Chev-right? Chev-rong...

I may have a obsessive small love for painting walls. While wall paper is lovely, I have 80 year old plaster walls that take years off my OCD life when I'm trying hang something let alone smooth it out. I mean they are so lumpy and uneven I think the handyman special they hired to build this place...well they better have gotten a good deal that's all I'm saying.

My favorite paint is Valspar Ultra Premium from Lowe's. Oh, and did I mention my husband works there? BONUS! It's a primer/paint in one and while they say it is a one coat paint you still need two on those darker colors. My home improvement store of choice also carries Olympic and while it's an okay paint, especially their new product ONE, I use it more for stenciling and accents. Valspar wins hands down for full coverage.

Last year the Chevron popped up on the internet with the introduction of Pintrest. I knew as soon as I saw them that they had to grace a wall somewhere in the house. So I procrastinated thought long and hard for 6 months trying to decide where I was going to put them. Did I want a bold in your face pattern, small and subtle, a whole room, or a small accent wall? So many choices to introduce this zig-zag in all it's glory! Well hallelujah the decision was made last week that they were going in our bland, boring, blue bedroom. I went online to learn the best way to go about this project and three seconds later I had 220,000 results. Ummm...I think I'm a little behind on this trend. Seriously, the pattern in on everything from walls to pencils. LAME! Now I like trends just like the next person, but is there anything worse then having someone walk into your house or look at your outfit and say "oh, you're doing that too?" Maybe not, but I think it's a death blow to my project ego.

So as I went to bemoan the bad news to Ryan, who thought he was going to have to listen to another 6 months of indecision, he said "so what, you like it." However, there was NO WAY I could bring myself to be so unoriginal, so I upped the ante and did this...

BOOM!

The base is Valspar Ultra Premium in egg shell Mercer Blue and the herring bone was painted with Olympic Premium satin Smoke Screen (for a little sheen). A word for the DIY ambitious out there, while it may look hard and probably not for a beginner. I wouldn't say it's more then an intermediate project if you're familiar with painting.

Mercer Blue base coat

First you have to grid your wall to the size you want. The pattern is the same as painting a chevron, but you're cutting it in half so every other rise or dip is painted. I chose an 11.25 inch horizontal with a 4 inch vertical peek. This gave me 11 columns and 11 rows, which is convenient for a grid I must say.

So once the grid is marked you take your tape and connect the dots. Make sure that you are taping on the side of the line that won't be painted otherwise you will have a really thick base stripe and a thin accent stripe. I use a product called Frog Tape that is 1 inch. It is a little more expensive then Scotch Blue, both have the quick cure adhesive that sets the paint edge for no bleeding. I find that the Frog Tape with its thicker strip does a better job on the plaster wall when you are doing detail work like this.

Once done there will be an overlap like this that will need to be cleaned up so you get a straight paint line.

This is where a yard stick comes in handy. I have a plastic one with a level in it, which is a life saver (I may have stolen it from my parents). Hold it up through the peeks of the tape and use an Exacto blade to cut the edge straight.

There may be places where you have to cut overlapping tape that will hang into the area to be painted.

Now I forgot to take pictures for this next step, my photographer had run to Lowe's to get me more tape, but i'll try to explain it. 

After the grid is done you start painting. This is where I use the Olympic Premium, not only is it a lower VOC but it's fairly thin and that keeps the paint from bleeding under the tape. I did two VERY light coats and used a 4" multi purpose Purdy roller. If you notice in the next picture that half that wall in blue tape, that would be the Scotch Blue I was referring to. Apparently, Lowe's will no longer be carrying Frog Tape. And as you will see in a moment, you will understand why I will now be purchasing my Frog Tape at Sherwin Williams.

So like I said, two VERY light coats of Smoke Screen and this is what you'll have.

Wait for it to dry, about an hour, and start carefully peeling the tape off.

My husband everyone...isn't he a hunk?!

If you use the Frog Tape on old walls like mine you will have nice crisp lines. If you use the Scotch Blue, you'll tend to run into this...

GRRRRRRRRR

Thankfully, the bleeding is on a wall getting artwork and some floating selves in the future. Most of the wall will be covered up, and honestly unless your face is 6 inches from the wall (I mean isn't that where everyone stands?) it all blurs together and you can't really see it. If you want to the bleeds can be fixed with a little artist brush and some base color paint.

So you saw it here first, Herring Bone is the new Chevron!! And while it may make you cross eyed and cramp your hands the end result is well worth it.

please advert your eyes from the hutch and ancient tv