Just a little update on my living room redecorating progress! During my "before" home tour a couple of weeks ago I said I would be tackling the living room first. I've made some good progress. I finished painting the built-in shelves - which I will reveal soon - and I got started on my patterned walls.

I went back and forth on chevron, stripes, or solid walls. I decided that if they were to be pattered, they would be striped. I just think stripes are more flexible with wall decor, even if I do love chevron. I was also willing to try stripes because they are low-risk - if I didn't like them, then I can just fill in the un-striped portions and make a solid-colored wall. The top photo is one of the first that I saw with horizontal, rather than vertical stripes, and I loved it.

So here's the sneak peek of my progress - I just have to finish the top stripe. I really love it so far. Because stripes are so unexpected, I decided to keep the color neutral - a light gray - and also flexible for future color schemes.


Stripes may seem intimidating, since you want them to be straight. Here is what I did:

I used my eye to roll my painter's tape evenly across the wall. I think my daily sketching and paper cutting allows me to do this accurately, with ease. I just used a level to check my tape for straightness every few feet. I did this all the way down the wall, spacing the tape evenly for equal-sized stripes.

If you don't feel comfortable using your eye, I recommend this:

- decide if you need to prime the walls. Mine were freshly painted white not long before we moved in, so I just dusted and lightly washed the walls for a clean painting surface.

- If you are keeping your walls white (or whatever color they are now), with another color of stripes, then skip ahead to the next step. If you are painting your stripes two completely new colors, you can do one of two things: 1. Paint your wall entirely the lighter of the two colors all over with a paint roller, and let dry. Then move on to the next step for the stripes. OR 2. Paint one set of stripes. After those stripes dry, re-adjust the painter's tape to protect the newly painted stripes, and stripe the rest of the wall the remaining new stripe color. I personally think it might just be easier to paint the wall the lighter color solid first, and then just do one set of stripes over that (option 1).

- For stripes: start at the top of the wall. Decide on the thickness of your stripes. Using a ruler, go down the wall, measuring every 6" (or however thick the stripes will be). Use a yard stick or other comparatively long, flat surface, to pencil a line across the wall, where the top and bottom of your stripes will be. Use a level as your guide while you draw the lines.

- Place your painter's tape on every line, unrolling carefully to follow the line exactly.

- If your stripes are thick enough, you can use a paint roller to get the job done. I just used a regular brush, and was able to do the job pretty quickly.

- Let dry, and do a second coat if needed. Once dry, peel up the painter's tape. Now you have a bold, patterned wall with little risk and commitment. Don't like it? Just fill in one set of stripes for a solid wall.

Have you done anything similar? Or have you just considered a bold or graphic pattern on your walls? I'd love to see!