Metallic Paint - Wide Horizontal Stripes

Are you thinking about creating an accent wall in your home that is bold, but TIMELESS?

I did.

When we first moved into our current home, I stood at the entrance of the dining room and just stared at the empty space. Ideas came and went as I was debating internally what to do with the walls. I wanted something bold (but not too loud) and timeless - perhaps, a wall that served as a statement itself without requiring a lot of additional decoration, artwork, etc. I thought about using a single accent color, but that didn’t seem enough. I thought about an elaborate wall gallery, but my dining room is not very spacious, so I didn’t want it to feel too crowded. I had previously used stripes before, but it was more subtle in that there wasn't significant contrast between the colors and paint finishes I chose. As I thought more about it, I just loved the use of stripes for an accent wall because I think it adds a certain element of energy as well as elegance to the space.

Though stripes have become increasingly popular over the past several years, I truly don’t think it really ever goes out of style. I decided to use stripes again for my dining room, but this time, I wanted something bolder. As I was shopping for paint at Home Depot, I came across paint in specialty finishes. One of these specialty finishes was metallic! Metallic paint sounded so neat and refreshing and bold! I used Ralph Lauren metallic paint in Wedding Silver (I can’t find this paint anymore, so I’m afraid it might be discontinued. =( Many other paint brands carry metallic paint, so let me know if you've tried any of them, so I can experiment next time I go metallic!).

While metallic paint sounded so neat, I was nervous to use this "special" paint because the thought of self-doubt crossed my mind that might cross many of your minds when you are experimenting with potentially risky ideas.  

What. if. it. looks. horrible!

The thing is...I am usually a planner, but there are times when I am unexpectedly spontaneous and decide to just go for it and worry about the consequences later... This was one of those times…I didn’t even have time to take a “before” picture because I just wanted it DONE. So I took the risk and all I knew when I started was that I wanted the stripes to be thick and dramatic. (Well I did know that I wanted an odd number of stripes; that way, when I alternate the colors, the top and bottom stripe would be the same color and would be symmetrical. I blame my OCD tendencies. Can anyone else relate?)

So there I am, measuring the wall and dividing the height by 7 for seven stripes and started taping up the walls to be prepped for paint. Finally, the painting began…I finished one wall and gave the paint some time to settle. A little bit later, I came back, nervous but excited to take off the tape. My heart was pounding, as I slowly peeled back the tape, one by one, careful not to accidentally remove paint in the process. After all the tape was off, I stepped back and immediately felt this overwhelming sinking sense of regret.

While it didn't look horrible, it also didn't have the effect I was hoping for. Or maybe it was exactly what I asked for...thick and dramatic stripes. To me, the metallic stripes initially seemed too overpowering and I thought, I probably shouldn't paint the opposite wall in the exact same way. If I did, then the room might look too busy or too heavy, as the metallic look weighed down the walls.

But I was too far along now to start over, so I thought what if I only painted half of the accent stripes on the opposing wall and decorate with wall decor of some sort. My left brain (aka OCD brain) was telling me the walls need to balance, and my right brain (aka creative brain) was telling me to use all my might to fight against it! So there you have it, my walls ended up not being symmetrical, and it doesn't bother me at all! I certainly didn't have the design for my dining room all planned out, and my dining room turned out like this.

(Make sure you don't miss my takeaways from this experience after the photos!)

Takeaway #1:  Metallic stripes can create a beautiful accent wall that is elegantly bold and timeless.  (It also serves as a great backdrop in photos! ;-) )

Takeaway #2:  Not everything needs to be symmetrical all of the time.  Sometimes, the asymmetry and the oddness is what makes a design creative and unique.

Takeaway #3:  It’s usually safe to go with your instinct, but sometimes it might just work out okay to fight against it.  (I think this one is just a reminder for me.)

Thank you for reading and all the way to the end!  Hope you have a wonderful day!