Paint Techniques for a Teenage Girl's Room

Stripes

• Try striping one accent wall or all four walls. Alternate two colors -- or three, if you're daring -- in the striped pattern of your choice. Create heavy stripes or thin pinstripes. The stripes don't have to be straight. Consider wavy stripes or a zebra effect. Choose contrasting colors or the same color in different shades, deep gray and light gray, for example. Before you apply your stripes, give the walls a fresh coat of paint. Use painter's tape to make straight lines, if that's the look you're going for.

Sponge and Rag Textures

• Use a sponging or rag technique to give your wall a subtle dimensional look. Use two or more colors to create the effect. Paint the walls a neutral color, and allow it to dry before lightly sponging on a darker color. If you want to add more than one color, apply each separately, and allow it to dry before you apply the next color.

Mural

• Work with your daughter to create a mural or designs on one wall. Decide what you want to do, and give the wall a fresh coat of paint. Pencil the design on the wall, and then paint it in, using small paintbrushes. Alternatively, hand paint a border around the room.

Color-Washed Glaze

• Use glazing to create a rich wall treatment. Start with white or off-white paint as a base, and build thin layers of tinted glaze, allowing them to dry between applications. While each layer is still wet, use a brush to blend the glaze, spreading it evenly but allowing the brush strokes to show. Continue applying the glaze until you have reached the desired richness.