Deco Ideas

Stripes, Leather-like Finish

Stripes, either wide or narrow, add elegance and sophistication to any interior. Whether they are vertical, horizontal or even diagonal, stripes provide a "trompe l'oeil" effect that changes the perspective of your room. With a little patience and a ruler, you will add style to your interior... at an affordable price. To help choose the colors that will most suit your interior, refer to the Voice of Color® Harmony Collection™ for the latest in color trends.

Step 1 — Preparation

If necessary, clean surface with TSP for better paint adhesion. Patch all holes and remove all peeling paint. For new surfaces that have never been previously painted, prime with SealGrip Int/Ext Stain Blocking Primer (17-21).

Step 2 — Base Color

Using a roller, apply a Porter® Paints eggshell finish latex paint Fresh Peaches 121-5 as a base color. Allow 6 to 8 hours to dry. Be sure to test your colors and technique on a practice board first.

Step 3 — Texture

Mix enough glaze for the entire project. In a plastic container, blend 3 parts Clear Blending Glaze to 1 part eggshell finish latex paint, color Firecracker 231-6. Pour into a pan. Dip rag into the tinted Glaze and wring out well. Scrunch your cloth and, working in approximately 24 in x 24 in irregular sections, lightly dab the wall, reducing the amount of pressure near the edges and keeping a wet edge so that you create an invisible joint between sections.

The glaze allows for an open time of approximately
15 minutes. As the rag begins to dry, change the way it is folded and continue constantly rotating in your hand to vary the design. Repeat the process until you cover the entire wall. When the first coat is completely dry, you can repeat the application steps by ragging a second coat of glaze until you obtain the desired effect.
Allow 24 hours to dry.

Step 4 — Masking

Using a level and a pencil, mark vertical 6 in wide bands, allowing a distance of approximately 10 in between each band.

Then, using the marks as a guide, apply painters tape outside each side of the bands you wish to rag the glaze on. Press tape firmly to prevent paint from running under the tape.

Step 5 — Finishing Texture

Prepare a new glaze mixture using color Firemist 232-6 and repeat step 3 on the unmasked areas. Remove tape as soon as you finish applying the glaze on these areas so that tape does not peel paint off.
Allow 24 hours to dry.

Back to Faux-Finishing techniques