painted wallpaper how-to & share your project
Painting ‘wallpaper’ in my office has been one of the most ambitious projects I’ve done … but it totally paid off. Even after eight months, I still love it. And I’m pretty fickle, so that says a lot.
I know many of you have done your own versions and I’m so excited to see what you’ve accomplished. At the end of the post, you can link to your blog to share.
If you are thinking about painting the wallpaper pattern, you can read the first tutorial {HERE}. I’ve updated the template, which you can also find at the end of this post.
One question that I get from time to time is “how do you create the double lines?”. So here is a mini-tutorial on how it was done. For ease, I did this on our large chalkboard with a chalk pen, so just pretend that it is a wall, I am tracing with a pencil, and that I am using a paintbrush and paint to fill it in.
First, cut out your pattern.
Next, start at the top of your wall {or chalkboard, in my case} and trace around the pattern.
To get the double line, move the template down and space it out about 1/2 inch from the first.
When you trace it, it will look like this:
Keep going …
… and you’ll eventually cover your surface.
When you are ready to paint, use a 1/4 inch flat artists’ brush and paint along the inside of each shape.
Here is how it looked when I really did it.
If you look closely, you’ll notice some pencil lines. I suppose I could have erased them when the paint was dry, but they don’t bother me. The finished walls are not perfect, but they are interesting and add subtle pattern and they make me smile.
If you’d like to give it a try, you can download the template below.
{click to download}
Now, if you’ve done your own painted wallpaper, please share you project!
. instructions .
1. link directly to your post {not just your blog}
2. add the ‘share your project’ link button to your post {copy & paste}
Enjoy clicking around for lots of painted wallpaper inspiration!
Alaina
I like how you took a project that looked so hard and made it so simple. I will give you a trick I was taught in regards to the pencil lines. Use a pencil with the color similar to the color of the paint, there is less chance of seeing the pencil line.
Amanda
I used your pattern to paint my office walls. Took many, many naps to complete
I wasn’t able to figure out how you did the double lines at the time so mine has the single line but I love it. I don’t have a blog to link up to show you the pictures but it turned out fabulous! Thanks for the inspiration!
Cheryl Kanenwisher
Gorgeous! How long did that take you?
Bonnie
you did this by hand and not a stencil??? I am so impressed. You are better than michelangelo… I’m sure he didn’t have your patience!
jami nato
thanks for the template…maybe i’ll try this on a small wall?
cailan
I haven’t done anything like it…yet. But it’s absolutely wonderful inspiration.
Kelly
I was inspired by your and decided to do a stencil on my kitchen floor:
http://backtodomestics.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-stenciled-floor.html
and this is my tutorial: http://backtodomestics.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-painted-subfloor.html
LOVE it. So fun to have some pattern!!
Ariel Fishel
Love this! I haven’t done anything like this before, but this sure is making me want to!
Kelly
oh PS I’m also super inspired by your chalkboard wall and that’s coming soon!
Meg
Thanks for the painted wall paper inspiration and the link-up!
I did and I loved it and I would do it again!
Mallory
How ironic that you did a post on this today! Over the weekend I decided that I am going to try this in my bedroom. I stared at your tutorial for-ever trying to figure out how it works…and today you totally cleared it all up for me! THANK YOU!
Allison
I LOVED doing this project! It took a ton of time but was SO worth it! Check mine out here: http://www.allisonmariephotographyblog.com/new-office-revealed/
Teresa
i love that you did it as an accent wall, that’s how i wanted to do mine but i wasn’t sure how it would look thanks for the pic! sorry for my spelling it is late
jami nato
oh my word, i’m sorry…i thought this was for any room project…totally did not read the instructions. you can totally remove my link if you want. blame it on the pregnancy??
landeelu
I’m so glad you’re doing this link party! I’ve been wanting to show you how you inspired my entry way but wasn’t really sure how to go about it. Thanks so much for the fab idea and template!
molly
so pretty!
Kacey @ Shes.No.Martha
I still love this and long to do it…just not sure how much wine it will take to get up the nerve to do it!! Question for you…now that you have this gorgeous wall, how do you hang things? Only with Command Strips?
Please, tell me what it takes to get started!!!
Sandra
I laughed when I saw your link party as I’m almost finished the hallway to our boys rooms. What good timing! I’ve done the top of the wall using your stencil and the bottom part of the wall doing board and batten (well, the batten bit anyway!) I’m up to filling the gaps then can paint the battens, then I’m all done. I’ll link up once it’s finished!
Karen
Looks fantastic – as I was walking home this evening, I just realized this would be the perfect inside background on an old secretary cabinet I’m painting. Looking forward to trying it, but it may take a while to show you pictures!
On another note, I’ve been looking everywhere for chalk pens but they don’t seem to sell them where I live (I’m a rural Canadian). Can you tell me where you get yours? Maybe I can find some next time I travel south. Thanks.
Jill Leaming
I am so glad that you posted this. I have been thinking about doing it for a while and have been a little nervous. So it is nice to have more pointers
Do you happen to remember the color of the paint that you used for the beigeish color of your wall? I really love it
Lisa
Emily, THANK YOU for sharing that template! I did an accent wall in my foyer last fall and love it every day!
Madaline Meatte
OMG, I need to paint the wall I’m going to real quick so I can add it!!! The pressure is on!
Janell Beals
Adore your project, just stunning. No wonder it has stood the test of some time!!
Janell
Shelley
Just wanted to let you know I have a blog crush on you!!! Let me explain. I was just over at Vintage Revivals where she was hosting a Blog Crush Link Party, and I added you
You always inspire me and when I see a new post of yours in my email I get all giddy. Yep, definitely a crush, ha!
Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out – http://vintagerevivals.blogspot.com/2011/04/who-is-your-blog-crush-linky-fiesta.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20VintageRevivals%20(Vintage%20Revivals)
Shelley
Kori@midesignmoxie
I wish I had the patience to stencil a wallpaper wall in my office. I love how it turned out but I am not a patient girl. It is so gorgeous, I would still love it for years and years and years as well!
Melanie - lovingthemaking.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for posting this! Great tutorial and thanks for letting us who have tried it showcase on your amazing website. I hope you continue to do more of this
Midwest Magnolia - Melissa Lewis
LOVE it, so gorgeous!!!
Tatum
Thanks for hosting this! I followed your tutorial a while ago, but you didn’t have the double line part on there or I missed it , so I free handed it lol. But hey, thanks for this post! It will be really helpful going forward.
Have a great day!
painted wallpaper {a tutorial} | jones design company
[...] download the template that I used, click here.Need help understanding the double lines? Read this new post. Share this tutorial & template with your friends via facebook Sharevar [...]
Liz@PeaceofHome
it’s been on my to-do-list for a while! and I am finally getting around to it! thanks so much for the free stencil – can’t wait to get started!!
Julie
This has been on my “to do” list since you originally posted it. I did “get” the double line part based on your first post, but it’s even more helpful to see it laid out like you did on the chalkboard (great idea!). Thanks for giving such detailed instructions and even providing the template. Everything you create is so amazing. You are very creative and talented!
Heather West
I did this on one of the walls in my living room and I LOVE how it turned out! I did mine very high contrast with a dark blue and a light gray and I love, love, LOVE it!
http://heatherlynnnabers.blogspot.com/2011/06/big-news.html
Maria Lucas
i want to do this in my daughter’s room but we have textured walls. i can’t quite tell from your photos but does this process require flat drywall or do you think it would take on texture?
Michelle
I wonder if I could make a stamp out of this stencil? My room is very big so there is no way I could undertake this project working full time with a 16 month old at home. Plus I don’t trust my ability to paint within the lines. But I would be willing to make a stamp and stamp away!
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Lauren
I planned on using your template to do my dining room wall. I wanted to use a metallic acrylic paint. I tested the paint on a piece of cardboard. It looked kinda streaky. Do you recommend a different brush/sponge. Or, do you think it’s the acrylic paint that makes it look like that? Thanks
Tricia
Love this look! I’ve actually used the stencil to paint a rug. I painted the entire inside one color and then went back and used a different color to paint the thin spaces left. Turned out so good:) Thanks so much for the stencil!!
Deborah
SPECTACULAR!!!
Christy
LOVE it! Thanks for posting the detailed tutorial–I needed it.
I did my entire laundry room, which is small, but it still seemed to take forever. It was so worth it, though–it looks a thousand times better now!
Here’s the direct link:
http://www.11magnolialane.com/?p=1439
chinamommy
Just now starting this on my master bedroom wall… WALL, not walls
Robin egg blue walls with silver design! I’ll post pictures on my blog and come back and tell you when it’s done…. around Christmas!
~cm
karen
Do you think it will work the opposite way? I have a white-ish wall and a ton of tan-ish, blue, light green, yellow, and I wanted to do the stencil lines painted in a color on one of my kitchen walls… Maybe the white wal with the stencil lines being light green (which is one of the three that would match)… So hopefully it will look good yeah?
Oh, by the way, I love your website..
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[...] this inspiration via Pinterest and the wall treatment specifically was from my new favorite blog: Jones Design Company. Soooo here it was [...]
Tessa
We just bought a house and completely remolded the living room. I wanted wall paper but of coarse soon realized the price and decided to go with stencil. Yours was the first i saw and was in love. I did the single lines, a sandy brown over sea foam green/aqua (not quite sure). I painted a few of them white just to make it interesting. I only did one wall because the opposing wall is the sandy brown. I am very happy and proud of myself. Thank you so much.
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[...] painted wallpaper {clarified} [...]
Madara
Hi,
Have been thinking about doing this for 2 months since I saw your post http://chezmadam.blogspot.com/2011/12/akcenta-siena-gulamistaba-apgleznota-ar.html. Now this tutorial has travelled all the way to Latvia in my blog. Thanks so much for this I really enjoyed all the work.
Amy @ A New Old House
Love your blog, lots of inspiring stuff!
Here’s my version of the painted wallpaper…
http://new1790house.blogspot.com/2011/11/dressing-up-wall.html
It was a VERY small wall, but figured that it’s a good place for my first time doing something like this. Thanks for the tutorial!
Briony
I plan on doing this in my nursery. Did you blow your template up at all or use the size you provided? Also, what paint brand and colors did you use? I am excited to see the finished product – thank you for sharing!
Shawn
I was so impressed with this when I saw it that I just had to try it myself. It is hard!!!!! I am even more impressed now.
I tried to do it as a backsplash and am having a hard time painting nice even lines at an awkward angle (leaning over the counter). Also my pencil lines really show.
You are one talented lady!
Monique
I have been looking around for a stencil because I am too much of a chicken to put up wallpaper. I tweaked your stencil (made it about 25% smaller and adjusted some of the lines/ curves) and now I have a stencil that is very similar to one I almost purchased at cutting edge stencils. I can’t wait to use this!
Lauren
Thank you so much for this inspiration. I am currently in the middle of doing this in my office. Did you recommend multiple coats of the white? I sort of think my walls might need it but I am having a hard time convincing myself to do it 2x.
Alison
Thank you! I think I’ll give this a try in my soon-to-be daughters nursery:) I may just try it on one wall as an accent. We’ll see:) Thanks!!!!