Let's Get Something Straight:
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I was enjoying a painting project at my youngest daughter's house this past week and mindlessly rolling along in auto-paint mode as I was getting back in tune with my inner "renovation chic" self. Painting is one of those tasks where I can have justification to be picky, finicky, and persnickety. (A sub contractor once told me, “You’re just too picky!” - and all I’d suggested was for him to keep his man paws off the caulking and that I would do it myself.) 

Anyway, I love to paint… blah, blah, blah…. UNTIL I hear the words (whether they are in my own head or coming from someone else), “How about an accent wall?” First of all, aren’t those outdated yet? Can’t someone find a way to faux pas the accent wall? Yea, I know and I'll admit they are nice and can add so much to a room or area, and I love the finished look - it's just that it slows me down, is all.

In this project, there was a definite "red wall" request. Red is so unforgiving! Now, I’m no newbie to this, but I do have to admit that the nearly 56 year old hands are not quite as steady as they once were back in the day when I could cut in a flawless straight line while standing on one foot, chewing gum, and using my free hand to touch up my hair. I'm super embarrassed to say that this was my most recent attempt, however: (Did I do this on purpose just to blog about it? You be the judge. . .)

Whoa-a! Did that make you dizzy and seasick?

Pretty bad - huh? Oh well, after this "what was I thinking?" first free-hand attempt, I realized that I needed to resort to the ordinary person's tape method. With the usual tape method, though, there is always some bleed-through and jags. This NEWER method uses that bleed-through jag to an advantage because color #1 is bled on color #1, so it won't show.

From now on I’ll refer to the sand-color wall as paint color #1 and the red paint as color #2. Here goes a much better method to get a perfectly straight line with NO bleeds or jags:

Step 1: When straightening the edge of paint color #2 (remember, this is the red paint), tape on the connecting wall and press down the tape against the edge where you want your straight, flawless line. If you're starting from scratch and not correcting a mess (like me), cut in to the wall where you want the perfect edge with color #1, and paint slightly over that edge. Wait for it to dry, then continue with step 2.

Step 2: Using color #1, paint over the edge of the tape to seal it. That way when it bleeds (and it will) the color will bleed on itself!

Step 3: Wait for color #1 to dry completely.

Step 4: After color #1 dries, using color #2, cut in to the taped edge and go slightly over. Roll wall out with color #2.

Step 5: When wall and paint color #2 is completely dry, remove tape by gently pulling it at an upward angle, away from the wall.

Step 6: Stand back and enjoy a perfect, picky-proof, finicky-worthy, and persnickety-proud, straight line! Wah-la! You’re now a painting genius (too)! Paint color #1 sealed the tape for color #2.

Here’s another wall we accented when warming up the blah, funky-beige living room walls. Even if colors are in the same family and are only shades apart and more forgiving, there's no reason why they shouldn't be perfectly straight, and with this method they can and will be.

                                                                                       
Okay - back to work now. I just love this stuff!