today’s first diy project belongs to jennifer of fric and frac shop. jennifer entered this fun entryway project in the 2008 diy contest and was kind enough to send in her project instructions. if you live in a home or apartment where you’re allowed to paint this is a great way to add some visual interest to your home. it’s also a great alternative to patterned wallpaper if gluing isn’t your thing. jen used a bright red for high contrast but i think it would look equally lovely in shades of the same color for a softer look. want to try this in your home? click here for jennifer’s full instructions or just click “read more” below. enjoy!
Jennifer’s Red Lattice Entryway
What You’ll Need:
-Paint
-1 1/2 inch Painter’s Tape
-Ruler
-Pencil
-Paint Brush or Small Roller
1. Begin with a clean white wall. With a Ruler, decide how far you want the lines to be and mark where you want the tape to start on the right side of the wall. (I started each new line 11 inches apart._
2. Then begin taping the wall. Each piece of tape goes on the diagonal, parallel to the tape line that precedes. Once I decided where to start the tape on the right side I let the tape do the leading. The tape will fall in the right place as you go around corners if you keep it flat on the wall. Then do the same thing on the left and you will begin to form the lattice pattern.
3. Once all of the tape is on the wall, go over the edges of the tape and make sure there are no gaps on the edges of the tape or the paint will seep through. You can do this with your fingers or a bone folder. This will make sure you have sharp edges when you paint.
4. Then begin painting the insides of the diamonds with the paint color of your choice. I used Ralph Lauren’s Lattice Red. I did about three coats of the red paint to be sure the color was very opaque. Once you feel confident the color is the way you would like it, carefully remove the tape from the wall. It is best to remove the tape while the paint is still damp or the tape will remove the paint with it while it comes off. *A good painter’s trick is to use an exacto knife and cut along the edges of the tape first to make sure the paint won’t stick to the tape when you pull it up*
Have fun! - Jennifer