One Color, Two Finishes: Gloss/Matte Stripes

If you like painted stripes on walls, but are looking for a subtle combo, consider using the exact same color but contrasting finishes. A semigloss and matte stripe gives you texture without the high color contrast. Here are a couple of examples:

This bedroom's walls are a soft green color painted in extremely wide stripes. We're not sure where this room is originally from, but we found it through a website called AV Forums.

This dining room uses one brown color but two different finishes: flat and satin. Read a full how-to at The Painted Surface

We think this gloss/matte technique could look great in other patterns, too. Perhaps a lacy white gloss over a ground of white matte? What do you think - are contrasting finishes any more paletable than contrasting colors?

Comments (35)

I adore Tord Boontje lamps, and think you have an amazing room it in, great work!

Fun idea.

Oooooh, mama like!

Weird, I have been pondering this idea for my bathroom. I love it, very subtle.

I LOVE this look! I think it would be beautiful with many patterns besides stripes.

I did it in orange.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39841889@N03/4332713521/

this is funny. i told my mom to do this in the living room when i was about 10 and she actually listened to me! it came it really well too from what i can remember.

This is a really great idea.

Hmm. I really like the concept, but I'm not loving the way it looks in #1 - the glossy part kind of looks like plastic strips or tape. #2 is pretty nice, though. I'd love to see this with strips of varying widths too!

@ missmay you have TWO great danes? Jealous. Room looks great too.

This would be awesome in a bathroom or bedroom. Love it

I like it in narrow 2-3" stripes but I guess that would be too labor intensive.

The painting contractor I worked for ten years ago had us do this in a bathroom of the suite we were hired to paint in a local design house. The stripes were about 4 inches wide, and the end result was lovely....it was the prep and masking that was a pain in the butt. Be sure when masking to ensure that paint does NOT seep under the tape, by brushing on a quick layer of the masked off color first, before putting on the opposite finish (hope that made sense).

I am looking forward to doing this effect one day with something more ornate than just stripes.

I like it but dont think I would have the patience to do a room, maybe an accent wall.
missmay, your photos are too cute, your pups look so relaxed.

we did this in a lighter medium grey in our bathroom with eight in ch stripes. it looks really great :)

This is such an easy way to bring sophistication to a room, with not a lot of money. I'd love to try this one day- perhaps in a kids room!

I did this by accident when I mixed up my oops paints of slightly different color and sheen and decided to go ahead and make loose stripes. After 10 years I am ready to re-do it.

thebev - that'd be so cool. Maybe a matte wall with semigloss stencil? <3 I just finished painting the bathroom and now I want to go back. Hmm...

In the mid-90's I did this in our stairwell, with white-on-white. today, I would not have the patience as it was very labour-intensive, and the paint seeping out from the tape was a real problem. It did, however, look very nice.
I'm surprised it is still "in style"

Have this look in my living room- done 7 years ago. I think I got the idea from Trading Spaces...

What a great way to add subtle texture to a room!

My grandmother did this with a diamond pattern on a wall - it looks great.

missmay, love your stripes, and love your babies!

I've wanted to do this for a while - thanks everyone for the helpful tips! I've also heard that you can paint the entire room in a matte finish and then go back and add stripes of a clear semi-gloss medium. Does anyone have experience with this? If so, which would you advise?

I love tone-on-tone white or gray or platinum wallpaper and this may be the less expensive option.

Using contrasting sheens for painting the walls creates great interest for a monochromatic paint color. It works... I really enjoy with light green room more than the brown room. It may work better with some colors vs. others.

I love it!

I am LOVING the brown!!!!!

The subtle change in finish is clever, but I have to say the big fat stripes are starting to look really dated to me.

Idea: I'm in the midst of a bathroom remodel, and the contractor (my dad, who is working for free) is not giving me a lot of choices! The paint is where I get to express myself.

There's going to be white wainscoting to a shelf, and the paint above may have to be sage/mint green. I wanted to put a little pattern in it, but afraid to add another color into the mix...and worried about aligning stencils. But what about doing this lace stencil (http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/enlarged_photo.php?id=1194&view=1) in gloss or glaze over eggshell finish?

And, just saw the price for that stencil...ouch! Maybe something a little simpler...

Looks half baked to me.

I totally did this three years ago in a studio I lived in. I got the idea from a Victoria Secret bag...

http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/dF9IIagLXgfP1qbV11ELsg/l

I don't have pictures of it but we also did it in a commercial job. We did the wall purple (matte) and the company's logo in semi gloss. Turned out great.

@ rachelbarker: I did the entire red wall (above) in a flat red and then went back and taped over them with thick (unmeasured) stripes for the semi-gloss finish. I like the light green because it looks most subtle.