Zebra print isn't just for the wild. Apply it in your home, too.
Zebra print is a popular decorating print because it's an easily recognizable and adjustable pattern. While traditionally the pattern is more art deco in style given its sharp contrasts, the pattern is being applied to many different decorating styles as an accent or mimicked in different color schemes, as opposed to the traditional black and white. Painting an accent wall, accent strip or piece of artwork in zebra print is a fairly simple way to apply the look in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the area you wish to paint in zebra print and buy the recommended amount of black paint. Consult the advice of a local hardware or paint store associate to select the proper paint quantity and paint finish for your project.
2. Mark off the area you will be painting using painter's tape. Cover the floor with drop cloths and move or cover any furniture in the area.
3. Sketch the curvilinear zebra print pattern lightly onto the walls using a pencil. Remember the design doesn't have to be perfect or symmetrical but the combination of positive and negative (black and white) space should be equally balanced. Your zebra print will be series of linear, yet oblong stretches to be filled with black paint. Try printing an image of zebra pattern to use as a guide while sketching your pattern, or practice your design on paper first.
4. Cover the spaces in your design that you want to be white space using painter's tape. Cut or rip the painter's tape into small pieces and carefully retrofit the pieces into the desired space. Be sure your painter's tape is applied slightly within the pencil lines so they will be covered during the painting process. Use a sharp craft knife, if necessary, to cut away rough edges of the painter's tape for a crisp paint job.
5. Paint around the painter's tape to fill in the black spaces. Apply paint in a combination of overlapping strokes to fill in the surface, but do not paint with a brush that is too saturated with paint, as this may cause the paint to seep through or run over the painter's tape and ruin the design. Painting may require multiple coats to fill in the spaces completely, so allow each coat to dry completely before repainting to avoid streaks in the paint.
6. Gently remove the painter's tape before the last coat of paint is completely dry to avoid peeling the paint from the surface.
Tags: painter tape, zebra print, black paint, black white, using painter, using painter tape