How to Paint a Colorblocked Accent Wall
Give Your Bedroom a Mod Makeover With a Colorblocked Accent Wall
Colorblocking is a trend that's still having a moment, in everything from home decor to fashion and beauty — so why not apply it to your walls? Painting a colorblocked wall is the perfect way to add a bit of visual intrigue to a room without putting in too much decorating effort; it provides an interesting backdrop to the rest of your furniture pieces without overpowering them. For a neutral that's still a bit bold, try out this shade of mustard yellow from Sherwin-Williams called Trinket SW 6685, an excellent choice for brightening up a bedroom or foyer. To take the guesswork out of the whole process, we've detailed every single step you need to take to make your colorblocking dreams a reality. So head to your local Sherwin-Williams store, grab your cans, and get rolling!
Find Your Color Inspiration
Have an object whose color really speaks to you? Perhaps a vase, blanket, or piece of art? Use it as your paint color inspo! The Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap® Visualizer app has an easy-to-use Color Match feature to make finding the exact shade a breeze. Just take a picture of the object, drag the bubble over the color you're looking for, and the app will give you the Sherwin-Williams color you've always wanted.
Assemble Your Tools
What you'll need:
- Depending on the size of the wall you're painting, 1 to 2 gallons of Sherwin-Williams Emerald® Interior Paint in Trinket SW 6685
- Level
- Ruler
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Drop cloth
- Painter's tape
- 1 paint roller and heads
- 1 paint trays
- 1 small paintbrush for edging
Prep the Wall
- Tape the bottom of the wall or baseboard with the painter's tape and a drop cloth. Move the drop cloth about an inch away from the wall so that the tape will stick to both the floor and the drop cloth.
- Measure how high you want the colorblocking to be. We recommend about 4 feet. Using a measuring tape set to 4 feet from the floor, make a pencil tick every foot or so along the wall.
- Use a ruler to draw a line in pencil, connecting each tick along the wall.
- Stick your painter's tape slowly above the line, using a level to make sure your line is superstraight.
- Add a second strip of tape about halfway up the first piece of tape to ensure that even a sloppy paint stroke won't get paint above the tape.
- If you don't want the connecting walls on either side to be painted, use painter's tape at the corners to protect the adjoining walls.
Get to Painting!
Now for the fun part! Start by using the paintbrush for edging along the floor, ceiling, and corners. Then, use the roller to get the large parts of the wall painted. Do your first coat, and let the wall dry for about an hour before starting on the second coat. When the paint is still tacky from the second coat, carefully pull the painter's tape off the wall. And voilà!
Style Your Room
Let the second coat of paint dry for at least two hours before starting to put your room back together. Let the mustard color be your guide when choosing decor for your room — choose complementary neutrals like dusty-rose pinks, off-whites, and natural fibers like jute and rattan. When in doubt, keep it light and warm! Then sit back and relax as the compliments from your guests roll in.
Credits: Photography: Philip Friedman; Art Direction: Meg Konigsburg; Prop Styling: Aja Coon; Production: Andi Nash
