Going Faux: How Stripe Painting Personalizes Your Pennsylvania Home
Southeastern Pennsylvania is a region rich with a tradition of independence, both historically and personally. Our homes are often the same ways. We like to show who we are, and using interesting and creative designs is one of the best ways to do that. Faux finishes are a fantastic way to personalize your space while making the most of architectural features and complementing your interior design. One of the easiest and most flexible ways of going faux is through striping. Painted stripes add interest and dimension, giving you the finished appeal of a truly custom, professionally decorated room. Whether your style is elegant and sophisticated or bold and playful, the versatility of stripes gives you virtually unlimited options to bring new life to your living spaces.
Using Orientation to Maximize Appeal
Stripe orientation is the first order of business. Vertical stripes are the most common option and are neutral enough to be classic and subdued or strong and vivid depending on your paint selection. Vertical stripes also have the ability to create the illusion of height in rooms with low ceilings or draw attention to the generous ceiling height found in many Southeastern Pennsylvania homes.
Horizontal stripes are a refreshing, modern alternative to vertical striping that can serve to complement modern spaces or act as an interesting contrast to more traditional architecture. They also have the added benefit of making your room appear wider and more spacious, making them ideal for small spaces and giving narrow walls the illusion of width.
Selecting the Right Width
When creating your striped design, consider the dimension and function of your room. If you are working in a large space, thin stripes can be overwhelming, messy, and disorienting. Likewise, wide stripes in a small room can emphasize the diminutive size of the space and lower their impact. Selecting a stripe size that is proportionate to your room will optimize the pleasing aesthetic effect. For a playful effect, consider varying stripe width.
Going Bold
When you add stripes, your walls move from the background to center stage. As such, it is critical to consider color choice in the context of your overall design scheme to ensure that all the elements of your design work together to form a harmonious whole. If your furniture, artwork, and accent pieces include a great variety of colors and textures, going for boldly colored or high-contrast stripes is not likely to yield a pleasing result. High impact colors work best in spaces with thoughtfully chosen, stripped down interior elements and solid furnishings that won’t compete with your walls. By playing off your existing color palette and punctuating your room with smartly selected accents, you can create a cohesive space that allows your stripes to shine. Small spaces like bathrooms and foyers can be ideal areas to experiment with strong hues and contrasts without worrying about competing elements.
Subdued Stripes
In areas that already include bold design elements or spaces without consistent color schemes, more subdued stripes can add interest and dimension without disrupting the balance of the picture. Here, tone-on-tone or low-contrast stripes are often the best choice. Something as simple as using white with cream can instantly add depth and elegance while allowing the walls to remain supporting actors, not the stars of the show. However, subdued does not have to mean sticking with light, neutral colors. Alternating flat and glossy finishes of the same color is a great way of adding sophistication and style while allowing even darker or more lively colors to fit seamlessly into your overall design scheme.
Going Pro
The highly customizable and transformative nature of stripe painting makes it an appealing option for many homeowners. However, the extensive prep work and labor-intensive painting process can make even devout stripe-lovers hesitant to implement the effect in their own homes.
That’s where Nolan Painting comes in. Our professional color consulting experts have years of experience beautifying Southeastern Pennsylvania homes and will work with you to create the perfect design plan for your space based on the function of the room, light conditions, architecture, décor, and your own personal taste. Their knowledge of both classic paint schemes and the latest trends make them an invaluable asset to your design process. Our expert painters then bring your design to life. From our meticulous prep work to our thoughtful finishing touches, we create perfect, consistent striping that adds to the beauty of your home and creates exactly the effect you are looking for. Contact us to learn more about our full range of professional paint services or to schedule your free consultation.