Decorative Painting Techniques You Should Try

DIY painting doesn’t end with expertly knowing the steps from surface preparation to your last coat. Cliche as it may sound, it just starts from there! Move on to the more creative and fun part of decorative painting by trying out these sample wall painting ideas and techniques.

The general purpose behind painting walls is beautification by adding colors. But who said you can only do solid colors? Try painting in stripes, with different textures or with shapes and patterns! If you’re ready to take on the next step in DIY painting, consider practicing these sample decorative painting techniques.

Sponging

One of the easiest wall painting ideas, all you need is a sea sponge, glaze and two or three colors of paint for added texture and dimension to any room.

1. After priming and applying your base coat, dip a damp sponge into a mixture of glaze and paint.
2. Lightly dab the mixture in a random pattern on your surface.

Color Washing

Add visual interest to your room with a weathered, old world charm with a seemingly broken finish.

1. After your base coat has dried, apply a glaze and paint mixture with a cloth or a sponge in circular or wiping motion.
2. Use light brush strokes to create mellow, soft texture.

Strié Technique

Why spend on costly fabric wall coverings when you can easily copy the luxurious look by mastering “strie” or dragging?

1. Make sure that your topcoat is a different color than the base coat. With a roller brush, apply a glaze and paint mixture in vertical strokes, from top to bottom.
2. Do small sections of the wall at a time.
3. Lightly drag a large, long-bristled paintbrush through the new coat of glaze and paint. Do this in long, soft vertical strokes, overlapping each section.

Diamonds

A decorative painting style that’s perfect for living rooms, entertainment rooms and the like, diamond patterns require a little more planning and tact in application.

1. Apply a light or dark-colored base coat and let dry.
2. Decide on how big you want your diamonds to be. You’ll have to measure your wall and divide the width by the number of diamonds you envision on your wall. To determine the height of each diamond, multiply the resulting number by two.
3. Sketch out the diamonds on the wall and, using a level and a painter’s tape, create a tape grid of diamonds.
4. With a mini roller or a small paint brush, fill in the diamonds with a color that contrasts your base coat.

Stripes

Whether you go vertically or horizontally, stripes are a classic wall painting idea, and an easy way to add character to a space. It also lengthens the overall look of a room. Para Sure tip: the wider the stripes, the more dramatic the effect.

1. Paint the entire wall with a light base color.
2. Use painter’s tape to lay out stripes in your desired width. Fill in your stripes with a shade that contrasts your base coat. Let dry before removing the painter’s tape.

Plan your home decoration projects with Para Sure tips from Island Paints!