Reality Daydream

The Dream is Free, The Hustle Sold Separately

Budget Kitchen Updates! {Accent Wall and Faux Painted Backsplash!}

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The daunting lighting situation was finally resolved and cleaned up, and I had a glimmer of an idea to paint something special on this one wall! I toyed around with lots of different ideas. But in the end, I decided on this subtle swirly pattern. I chose flat paint for this one wall, and bought the same color (Pittsburgh Paints in Deep Emerald) in high gloss… I’m sure you could use a clear urethane and get the same effect. I just love the way it turned out. And it was super easy… took an afternoon to complete.

I photocopied a swirly pattern (stock photo) onto a transparency, and using an overhead projector, blasted the image up onto the wall and traced it with a pencil! If you try this, be sure to use a pencil that’s close in color to the wall paint. Otherwise you’ll find yourself having to do several coats just to cover up your blasted pencil lines. Does it sound like I learned that the hard way? Well your right.  Below is a copy of the swirly image I used! Feel free to copy!




And I only used this much paint for the whole project. Too bad they don’t sell paint by the tablespoon!

 Okay Okay, here are the after photos. It may not be a ‘remodel’ since all we did was paint the walls and backsplash and put in new lighting, but we feel like it’s a huge transformation! The cabinets, appliances, flooring… all the same as they were before. But man, changing the lighting to recessed can lights made a HUGE difference. Yes? I feel like my kitchen glows!  

If you decide to try out a tone-on-tone pattern project, be sure to send us pics! We love to see what other creative minds come up with!

You can click on these pics to see the ‘before and after’ larger!

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Comments

  1. 112

    We have a client of ours that asked us to repaint her living room for her and I personally don’t have much experience painting kitchens. Came across this post and it helped a lot! P.S. Really like the emerald color you used!

    Reply
  2. 113

    This has been my dream to do on some wall for at least 5 years. Today i started in it my office. As it has been my dream wall it will be the wall my dream board wall will be on, and the wall that I face while riding my indoor bike. It may have gotten covered in your world but that is the beauty of pinterest…it lasts forever. Thank you for the inspiration.

    Reply
  3. 115

    First of, I,would kill for your kitchen. My little galley kitchen might be okay for a man who uses a microwave most of the time (my husband before we were married) but not me. But, soon that will be changed. Knocking out a wall and getting a better floor plan. Not much bigger but more strange and counter space yippee! And yor wall, well it’s just gorgeous. So glad I found your blog. It’s full of wonderful ideas. Passing it to my sister.

    Reply
  7. 122

    Congratulations, I am Brazilian and I know his work first. I was in love.

    Parabéns, sou brasileira e estou conhecendo seu trabalho pela primeira vez. Fiquei apaixonada.

    Reply
  9. 125

    This is one of my first pins on pinterest, and I can’t wait to try it on my wall! I have a question though – the picture of the swirl stock art doesn’t show up in the article – it says the link is broken. Not sure if that is just me (I can see the other pictures). Would it be possible to check the link or send me the file? I love the swirls and have been searching for something similar but can’t find anything!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  10. 127

    What a great idea! I was going to use a pale metallic (Modern Masters in oyster) over bright white to stencil damask patterns on all four walls, but now I think I’ll alternate walls (oyster, glossy white, oyster, glossy white) for the tone on tone. Or no.. Maybe I can alternate wall colours instead to create several layers of interest. Thanks so much for the inspiration! 🙂

    Reply
  14. 132

    Hi Beth,

    I’ll add my love, along with everyone else. But I am curious as to the paint color of the island? That green is amazing. Will you share?

