A whole new look for walls, furniture, and accents is often just a paintbrush away.
For our mini makeovers we chose a primary palette of sunny yellow, deep blues, and vivid fuchsia. The mix of hues works well because each of the bold colors is repeated at least twice in the space in varying intensities. To keep the geometric patterns from becoming too busy and rigid, softness is introduced through cushy and relaxed fabrics, the curves on the chair frame, and the circular plates on the wall.
Better a Bureau
Slick surfaces like melamine can be a challenge to paint with a smooth finish. Benjamin Moore’s Advance Waterborne Interior Alkyd formula is just the paint to give this dresser a showroom look.
The makeover gets a pattern upgrade with glue-on overlays attached to the plain drawer fronts. The Greek key motif is custom fitted to the size of our chest.
Gather your materials
- Drawer front appliques: Greek Key Double GKD629H
- Medium and fine-grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Primer
- Benjamin Moore satin sheen latex paint: Caribbean Blue Water #2055-30
- Finish sealer
Sand the top, sides, and drawer fronts of the chest and wipe thoroughly with a tack cloth; let dry. Mask off the chest front framework and prime the chest top, sides, and drawer fronts; let dry. Basecoat the top, sides, and drawer fronts of the chest with Caribbean Blue Water; let dry.
Apply two or three coats of finish sealer, letting dry between coats.
Apply Greek key appliques according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Draw on Pattern
Apply a honeycomb pattern to a glass candleholder or hurricane with a white paint pen. If you prefer to work from a template, print one in the size you want and tape it inside the glass to guide you.
Light Up a Lamp
Give a lamp new energy with a spray of jazzy color. Then, complete the makeover with a painted drum lampshade. Here, bands of gray interspersed with fuchsia play off the wall treatment.
Gather your materials
- Medium and fine-grit sandpaper
- Tack cloth
- Household trim brush
- Spray-on primer
- Benjamin Moore gloss sheen latex paint: Gypsy Pink #2077-40
- Benjamin Moore satin sheen latex paint: Stormy Monday #2112-50 and Brown Sugar #2122-20
- Craft stencil: Cutting Edge Stencil’s Tribe #CRO44-SM
- Absorbent paper towels
- Disposable plate
- Masking tape
- Stencil brush
- Stencil adhesive spray
- Finish sealer
Sand all surfaces of the lamp base and wipe thoroughly with a tack cloth. Apply one coat of spray-on primer; let dry. Using a household trim brush, basecoat the entire base with two or three coats of Gypsy Pink letting dry between coats.
Basecoat the lampshade with two or three coats of Stormy Monday letting dry between coats.
Use painter’s tape to cover three zigzag lines on the stencil. Spray the back of the Tribe stencil with the stencil adhesive. Apply the stencil to the lampshade.
Gently pat and smooth the stencil in place to ensure that all areas have adhered well.
Pour a small amount of Brown Sugar onto the disposable plate. Pick up a scant amount of paint on the stencil brush. Tap the loaded brush onto a stack of absorbent paper towels. Too much paint on the brush can cause the paint to bleed under the stencil. Using light pressure, apply the paint to the stencil.
Check to make sure all stencil openings have been covered and fill in where necessary. Remove the stencil; let dry. Repeat until the entire circumference of the lampshade is stenciled. Spray on additional stencil adhesive as necessary.
Remove the painter’s tape and apply tape above and below the previously taped-off zigzag lines. Place the stencil over the previously stenciled pattern matching the lines and apply Gypsy Pink to the open areas of the stencil.
Continue until the entire circumference is stenciled with the pink lines.
Apply two or three coats of finish sealer, letting dry between coats.
Paint Perky Plates
White plates from the dollar store get an art-worthy treatment with painter’s tape and vivid yellow spray paint.
Tape off parallel stripes on the plates with the tape. Apply two coats of Krylon’s Short Cut spray paint in Sun Yellow, letting it dry between coats. Remove the tape and hang the plates.
Get an Angle on Artwork
A composition of dynamic triangles created from leftover paint makes an arresting artwork inside a white-painted frame.
Gather your materials
- Canvas board
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Painter’s tape
- Leftover paints
- Brush
Using a ruler, draw your design on a piece of canvas board. With painter’s tape, mask off the first triangle, making sure the edges of the tape are securely adhered to the board for a crisp painted line. Paint inside the taped-off area and remove tape. Let dry and repeat for each triangle. When the artwork is complete, attach to frame and hang.
Stencil a Roman Shade
Paint your own patterns for a high-end look on fabrics and furnishings. This take on chevron was inspired by a designer fabric and created with masking tape and craft paint.
