Retro rules

Paint effects projects, from Your Home & Garden

Think of this paint effect as leaves for your wall, with the vertical stripe acting as the stalk and the horizontal stripes creating the ‘veins’.

Bold blue and crisp white contrast beautifully for a mid-century mod look but feel free to mix and match colour combos to suit your space.

Paint a retro effect for your lounge wall

Paint effects — make a style statement on your walls using this show-stopping painting technique

How to create this retro paint effect

Step 1: Paint the wall in two coats of Resene White Linen, allowing 30 minutes’ drying time between coats. Allow to dry (1-2 hours).

Step 2: Measure points equal distance apart along the top of the wall for the vertical stripes. Stick the end of a piece of masking tape to the marked points and let it hang in a straight line. The weight of the tape will create a perfectly straight line. Slowly stick the tape to the wall from top to bottom. You may need a helper to do this.

Step 3: Tear off segments of tape to create the horizontal lines or ‘leaf veins’. Avoid measuring or matching the horizontal stripes to create an organic look. Stick tape down firmly, pressing all along the edge of the tape.

Step 4: Use a small roller to paint inside the lines. Apply two coats, allowing 30 minutes of drying time between each coat. Allow to dry for 1-2 hours.

Step five: Peel off tape, removing the horizontal pieces first.

Top tip: Use any colour combination you like, or skip the first step if you want to keep your original wall colour.

Walls: Resene True Blue and Resene White Linen.

Accessories: See America’ framed print, Danish wing chair in Scooter Highlighter, Retro chair in Softly Seafoam, and sideboard, all from Freedom; Quadrille zig zag cushion and navy and white cushion, both from The Ivy House; Inka cushion from BoConcept; ceramic pot pendant light from Weekend Trader; Eric Bonnin bird vase, medium and Fort Standard glass vessels in white oak, all from Douglas and Bec; Alchemy Produx beaker candle and conical candle and Pony Rider ‘Mr X’ potato sack, all from Father Rabbit; Catalina vase from Country Road.