washing your wall. Continue until the entire surface is covered.
Stripes
Painting stripes on your wall can achieve many different looks. For example, you can choose two contrasting colors in large blocks for a dramatic look, similar colors in smaller blocks for a soft, blended look, or many different colors in different size blocks for a fun, creative look. Once you have decided what colors and stripe pattern you want to use, use a pencil and ruler to make a small mark at the top and bottom of your wall where each line is going to be if you’re painting vertical stripes, or on the left and right sides of your wall if you are painting horizontal stripes. A laser level may help, but is not absolutely necessary.
Apply painter’s tape, making sure that the marks on each side of your wall match up perfectly. Next, use a small brush to apply a thin line of acrylic gel medium along the edges of the tape, to keep each stripe from bleeding into the next. Paint each stripe and remove the painters tape before it dries, pulling slowly and taking care not to let the wet paint on the tape touch the wall.
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