Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Painted Wallpaper

I first saw "painted wallpaper" a little while ago
here and here and LOVED it
but
this post by jones design company was the final straw.

I HAD to do it!!
She even has the template you can download!

I decided to make my pattern a little bigger
(because I'm lazy and didn't want to paint as much!)
so I enlarged it before I printed it.
Then I traced it onto cardboard and kept the paper pattern for corners and edges.Just trace, trace, trace and then grab a little paintbrush (the size you want your lines so you can paint it in one stroke) and paint, paint, paint inside the line.
If you're like me you don't have hours and hours to spend on any project so I would paint a few then wrap my paint up tight in a bag to keep it from drying out.
Works great!!

Let me just say that my wall is FAR from perfect but the great thing is you really can't see the imperfections unless you really get close and stare for an awkward amount of time.

Nobody looks that close... except for maybe your mom... and your sister... but that is only because they are trying to figure out how you did it so they can copy you! Don't let the fear of imperfection stop you from doing this!
You will love it!!

Total time spent: About an hour a day for 6 days (to do a 10x14ft wall)

Total cost: $0

I just used the leftover paint from the wall and added a little white paint to lighten it.

What a difference!!!

I can't show you the whole room yet... it's not ready for the public.

(in other words: the bed's not made and it's covered in dirty laundry)

okay, okay,

I'll show you anyway

Yep, that's pretty much what it looks like. ;)

89 comments:

  1. That looks fantastic! I love the idea. Do you think it was easier to do it this way than to make a plastic stencil of the design?

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  2. I love it! And thanks for keeping it real with the messy bed! :)
    BTW, I followed the links and I like yours the best!

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  3. I love it!! and i'm so glad you're back - this is one of my favorite inspiration blogs!! can't wait to see more! Ü

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  4. SO glad you are back. love this idea, my hubby would prob veto it : ) he's anti anything slightly girly.

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  5. oooooh Katherine! I love it!!!! Love it so much! so chic.

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  6. THIS is why I love you so :) Thank you!

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  7. I've been wanting to do this. I have heavily textured walls, so I'll have to practice in a closet to see if its possible.

    I also like yours best. If you dont mind measuring, what is the length and width of your stencil?

    laceylady123@hotmail.com

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  8. It's gorgeous and the way you explained it makes me feel like I can do it. Great color choice too. Bravo!

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  9. I am in love with this wall! I wish I had a house to paint walls in now, and I like your bigger stencil

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  10. I am so doing this...someday when we buy a house! Love how simple it is to do and what a beautiful difference it makes!

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  11. How lovely! It looks great larger like that {why didn't I think of that?!!}

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  12. Kathryn, that looks amazing! I love it.

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  13. I cannot thank you enough for pointing me to a place that had a pattern to print out. I have tried to do this with an epic disaster.... Love your BLOG, BTW!!

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  14. Gorgeous!! I am so in love with this. You did a fabulous job and I might have to try something like this.

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  15. SO EXCITED your back Kathryn!! I've missed you, too!! Congrats on your new house and adventures!

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  16. your back ! thanks, I LOVE YOUR IDEAS I am not to crafty but I love to pretend

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  17. So glad I get to see all your GREAT ideas again!! LOVE THAT WALL...have to see if Blaine would go for that!!
    Jaimee

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  18. Kathryn....SO dang cute! Love it (and the wreath too). Hope all is well!

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  19. Kathryn,
    When I saw this...I nearly died. I have been scoring the internet for ideas for my new pantry. I wanted a quatrefoil like design...and this. is just perfect. I even blogged about it. (linked back to you of course!) THANK you for sharing!! I feel almost complete now :) haha!

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  20. Wow! Stunning. I'm so going to use this idea next time I have a room to decorate!

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  21. LOVE it! funny, i checked out all your links and liked yours the best!

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  22. Oh. My. Gosh. I LOVE IT! I wish I had a house!

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  23. OK I love this, want to do this but... I am an idiot how did you keep it straight and where did you start? middle? edge? corner?????