    Thanks,

    Livlife

    Reply
  15. 133

    Hi Heather,
    You did a beautiful job on your swirls. Simple and sophisticated with a touch of whimsy. I just thought I would share a photo one of our customers sent us that uses flat, semi gloss and glossy paint to get a similar effect. She chose our Bamboo Silhouette wall mural. We provided the pattern and transfer paper and she provided the paint and effort. It really did turn out beautiful. She won 1st Place in our Photo Contest! And you can see why. Check it out: http://elephantsonthewall.com/contest-winners/summer-2012

    Reply
  16. 134

    I LOVE this look. I was planning to try it in my bedroom/bathroom, and I’m so glad to find a great how-to. 🙂

    I’m wondering what you did when you got to the corners? Did you wrap the design around the corners or start them again on the next wall? I’d love any hints you can give me. I’ll try to check back to see if you reply, or if it would work for you, I’d LOVE if you could email me at auntierah@hotmail.com

    Thanks so much!!

    Reply
  22. 141

    Thank you for this wonderful post. The blog about the upholstery tacks is so helpful. I have always wanted to use some of those but I always ended up with bent tacks. I had no idea about the use of cardboard. Again thank you for this useful post.

    Reply
  25. 145

    Hey Beth, I found your blog because someone had pinned this project on Pinterest. I love this project and the color scheme, I like teal and green a lot and we have it everywhere in our home, too. You have a beautiful home and two sweet daughters, too. I read how much effort it took you to conceive and I am so happy for you.
    Jule {inside9B}

    Reply
    • 147

      I’m sure it would work, but it wouldn’t pop out as much because it would be quite as contrasted as the flat paint. It also depends on what color you use. We did this once before on a beige wall (with glossy beige design) and it didn’t show up nearly as much.

      Hope this helps! Send us pics when you’re done! 🙂

      Reply
  28. 149

    I just did this to my office, I used the same pattern you did. Except I did this on all of the walls, I LOVE IT! Thanks so much for this awesome idea. I get so many compliments on it, thanks so much!

    Reply
  30. 151

    I saw this and decided to give it a try. I used a circle pattern to match my room. It looks amazing! Thanks so much

    Reply
  32. 153

    FAB U LOUS!!! Wonderful job. I will DEF be stealing this idea (I even love the color!) I also think the suggestion in one of the comments to use chalk is ingenious. I have to say though… The amount of people asking you how you got the design on the wall boggles the heck out of me. WHY would you take the time to comment but you can’t take the time to READ THE ARTICLE?!?! GAH! Thank You so very much for sharing this. You may have just cured my boring Master Bedroom Walls!!

    Reply
  33. 154

    Wow Melissa! That turned out AWESOME! Your did a great job! I’m so glad we could inspire you… and thanks for linking back to our blog! 🙂

    Reply
  34. 155

    Hi, just wanted to let you know that I used your template design, and painted my bedroom accent wall with your idea. I also linked your post up to my post. Thanks for letting me use your template!! I love my new wall!!

    Melissa
    redflycreations.blogspot.com

    Reply
  38. 159

    Wow…what an amazing idea!! So simple yet elegant. Love this! I am going to do something like this on my big wall in the living/dining room!! Thank you! Thank you!

    Reply
  40. 161

    I love your site. You have a great gift. You also gave me a great idea for the curtains I plan to put up in my living room. I just need to dig out my sewing machine now. 🙂

    Reply
  45. 166

    When tracing on a wall like this – use chalk. When the paint is dry you just use a damp paper towel to get rid of the lines. No extra work to cover pencil lines.

    Reply
  47. 169

    That’s beautiful! You can usually get smaller samples of paint that’s usually a few ounces, instead of the whole gallon, for either free or just a couple dollars.

    Reply
  51. 173

    Your room looks beautiful! I did large diamonds in my dining room several years ago. I spent a lot of time taping off the pattern, and was surprised to find out that not all paint colors could be mixed in high gloss, so by default I ended up buying CLEAR high gloss polyurathane and it worked great.

    Reply
  54. 176

    I saw a photo of your walls on pinterest and had to come see your blog for myself! I have been raving about this to any one that’ll listen and have decided I’m going to do some glossy swirls on flat paint as well (but in brown). Hoping mine turns out just as fantastic as yours! 🙂

    Reply
    • 178

      I love the color u choose…i love stuff like that but sometimes im worried it won’t turn out the way i invision it…thats cool though..u dont always have to stay in the lines. Stuff still turns out cool

      Reply
  57. 181

    do you have any suggestions on how to do it without the light projector, i dont have one but i would really like to do this.

