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#45 - David's Precise Stripes

Name: David
Location: Dallas, Texas
Type: 780-square-foot loft/Own

Why I use color: With a 12-foot-high 35-foot-long nightmare, err, wall to paint, finding the perfect colors through paint chips or magazine ads just wasn't realistic. At least for me, finding the right colors requires trial and error ­ a period of painting and living with the color ­ until I finally find the perfect fit.

I tried white. Too art gallery. Goat's blood red? Friends refused to come over. Sea foam green? Half the day it looked white, and at night grey. Boring.

How about stripes? Maybe a few different shades of brown, and then add a shock of pink enamel! 60 hours of taping and painting later, I look at that wall every day with a big grin on my face. Which is why I would do it all over again in a minute! Or at least in a year or two ...


 
 

10-30-stripes1.jpg

2 Good color tips:

1. You can achieve very precise stripes using a laser level (the kind that you can temporarily attach to any surface) and painter's tape. To get near-perfect stripes, after applying the tape, run a teaspoon along the entire length, on both sides of the tape, with heavy pressure. This will prevent almost all bleeding between colors.

2. For high-contrast (and high-drama) stripes, use different paint finishes for each stripe: Include enamel, semi-gloss and matte all on one wall!

2 Good color resources:

1. I think fashion and textile designers have amazing eyes for color. Men's ties are like mini swatches for great color combination ideas.

2. Just glancing around my office, I counted 25 different shades of green! I think even amateur eyes like mine can learn a lot about color just by being more observant and noticing the color in everyday objects you surround yourself with.

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Comments (28)

What innovative use of color! I adore thee...
And this is your sacred bedroom... Wow. I love the art and sculptural pieces. Zenlike, yet tres funky!
Two thumbs up!

posted by Lynn on 2006-10-30 10:43:27

These stripes are perfect. You did a great job and I like the tips with the teaspoon...

posted by Stephanie on 2006-10-30 11:01:11

this is great. so luxe and so tranquil. i don't think i could ever achieve that kind of balance.

posted by eric on 2006-10-30 11:13:05

Love it! Great use of color!

posted by D on 2006-10-30 11:21:18

Fantastic. The, line, the color balance, all of it. LOVE IT.

posted by billy on 2006-10-30 11:53:25

love this. never would've thought of it but really wish I did. FAB!

posted by betsy on 2006-10-30 12:01:34

That pink stripe is so fun! What a great zing of color! It really adds a contrast to the warm, sedate and structured colors and patterns. Very tongue-in-cheek. Super cool.

posted by laurie on 2006-10-30 12:27:12

I love the stripes and wall colors - you're right -it looks like a men's tie! Question though -did you measure out the stripes to be precise or are they more random? It's hard to tell....Would love to see more pictures!

posted by stefan on 2006-10-30 12:47:03

Very smart color combo and good clean lines. Way to go!

posted by Vince on 2006-10-30 12:59:59

I like this a lot, although that pink would keep me awake at night!

posted by sleeper on 2006-10-30 13:05:50

Wow ---- love the color combo. It is nice to see someone with really great fall colors for the contest. I agree with some other people that this was a fall color contest and not who has the most "Design out of Reach" furniture on lay-a-way contest.

posted by TDOG on 2006-10-30 13:19:08

This is amazing! I just moved into a place with a 9-foot-high, 35-foot-long hallway and have been struggling to find a way to paint it! Selfishly, I'd love to see more pictures..your color choice is great

posted by eolian on 2006-10-30 14:29:27

Not guts ... no glory

posted by jim on 2006-10-30 15:45:08

This is Wow Now. It is so creative and really packs a punch. Very creative and well done.

posted by jena on 2006-10-30 16:02:39

Sorry, but this was not a FALL COLORS contest but a Fall COLORS contest that happened in the Fall. I sure hope they change the name next year. If that was the criteria more than two-thirds of the entries wouldn't have been seen.

I wonder if that is the reason for so many No Way Jose's on perfectly lovely rooms; because they had no "fall colors".

posted by Lisa from VA on 2006-10-30 16:47:02


Love the colors. You certainly were creative and hard working to do such a fantastic job. Keep painting.

posted by Lee on 2006-10-30 17:47:51

I absolutely love the color combination. Brilliant!! And the stripes are done perfectly ... I can't believe you did it all by hand. The whole room is stunning!

posted by Leslie on 2006-10-30 18:03:49

David,
I admire the ardent process of painting one color and then changing and then deciding to go the route of stripes.

the first picture is VERY nice. But I get lost in the second one. And before I go further I must clarify that I'm going to talk not about color but about the overall design....:

The stripes seem to call for an organiztion that isn't there. the lines want to find something to attach to and the bed with the large space to the right of it don't do it.

I like the lamp hanging on the left of the bed and I like the light pillow with the light blanket (or bed cover or whatever is on the foot of the bed). I even like the buddha statue. But the other side of the bed with the urn and empty space is missing something for me.

I want to see something breaking the lines of the stripes and offering some kind of complimenting contrast.

Color wise (and as how we SHOULD be evaluating), I like the choice of colors a lot but I want to see them organized a bit more.

posted by -jo on 2006-10-30 23:06:05

okay...isn't everyone hungry to know the secret paint medley? please tell!

posted by sofia on 2006-10-31 02:23:59


I think you did a great job. What patience to paint all those stripes by hand. Keep up the good work.

posted by Stewart on 2006-10-31 04:27:42

I really can't imagine living here and I think it would date itself really fast.

posted by chris on 2006-10-31 12:52:23

Chris, stripes are absolutely timeless. And this is a technically brilliant use of color.

posted by Mike on 2006-10-31 13:49:00

Personally, I couldn't sleep here. The colours are not condusive to restful nights.

The mix of statues, modern stripes and more antique accesories and furnishings, while possibly nice in some cases, just doesn't work here.

Maybe it would have worked better in a dining or living room.....

posted by Athalie on 2006-10-31 14:21:50

David, you're a madman, the stripes are awesome. It looks like you have a beam ceiling, is that the case?

I think I would lose the 2 pink stripes above the bed and make that one fat brown stripe and instead add something pink to the bed itself. The pink is so daring, I think it should be used a tad more sparingly.I want to see more of that dark brown.

posted by Rebecca2 on 2006-10-31 15:13:07

I think the stripes must have been tedious to paint, so I hope you REALLY love this room. However, I am going to have to agree with whomever said "this will look dated very quickly." I can't quite put my finger on it, but something here seems out of whack to me. Maybe smaller pink stripes? Not sure. Regardless, I give you an "in contention" for marching to your own drummer and what appears to be a pristine paint job!!

posted by Elle on 2006-10-31 19:13:21

For the people who say they couldn't sleep in the room, do you try falling asleep with your eyes OPEN? And even if you DID (impossible), do you try falling asleep with the lights ON? Maybe your sleeping problem is more related to your inability to CLOSE your eyes and turn the lights OFF and NOT to the paint color in your room.

posted by Daily Nuance on 2006-11-01 12:18:08

Love it!

posted by merr on 2006-11-01 14:15:44

wOWZa! You made that neon pink work superb, kudos!

posted by gabbi on 2006-11-06 16:01:07

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