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  24. Christine, I started in a corner and I mostly eyed it to see if it was straight but I did pull out my level every once in awhile to double check. Good luck!! :)

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    Replies
    1. Kathryn where can I find this stencil? My master bedroom is so sad...this would be a great technique to do to spruce up the room!

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  25. THis is fabulous!! I love how it turned out! Thanks for you visit today!
    Take care:)

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  26. wow - this is just gorgeous - and as someone whose had to strip wallpaper before - SO much easier if you later decide you don't like it!

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  27. Yes Yes Yes! I can't wait to try this. Love the pattern and color.

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  28. Kathryn, that is so fabulous! I love what you've done, your wall is amazing. And YOU my dear are so creative, creating your own stencil, bravo!!

    xo
    Kate

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  29. Love love love! I want to copy it! First must talk husband into it! We have a set of dark furniture (similar to your new set) and this would really help behind our big bed to give the wall some interest!!

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  30. Love this idea. Do you remember the color you used on the wall? And if so would you be willing to share? Thanks!

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  31. very cool! i would love to try this. thanks for sharing!

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  32. Beautiful color & pattern choices! I'm planning to use a paisley pattern in a small bathroom using the same colors, but I may use the quatrefoil in another room.

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  33. wow. That is amazing. Would love to do this in my bedroom (just 1 wall! lol)

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  34. saw this on pinterest.. great job! and you used my colors! can't fo wrong with grey, in my opinion. :) working on similar [sort of] project in my laundry room. what fun hand painting can be! :P

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  35. This is fantastic! I'm looking for a pattern I love and I think I found it- your pattern!

    New follower:)

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  36. i LOVE this!!!!
    great job.
    really really great!

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  37. Ok I may be a few fries short but I cannot get that PDF to enlarge and like you need less work!! Could you give me a tip or email me your enlargement?? Torriedenny@gmail.com pretty please!! :)

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  38. So cool! What is the name of the blue gray base color that you have on your wall? That's the exact color that I've been looking for, for my kitchen.

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  39. i am in love with that wreath hanging above your bedd... did you make it or buy it? if made, do you have a tutorial?! if bought, where did you buy it???? thanks!!! great wall so cute!

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  40. I love it! It looks so high-end and something out of a design show. I also love the color you chose. I think I'll do that on my hallway upstairs. Thanks for posting!

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  41. Love this. Got to do. Also love the reality of your bedroom, we all have that.

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  42. Awesome. Doing this to some plain curtains I just bought... yup, I'm going to paint them. And my bed looks like that 99% of the time too including jumping kids... unless company is coming over. :)

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  43. I've been searching and searching for stencils and this one is definitely my favourite. I also love the slightly larger size - I am going to do the same!

    Thanks for sharing this project with us!

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  44. What size paint brush did you use, and how large was the stencil? It looks amazing, and I love the colors!

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  45. Love this idea! Saw it on Pinterest! You make it look do-able! I may have to try it! Excited to be a follower!

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  46. Thank you for the inspiration

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  47. Can you tell me how you enlarged it before printing? I can't seem to get that part and I want it larger like you have. Thank you and love how yours turned out.

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  48. love it! What were the brands/paint colors you used?

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  49. I love this stencil project, and that it retains its handmade quality. It makes me want to not only use this shape but also create some of my own in my own home but play around with some other shapes as well. Thanks for sharing."

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  50. Where is the download for this pattern?

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  51. this is awesome! and I LOVE the pic of your kids in the room :)

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  52. love this idea!!! i want to know how you enlarged it before printing? Even i did not get that part.

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  53. Thanks so much for the guide! I just finished doing it to my bathroom wall and I love it!

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  54. Love your wall. I know it's been two years, but do you happen to remember the color you used on your wall? I love how soothing it is. Thanks!

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  55. i just posted the previous comment. Not sure if you're responding to the comments since I see that many others have asked the same question. but would you mind emailing me at bevs802 at gmail.com? thanks so much!

