Wallpaper costs a fortune. Stylist Matthew Mead, former style editor at Country Home and co-editor of “Backyard Style” magazine gets creative with Wagner Spray Tech and
shows us how a little spray paint goes a long way when it comes to decorating your home.
Ombre is trending
The Ombre effect is one of the hottest trends right now when it comes to interior design, says Mead. “It’s a way to do a statement — almost like having a piece of art.” While the finishing product — like on those pastel wedding cakes or Giambattista Valli’s recent couture skirts — look incredibly intricate, Mead assures us the effect is easy to create. Here’s how:
1. “Start out by picking three colors,” says the stylist. “One way to fool proof it is to look at paint chips which are already gradient in color, so you can start with the darkest one and move up two steps.”
2. “Coat the wall with the lightest tone. Then paint from the bottom with the dark tone, and at last use the medium tone,” he explains. “Divide the wall in to three different areas before you start painting, so you know where to start and stop.”
Tool:
To make the process even easier Mead used Wagner’s Flexio paint sprayer for the project. “It’s great, because it’s such a fine mist that you can easily blend in the colors,” he says.
Start small
If you’re nervous about an ombre wall, Mead says,
“You can basically [create the effect] on anything — furniture, room screens or giant canvases.” He prefers to look for cheap finds in flea markets or recycle objects he already has in his house.
“If you had a plain birdcage in your décor and it was just a supporting role, you can do ombre on it, and there it is in a starring role,” he laughs.
Sidebar:
Choosing the color
“I often tell people that if they have a favorite color or favorite object that’s a color, you can use that as an inspiration. I love Benjamin Moore paint, and I take the color chips with me and look for things that go with it,” says Mead.
