How to paint your own DIY Hand painted wallpaper

Have you ever wanted to wallpaper your walls but you’re too afraid to start? Okay, you need to go back and read my top wallpaper tips here, but if that still seems too daunting – I am going to show you how to do your own DIY hand-painted wallpaper which is the gateway to introducing color and pattern into your space. I’m also sharing all my guest bathroom plans because, boy, we’ve gotten ourselves into a full blow remodel here!

If you’ve been here a while you know I love mixing patterns and DIY block printing. In fact, I even did a hand painted faux wallpaper on my TV show, Problem Spaces! I know you can buy stencils to create a DIY faux wallpaper but there’s something about hand painting a pattern that makes my heart sing. Maybe it’s because I went to art school and majored in painting – slight advantage there haha! BUT what I’m about to share with you, does not require major art skills or prior painting experience. You can come up with your own simpler pattern and follow the same tips to get your own budget friendly DIY wallpaper.

So buckle up, cause this is a step-by-step guide to painting your own wallpaper!

What tools do I need for DIY hand-painted wallpaper? 

• A good laser level. Trust me, this is the MVP of the project so you’re going to want to make this one time investment of about $30 and it’ll help you with all home improvements from hanging artwork to installing trim.
• A variety of paintbrushes. Don’t dig into your kid’s watercolor brushes cause the bristles aren’t amazing and we want clean brushstrokes to create that faux wallpaper
• Round foam brushes. I got a pack for a couple bucks and it’s lasted me more than a year!
• Paint colors of your choice. I used sample paint pots of interior wall paint in satin finish. 

Test out your faux wallpaper pattern.

Get a scrap piece of paper and get those ideas flowing. To create a floral pattern, the easiest way to start is by using the back of a small foam roller to get a uniform circle and repeat the circle approximately every 6”. You can go bigger or smaller depending on the size of your wall but for my small guest bathroom a 2” circle every 6” apart was a great look. Use a round brush (I used a number 4 round brush) to draw the stem and a few branches with a taupe color. Now grab some hunter green and use a number 6 round brush to draw the leaves and you can make it as simple or as complex as you want the pattern to be. 

For a simpler look, you can leave it here and just repeat that across the wall, or you can take it a step further and add another circle in the middle of the flower to add some detail. Like I said, the pattern can be as simple as you like or more intricate if that’s your vibe. 

Let’s paint some block print wallpaper!

Now that you have your pattern sorted, let’s make some measurements on the wall and mark out the spacing so it looks even. Here’s where you use the laser level to give you a straight line to follow and mark where the pattern will go every 6 inches. Use the vertical level line to guide the pattern as well and use a pencil to mark where you will paint each flower. I kind of went rogue and stopped using the laser level for one or two lines and guess what, those were the few lines I ended up repainting! So hot tip – don’t stop using the laser level if you want this DIY hand-painted wallpaper to look like actual wallpaper!

Do I need to seal hand painted wallpaper? 

No! Just like any interior paint, when it’s painted on you don’t need to seal it with anything. I do recommend getting some of the base paint color to correct mistakes. So once you’ve finished adding all the details to your pattern, you’re done! It took me about 5 days to finish this look and my bathroom is about 6×8’. 

Can I use wood block stamps to create a wallpaper?

Yes you absolutely can! That would cut your time in half but like I said, I enjoy painting and wanted to hand paint the whole thing. You can find pre-made block prints or you can make your own with a rubber stamp kit.

Can I paint a faux wallpaper on textured walls?

Absolutely, it’s just a less friendly surface to paint on but I have knock down texture on my walls and it was a breeze to paint on it. Obviously flat walls are ideal but it doesn’t mean you can’t paint faux wallpaper on textured walls. 

My Top Tips for Hand Painting a Wallpaper:

1. Thin down your paint by adding some water.
2. Step back every so often to see the larger picture and make sure your pattern is straight.
3. Use a laser level!! Don’t even attempt it without one.
4. Use the wall’s base color to correct mistakes.
5. Don’t worry about the pattern being perfect because that’s what makes it unique and each little detail has its quirks and I love that.
6. Find a good podcast to listen to cause you’re going to be doing this for a bit!

Next, I’m going to be sharing all my guest bathroom makeover plans so stay tuned for that! If you follow my tutorial, I’d love to see the results! Tag your projects with #PenniesForaFortune and follow me on Instagram!