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  56. I love this and want to put it on my bedroom wall. I downloaded the template but can't seem to enlarge it! How did you do it?

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  57. I just bought a new house a well and am looking for fresh ideas. This is my first time on Pinterest. I selected as my first interest "home decor"wand there you were with this very interesting pattern an seemingly something that can fatherly easily be done. Where do i get the template? And how much larger than the original did you make yours? I'm thinking of same colors choir my study and same pattern in guest bathroom. Another pattern in my bedroom and yet another in guest bedroom. Allot easier to change and originally do than wallpaper!!

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  58. What a great presentation of a lovely idea. Thanks!

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  59. That is gorgeous messy bed & kids included! ; )

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  60. Hahaha I didnt expect that much crazyness in the last picture...loved it ! Make's me feel home...lol ! Really nice tutorial !! Thanks

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  61. Show... =)
    Very pretty
    I liked it, I will do in my room

    Gostei*
    Aline of Brazil.

    Hugs. =D

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  62. This is amazing! It is really great to stumble upon a post that will inspire you to do the same. This is certainly a must try. I am done with those boring walls we have at home. First thing I will do tomorrow is to decide on the pattern to use and the paint color. Again, thank you for this inspiring post. Please keep on sharing!

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  63. Love it! Just wondering what you did about the pencil marks afterwards? Did you paint over them or erase them later? Thanks!

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  64. I used your suggestions and printed the template and did my wall!

    It took me 2 coats of the base paint, 2 hours to stencil the wall and 12 hours to paint it.

    Check it out: http://instagram.com/p/ZQFu9CmgPd/

    What do you think?!

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  65. beautiful! how did you get the paint on so perfect? i tried with a brush and some lines came out skinnier than others

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  66. How did you keep the pattern straight and not lop-sided on the wall? Looks GREAT!

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  67. Thanks for showing us you don't live in a magazine! Nice work on the wall paper, wink.

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  69. Love this look! what size did you enlarge this stencil to?

    Thanks so much!

    Katie

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  70. HI there,

    Have you got the template/stencil.. can't seem to find it..


    Thanks

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  71. Wonderful inspiration and design idea! Love it!

    Just my two cents, but if you took some extra time and used a stencil sheet to cut out your pattern BUT use and Xacto knife to cut your design within the stencil sheet with another INSIDE line to create a well if you will you could use a stencil brush to stipple your paint thru or a whizz roller with paint loaded and off loaded and then with light pressure roll your pattern with much faster results!

    Either way, your wall design looks awesome!

    Susan

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  72. This looks great! About to start it on my bathroom wall but can't seem to find where it's located, could you please help me with this?

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  73. You answered not 1,2, but 3 of my questions and so I can't wait to try this!
    You're wildly talented!!!

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  74. I love the large patterns. Can you kindly share the template with me? I will be doing this on to my office room. Thanks for sharing!

    My email: coupongirl817@gmail.com

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  75. I would really love the template as well if possible! :) Email is lydsneda@gmail.com! Its so beautiful i need to have it like yesterday!! Thank you!! :)

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  76. I would love the specific directions to use the template, and the template itself. Plus, if you have the paint colors, that would be amazing! I love this!!! My email is lisa.rice123@gmail.com

    Thank you!

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  77. Hi! Love it! What % did you enlarge the template? 200%? more?
    dtkhmoldy@yahoo.com
    Thanks!!

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  78. Hi Kathryn, I'm trying to do the exact wallpaper to my bedroom wall and I'm trying to make my own stencil. What were the measurements of the cardboard stencil you used?? I've been searching for exactly what you did and it would be awesome if you could help me out. lol
    Thanks,
    Brittany :)

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  79. I love the large patterns. Can you kindly share the template with me? I will be doing this on to my new home Thanks for sharing! plz send to zhem4uzhena@gmail.com

    God Bless

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  80. the wall is just amazing, you are so brilliant!!!

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