It was previously painted with a flat paint and it just wasn’t conducive to messy little hands. If you’ve ever worked with flat paint before, you know it isn’t easy to keep clean. Especially when it is a really light color. My hallway was cream. It was a pretty color but it just wasn’t working with my two kiddos being 3 and under. No matter what, I feel like they always have
something on their tiny (chubby!) little hands.
I decided to paint the hallway a crisp white. I used Behr’s Swiss Coffee. Not only did it make the area look lighter and brighter, it really helped to “clean up” the hallway walls. I loved it. I knew I wanted more though. I’m not one to paint a wall all white and be done. I think we all know that. 😉 So….. I opted for stripes. An obvious choice if you’ve known me for more than 2 seconds.
I decided that I didn’t want to repaint the entire hall way before we move (since we’re renting) so I only painted the wall that is visible from the living room. I kept the rest of the hallway plain white so I only have to paint over the grey stripes to make it neutral when we move out.
First, I taped off my wall.
I wanted to try two different techniques for painting stripes to find the BEST way to get a clean crisp line. I tried the dry brush method I shared with you
here.
Then, I tried another method I’ve read about where you tape off your stripes then paint over the edges tape with your base color. See my base color was Swiss Coffee (white) so I taped off my stripes, then painted the soon to be grey stripes with a coat of white. When that dried, I painted the grey right over my base coat. This is supposed to eliminate any obvious bleeding underneath the tape. Basically, if the color bleeds through the tape, it matches the base color so it doesn’t matter, leaving you with a clean crisp line.
So… dry brush versus base coat method! The verdict….
Both lines look fan-friggin-tastic! No drips, peeling, bleeding, smudging at all! I say both methods work wonderfully so it is definitely a personal choice. I will likely continue using the dry brush method because I didn’t like having to have get my white paint out and then get the grey out and set up. Just a personal preference but they both work really really well!
PS. This hallway had this old yellowy-white light switch and plate and against the grey and white wall… it wasn’t working. Then, I had a brilliant idea!
Beautimous! I just used a can of white spray paint and painted the switch, plate and screws. My husband couldn’t even believe how painting that old thing made such a big difference. Easy update people!
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30 Comments
MaryAnn
February 15, 2012 at 4:43 pmPretty pretty pretty!!!
Maury Kilgo
February 15, 2012 at 4:51 pmI love the way it unites the spaces! I think it’s awesome.
My name is Rita
February 15, 2012 at 5:01 pmIt looks amazing! I love stripes.
Sunday
February 15, 2012 at 5:19 pmLove the stripes! I’m wanting to do this in my LONG, DARK hallway and you have inspired me! I don’t think your landlord is going to want you to remove a thing–you just raised the rental value on this piece of property! It is so cute. Glad I found your blog.
Sunday
February 15, 2012 at 6:04 pmI meant to ask what color gray you used. I am looking for a grey to paint a room with, plus to stripe with.
Thanks in advance!
Classy Clutter
April 12, 2012 at 5:08 amHi Sunday! SO sorry I just saw this question! I used Glidden Pebble Grey from Wal-Mart! Thanks so much for your sweet comments!
Allyson
February 15, 2012 at 7:29 pmOh this all looks so great! Thanks for sharing! I love that they aren’t overdone.
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
EverythingPrettyGirls
February 15, 2012 at 8:41 pmWe’re obsessed with stripe walls! Next apartment I have, I’m doing the hallway.
Stop by Everything-Pretty when ya get a chance!
xo
Venessa
http://www.everything-pretty.com/
Kendall
February 15, 2012 at 8:49 pmYour living room is beautiful! It looks so relaxing- I love the stripes!!
kendall
songbirdsandbuttons.blogspot.com
SheilaG @ Plum Doodles
February 16, 2012 at 12:29 amThe stripes look so fresh & clean, love the color combo! 🙂
Suzy Home Made
February 15, 2012 at 7:43 pmI totally need to do that to my sockets and switches!
Peggy57
February 16, 2012 at 1:39 pmI love your stripes! Love the colors you choice neutral but awesome. Thanks for sharing the tips for doing them.
Lish
February 19, 2012 at 1:59 amI love those stripes!!!!!!! I wanted to do something like that in my sons room, but well, I was pregnant at the time, so let’s just ay it didn’t happen!! LOL…I am so stealing that spray paint idea for all my ugly yellow switches too!!
Evie
February 19, 2012 at 4:08 amIt really does look great! You’ve got my mind going now thinking about some of my hallways… 😉
Thanks for stopping by today, too!
evie @ brown paper packages
Jenn
February 19, 2012 at 3:39 amGorgeous! I love that gray color.
Katie
February 19, 2012 at 4:24 pmI love the stripes! They add so much to the hallway! They turned out great, and I love the colors!
Andrea @ Decorating Cents
February 20, 2012 at 9:52 pmI love the stripes. Where oh where can I paint some stripes in my house?
SarahinSC
February 21, 2012 at 1:59 amOoooh! LOVE the stripes! I had purple stripes (a gradient) in my bedroom in my last house and I LOVED every minute in it! Really pretty!
VintageMauve.com
February 21, 2012 at 4:07 pmLooks amazing! Stripes are such an easy way to add high impact!
Hope you’ll link up to my newest link party.
Mauvin’ Monday Link Party
Cheers,
Jessica, your newest Linky Follower
Sugarr2518
February 22, 2012 at 3:06 amWow, I’m loving the stripes in the hallway and the living room is soo cute!! I love your picture wall with the wall art! I’m pinning this for inspiration for my basement!
Erin {Lavender and Lemon Drops}
February 24, 2012 at 6:26 amLove the stripes!
Brynn and Jared
February 26, 2012 at 5:40 amSO helpful, thank you! I am painting my nursery grey and white STRIPED! Basically exactly like your walls and have been looking for tips, i not only found the tips but the exact wall. How convenient 🙂 Turned out awesome!
Classy Clutter
April 12, 2012 at 5:09 amThanks Brynn! Good luck on the nursery! My first little boy had stripes in his nursery! 🙂
Mallory
One Creative Housewife
June 14, 2012 at 11:30 pmI loved this post so much I ended up using stripes in my powder room. I also linked to it my post today. http://www.onecreativehousewife.com/2012/06/painting-stripes.html
ARod
July 17, 2012 at 10:47 pmlove love love them looks awesome I had some in my previous apt and now youve made me crave them again lol
showmobilya
April 16, 2013 at 6:13 pmThis can be a improper comprehension from type, it are going to do problems in the type on their own. Thanks..
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Brandy
September 15, 2014 at 3:05 pmHow well is the spray painted light switch, plate and screws holding up? I have a house full of the same ugly color you originally had and want to try it if lasts.
Mallory & Savannah
September 15, 2014 at 10:11 pmHi Brandy!
No scratches of scuffs so far! It’s been 3 years and they’ve held up wonderfully! I kind of forgot that I spray painted them because they just look like they came like that! 🙂
xoxo – Mallory @ Classy Clutter