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How to paint a gingham feature wall

Nicely painted kid's bedroom.

Overview

Featuring clean lines, a minimalist approach, and pastel accents inspired by nature, the Pure Living aesthetic is designed to be calming, soothing and inspiring. Pure Living celebrates mood-boosting, tonal shades and pristine finishes. You can embrace this theme with a crisp gingham check feature wall. It looks like high-end wallpaper, but it's created using standard paint, a level, and lots of tape.

For this room, we picked four shades of a calming, green hue. To select a palette, choose the boldest, most saturated colour first, then work through dark-mid and light-mid paint shades until you reach the palest tone.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment. Always store products out of the reach of children and pets and always work in a well-ventilated area when working with paint. 

Steps

  1. 1

    Prep, then paint the base colour

    Clean the bedroom wall with sugar soap wipes and place a drop sheet on the floor. Using a roller with an extending handle and tray, apply two coats of the palest paint over the whole wall, allowing the paint to dry after each coat.

    Person painting base coat with paint roller.
  2. 2

    Measure, mark, and tape

    Decide on the width of your stripes, then mark on the wall using a tape measure and pencil. With a spirit level or laser level, mark equal vertical stripes from floor to ceiling, then apply painter’s tape outside the stripes to be painted.

    Person using a tape measure and pencil to mark width of stripes.
  3. 3

    Paint vertical stripes

    Using a clean roller and tray, apply two coats of the light-mid paint within the stripe tapes. Allow the paint to dry after each coat.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: Draw reminders, such as arrows, on the tape to show which sides to paint. 
    Person using paint roller to apply vertical stripes.
  4. 4

    Paint horizontal stripes

    Remove the vertical stripes of tape. Measure and mark equal horizontal stripes the same width as the vertical stripes, then apply tape. Using a clean roller and tray, apply two coats of the dark-mid paint within the stripe tapes. Allow the paint to dry after each coat.

    Finished horizontal stripes.
  5. 5

    Create the checks

    Do not remove the horizontal stripes tape from the bedroom wall. Mark the squares where the two mid-toned paints overlap, then mask with vertical strips of tape applied outside the squares. Using a clean roller and tray, apply two coats of the boldest paint within the squares. Allow the paint to dry after each coat. Remove all the tape.

    Person removing tape to show blue and white, gingham checks.
  6. 6

    Uncover the keys to creating a calming haven with Pure Living

    With gentle colours, calming and tactile features, and cocooning fabrics, introduce a sense of wellbeing to your space.



    Photo Credit: James Moffatt; (steps) Helen MacDougall

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Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.