Chic-It-Yourself Painting.

In honor of moving this week, I'm writing a post on some painting techniques that I have used around my own home.

Below: In our office I used a metallic glaze over the top of an orange. I bought the long, hard bristol applicator brush that gives it that brushed metal look. It was kind of difficult, actually, and if I were to do it again, I would do it over a grey base wall color or a green. You can find both the glaze and paint at Lowes. Below: This is our Master Bedroom. In a magazine, Creative Home (published by Better Homes and Gardens), I found this stenciling technique and I really like it.

To create: Paint the top half of the room a lighter color and the bottom a dark (for best results). Using a stencil, apply the paint from top half onto the bottom half. Gives a kind of a "bleeding" look. I used a Damask stencil I ordered online. I love Damask patterns!

Above: Stripes are "in" right now, but I would like to say that the stripes in my guest room (now my sons room) originated from my own brain 4 years ago (surprising, yes) and not from a magazine or a t.v. show on that HG station. I was daydreaming about what to do in there and the idea just popped in!

To Create: I found the best way to do stripes is to paint the lighter color all over and do the darker on top. The taping and measuring to ensure the stripes are the same width apart is time consuming! Be prepared! Also, using two monochromatic colors give the best results. Here I used two shades of a light lime green.

This also a "Stacey Original" I wanted to define the dining space in our kitchen, so I painted a different, cordinating shade of green around the window. This works because it draws your eye to the space and it becomes part of the window.

Paint can be used to liven or define any space. Painting an architectural element like a collum, post, nook, or arch in your house can really emphasize that detail and make that space become more your own.