From Plain White to EPIC! Hallway Makeover

Want to do something EPIC? - paint your hallway!
Now you might think: "Uhm...?"
read along

I wanted to do something with our boring white hallway,
first i thought:
"Maybe a unusual colour or panels..."
- well that sounded boring too!

So I decided to go for a little more X-TREME paintjob!
the walls I painted measure about  42 sq yd - sounds more in square feet: 377 :D ( for the metric- ones: 35m² )

I have to admit, that i am a little cheap - or should i say X-TREME cheap :D so the whole project was under 50$

Step 1: You'll Need

• white walls - loads of them :D
• paintbrushes - suitable for fine lines
• Different colours of wallpaint - the cheapest ones will do
• a sponge
• latex gloves
• colored pencils
• an eraser
• some thin cardboard for templates
• some mirror-mosaic-thingies and glue for cool effects
• MP3-player with your favorite working-musik
• and finally TIME - LOADS OF IT!

Step 2: Templates

Make templates for the repetitive motivs such as fillers -in my case it were cherryblossom, maple leafes and lotusflowers.

You'll thank me for that when you draw more than 100 flowers :)

furthermore you have to decide what motive you want, the Web is a good source for that, print some examples as a working guide.
I'm no artist so i decided to stay with 2-dimensional Koi,
but if you are an artist go ahead with 3-D effects!

Step 3: Prepare the Wall

now take your colored pencils ( I used orange)  and draw the big motives directly on the wall.
choose a colour that matches the later wall-paint, you can use a normal pencil,
but you'll getting problems to cover up the lines - trust me I've been there :D

Use the eraser if your not pleades with the result.

after drawing the big motives ( the koi or whatever you've chosen) it's time for the helpful templates you made.
spread your filling motives all around the wall - tracing them with the colored pencils

Step 4: The Paint Job

Now grab the wall paint and a paintbrush and go ahead!

start with the lighter colors such as yellow or pastel-colors

you may want to mix them - use a plastic plate or something like that.
take just small amounts of the paint, you won't need that much.

Step 5: Background Work

Sponge - time!

get those gloves on, cut a small piece of the sponge and get started,
i had two colors in my working-pan - UNMIXED, mix it direct on the wall, for cool effects and shades.

first paint the details around your motives, and then instantly with the bigger sponge all the rest
- DON'T wait until the paint dries for the best result always paint wet in wet.

Step 6: Detailing

Now every spot is painted,
time for details,
add small leafes, contours

paint a crab ....

almost done :)

Step 7: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

for cool effects glue some mini mirror mosaic tiles on the painted walls.
Looks very nice in daylight and even cooler with lights on.

Step 8: Admire!

Admire your hard work,
call it EPIC,
open a bottle of beer,
get slightly angry if visitors don't realize that this is a paint job and not a bought wallpaper...

Skål ! ( Cheers in swedish )