To paint fabric, always wash, dry and iron it first to remove sizing. Stretch fabric tightly over foam core or masonite and tape each side.
Gather your materials
- Fabric of choice (enough to make your Roman shade)
- Wide masking tape
- Acrylic craft paints: Medium values of yellow, pink, blue-green, blue, and grey
- Disposable plate
- Fabric painting medium
- Craft stencil: Royal Design Studio Herringbone Shuffle #7014
- Painter’s tape
- Stencil brushes
- Stencil adhesive spray
Wash, dry, and iron the fabric to remove sizing. Place the fabric face up on a large non-porous hard surface (a large piece of masonite works well) and secure with wide masking tape. Stretch the fabric tightly as you tape each side.
Spray the back of the herringbone stencil with the stencil adhesive. Apply the stencil to the fabric. Gently pat and smooth the stencil in place to ensure that all areas have adhered well. Choose the openings you want to paint with yellow.
Tape off any open areas that might unintentionally get painted as you stencil your first color.
Pour a small amount of paint onto the disposable plate. Mix equal parts of fabric painting medium into the paint puddle. Pick up a scant amount of paint on a stencil brush. Tap the loaded brush onto a stack of absorbent paper towels. Too much paint on the brush can cause the paint to bleed under the stencil. Using a circular scrubbing motion and light pressure, apply the paint to the stencil openings. Check to make sure all stencil openings have been covered and fill in where necessary; let dry. Wash and dry the stencil brush or use a fresh one.
Continue to tape off and stencil each color until all of the stencil openings are complete. Let dry and remove the stencil, lining up the register marks. Continue stenciling until the entire fabric yardage is complete.
Get the Edge
Geometric motifs, whether minimal triangles or complex polyhedrons, add a modern and sophisticated simplicity to your decor. Bring the best of this look home with these suggestions:
For a look you’ll love now and down the road, opt for the shapes that designers depend on. Incorporate stripes, Greek key patterns, diamonds, and hexagons for interiors that will transition well.
Most geometric shapes are defined by a crisp edge so include a few circles and curves to add softness to your design. An animal print such as zebra or leopard imparts a soft geometry, too, by virtue of their supple and organic qualities.
If you’re just diving into mixing pattern, start out small with quick changes such as a chevron-print pillow or throw and a striped rug.
Looking for a broad mix of geometric patterns without the visual chaos? Take a color-coordinated approach by choosing patterns in monochromatic schemes or a white-on-white look that minimize the competition for your eye.
When mixing your patterns, try to avoid putting the largest pattern next to the smallest. Instead, pair a pattern with it’s next largest or smallest to avoid one overshadowing the other.
Bold patterns will grab your attention when you enter a room but it’s also important to include some solid blocks of color to give the eye a place to rest and provide a grounding for the busy geometric motifs.
Produced by Meredith Drummond
Project painting by Pat Garrington
Photography by Cameron Sadeghpour
Unless otherwise noted, all paint from Benjamin Moore; benjaminmoore.com.
Dresser paint color—Caribbean Blue Water 2055-30, satin, in Advance Waterborne Interior.
Wall paint colors—Early Morning Mist 1528 and Senora Gray 1530. Chair paint—Sun Valley 350, gloss.
Floor cloth colors— Evening Blue 2066-20 or Blue 2066-10 with Rocky Mountain Sky 2066-40.
Lamp base paint— Gypsy Pink 2077-20, gloss.
Shade paint colors:
Base color—Stormy Monday 2112-50 (pale gray) with stenciled zigzags in Gypsy Pink 2077-20, Magenta 2077-10, Spring Azalea 2077-40, and Brown Sugar 2112-20.
Footstool—Body painted in Gypsy Pink 2077-30.
Footstool trim— Newbaum’s Cloth Tape in gray from Cycle Club Sports; cycleclubsports.com.
Chair fabric—Astamor in Ivory by Robert Allen Fabrics from the Essential Windows Collection/Linen Textures available at Calico Corners; calicocorners.com.
Dresser—Malm 3-drawer chest in white from IKEA; ikea.com.
Applique—Greek Key Double GKD629H, ½-inch thickness from Overlays: myoverlays.com.
Roman Shade stencil—Herringbone Shuffle from Royal Design Studio; royaldesignstudio.com.
Lamp shade and pillow stencils: Tribe stencil and Houndstooth craft stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils; cuttingedgestencils.com.
Yellow Stripes on plates, pattern on vase—Short Cut spray paint in Sun Yellow and Short Cuts paint pen in white from Krylon; krylon.com.
© Caruth Studio