    Reply
  58. 182

    Saw this on Printerest. Great look, can be done with non-yellowing polyurethane too (gloss or semigloss, a gloss level up from wall paint) no color to match. I did this with stamping on a wall.

    Reply
  59. 183

    Just saw this on pinterest. LOVE IT!!!
    I see all the chrome in your kitchen and had just been on liquidstainlesssteel.com and thought you might like to know you can paint all your appliances stainless. Your house looks fabulous!!

    Reply
  60. 184

    hey! I read your blog all the time and i was looking throug pinterest and recognized your handy work! hopefully it will generate lots of traffic to your blog!

    Reply
  62. 186

    So I’d heard Nick at work talk about the stuff you guys had done, but hadn’t seen pictures. I am IMPRESSED. Both the tile and your kitchen jobs are awesome.
    Oh, and Nicole is dying to get you over to our house to save us from the 1970’s.

    Reply
  63. 187

    I love your kitchen/paint. Great idea. I will be linking you to my blog danggoodfinds.com tomorrow. Grab a button from my side bar if you want. Good luck with the babies! I am excited for you.

    Reply
  69. 193

    I just came over from a comment you posted on YHL, and well I’m a little late, but your kitchen is GORGEOUS! The swirls are my favorite part! I just did my bedroom with flat/gloss stripes and now I’m trying to refrain from using that technique all over the house!

    Reply
  70. 194

    I just came over from a comment you posted on YHL, and well I’m a little late, but your kitchen is GORGEOUS! The swirls are my favorite part! I just did my bedroom with flat/gloss stripes and now I’m trying to refrain from using that technique all over the house!

    Reply
  72. 196

    I have to show this to my husband! We both complain about the lighting in our old farmhouse kitchen all the time. And since he’s an electrician, I would think he can do it….

    Reply
  73. 197

    YES! This is what I want! Thank you soooooo much for posting the idea on my blog! This is so perfect, I can’t wait to go buy the paint and get started! This is exactly the type of thing I was trying to think up, but my interior design challenged brain was having troubles getting there. Seriously, can you tell how excited I am!!!

    Reply
  77. 201

    It’s gorgeous. I love the paint color and the scroll work. It looks like you free-handed that. Or did you use a pattern? I’ve done diamonds using a flat and high-gloss of the same color. I LOVE that effect.

    Reply
  78. 202

    I found your blog on better after. Wow how amazing, painting backsplash! Ok that is the blue I want though for my accent wall, the main color you have, please please tell me what it is! cassiesgarner@yahoo.com Thank you!!! Love your kitchen, I wish my husband would let me do that!

    Reply
  83. 207

    L-O-V-E I-T!!!!! We recently added can lights to our 70’s home. Changed the look and the feel completely. Your walls are fabulous!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  6. […] The base color is matte finish and the swirls are a glossy finish. I bought the smallest cans of paint available and still have a ridiculous amount of paint left. I’m still looking for something to do with them. I free handed the swirls. For a detailed tutorial check out this blog. […]

    Reply

  7. […] The difference of color between the background and the swirly pattern is almost unnoticeable but strong enough to stand out. Other important changes in décor that should be mentioned include changing the lighting to recessed. It’s not a major change but it makes a big difference in the overall results. Even though everything else remained the same, including the appliances and cabinets, the atmosphere now is very fresh and the décor is dynamic and stylish.{found on sawdustandembryos}. […]

    Reply

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Attention: Almost any do-it-yourself project involves risk of some sort. Your tools, materials, and skills will vary, as will the conditions at your project site. Reality Daydream has made every effort to be complete and accurate in the instructions of the plans on this website. Reality Daydream will not assume any responsibility or liability for damages or losses sustained or incurred in the course of your project or in the use of the item you create. Always follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions in the use of tools, check and follow your local building codes, and observe all commonly accepted safety precautions.