Plain matte walls: they’re pretty darn boring. A flat, matte wall with nothing to spice it up will rarely earn you any compliments.
Today, your Birmingham Alabama Painters will show you one of the easiest painting tricks out there that doesn’t require anything except a little bit of semi-gloss paint and either a stencil or some painter’s tape. Let’s check out the gloss-on-matte pattern trick!
Color Selection
With the gloss-on-matte technique the goal is to add a pattern painted in a semi-gloss to a matte wall. This can be done a few ways depending on your color choice and your pattern.
We particularly love the effect that comes about when the matte and gloss are the same exact color or only a shade off. This give a very subtle effect, letting the gloss itself define the pattern and sometimes only showing up in certain light (which looks incredible!).
For a bolder effect you can also apply this technique with complementary colors. One such combo we’ve really liked is black gloss on lighter colors or vice versa.
Pattern Selection
Whatever colors you choose, the pattern is what’s going to bring them out. When choosing a pattern, you can do a few different things:
The easiest is to simply use painter’s tape and a tape measure to lay out perfect stripes on the wall which you can then paint in with your gloss.
Checkers or squares are also easy to do with painter’s tape.
For something more complex a stencil is probably your best option. You’ll have to make sure you’re able to line the stencil up perfectly on the wall repeatedly, or else it could end up looking a little off. Bigger stencils are easier, except when you get to the corners, where you might have to chop one down a bit.
How to Do It
1. First, make sure your matte wall is clean and prepped. This means you’ll probably want to dust it, and possibly even give it a gentle wash (make sure you only use the recommended items for your paint when washing). You’ll also want to remove electric outlets, hangings and furniture from the area. Prepare the room for painting by setting down a drop cloth, taping up things you don’t want to get paint on and ventilating the room.
2. Apply your pattern to the wall. If this is just tape, use a measuring tape to perfectly lay out where your pattern is going to go, then apply the tape evenly and smoothly. If you have a stencil, your process will most likely involve taping it up smoothly and flush to the wall. It’s best if you mark out, in very light pencil, where each stencil should be placed before you start painting, so that you know what to expect and where any problem areas will be.
3. Next apply the semi-gloss paint in smooth, even motions to the wall with a paint roller that has the smallest nap possible (a higher nap can get under your stencil or tape if it’s not flush enough to the wall).
4. If you’re using tape, you can paint the whole wall in one go, but if you’re using a stencil, it’s often best to let each part dry before moving on to the next, as you may have to apply tape to the area you just painted.
And you’re done! Just about the easiest project there is, right? Adding a gloss pattern to a room will enliven the area and give your home a more unique look, without a full re-paint or texturizing.
Original Source: https://paintedbyprestige.com/diy/use-gloss-and-matte-to-create-neat-wall-patterns
Image Source: Kfddesigns.com
