My Wonderful Walls Blog — DIY Tutorials

DIY Wall Art Projects You Can Do In No Time 0

Here at My Wonderful Walls we are all about creating beautiful wall murals and helping our customers bring out their inner artist. Whether you are decorating a kids room or an adult space, there are so many inexpensive ways you can add a little “oomph” to your walls with very little effort or expense.

One way to add a quick personalized touch to any room is to use wall lettering. You can buy wall stencils but sometimes you are limited in what phrases you can purchase. Why not create your own wall lettering? Check out this easy tutorial from Michael, owner of My Wonderful Walls, on creating wall lettering with a few simple materials and very little time! You can use these simple steps to add personalization to a bedroom or add a special phrase to a living space.

Another easy way to add a pop of color without spending a fortune or making permanent changes, is to take a stencil or two designed for walls and use them to decorate a canvas. Instead of purchasing ready to hang art, create the perfect piece of art for you and your room with a few simple materials. Perfect for apartment dwellers or is really great if you’ve already purchased wall stencils and want to add a few pieces of hanging art to enhance any space. Check out the how to video where Michael will show you how to create your own canvas art in no time.

Looking for something totally unique? Check out this String Artwork from Better Homes & Gardens. Not only is it gorgeous and fun, it’s a great use for that extra string you have laying around in your junk drawer! Wouldn't this be fun during the holidays?

No matter what your artistic comfort level, there is an easy solution to add something unique to your walls in no time. Check out My Wonderful Walls for more wall art, wall stickers and stencil kits for wall murals and if you use any of these ideas, please feel free to share them with us!

Blog post written by Tara

Do It Yourself Pallet Projects 0

Photo Credit: Phoenix News Times

With the warm weather here (at least in the U.S.), many homeowners get busy with outdoor projects or renovations in the home. We’re all looking for those DIY projects that aren’t super difficult or expensive. Many of us turn to the internet for inspiration. One new trend showing up on Pinterest and other places lately is DIY pallet projects. If you have a limited budget for improving your yard and not a lot of time or skill with carpentry, there are some great things you can make with large wooden pallets like you see at the stores. Often you can get these for free but you might have to do a little hunting. Check Craigslist in your area under “Free” or ask some of the local stores if they might be willing to give you the pallets they no longer need. Factories that take in large pallets of materials might also be willing to give them to you. You’ll want to check that the pallets are in good shape, haven’t been left in the weather or exposed to termites or chemicals. Though part of the draw for the pallets is that they are cheap or free because they can be easily disposed of after a year or two if they don’t hold up, you’ll want to consider what you are using them for and whether you want to treat them. If you will be using them for an edible garden, make sure to look for heat treated pallets. (Read more about How to Determine if a Wood Pallet is Safe For Use on Instructables). Once you locate your pallets, the sky is the limit! Look at some of these projects we found online that could transform your backyard into an oasis: 

Create a DIY Pallet Walkway in the garden like Donna from Funky Junk Interiors:

Or how about this gorgeous DIY Pallet Planter from The Micro Gardener:

Or if you need to hide something unsightly in your backyard, how about a DIY Pallet Garden Wall? Jamie From Southern Revivals shows you how!

What do you think? Would wooden pallets be a welcome addition to your outdoor living space? Comment below and let us know if you’ve tried any of these pallet projects or something similar.

Blog post written by Tara

Painting 101 - How To Get Professional Results By Yourself 0

When it comes to repainting a room, or even painting one for the first time, you often hear or say yourself, "I just can't do it like the pros."  Unfortunately, paying someone to paint a small bedroom could cost you a fortune, which you shouldn't spend on something you can do!  Save your money for the little details, like matching curtains, new flooring and accessories by following these 10 tips for painting like a professional!

#1 - Always Use Primer
This is one step many individuals opt not to do - big mistake!  Primer provides a fresh clean surface for the paint to adhere to and allows the true color of the paint to come through!

#2 - Professional Supplies
Spend a little money to get some good quality supplies.  It is recommended that you use an edge pad for painting around straight surfaces, such as ceiling edges, corners and door frames. Painters tape also works well.

#3 - Clean Before You Paint
Many people think they don't need to wipe the walls before they paint, as they're going to cover up the marker lines from when the kids were drawing, but this is not true.  Paint sticks to the walls much better when they are clean, not shiny (use a light grade sandpaper to remove the shine of old glossy paint) and in good condition.

#4 - Be Prepared
Having all your supplies, include the amount of paint is essential.  This way, once you get started, you don't have to stop and run to the store for something else.  Many professional painters recommend that you have approximately 1 gallon for every 400 square feet.  However, if you are painting over textured or rough surfaces, you may need more.

#5 - Paint On Dry Days
Painting on days where the weather is cooperating can be beneficial.  Not only will your paint dry quicker, but it will dry.  This is particularly true with water-based paints.

#6 - Scrape Away
If the paint on your walls is starting to flake off, it's recommended that you scrape it off using a paint scraper.  You should then sand the surface smooth, prime - of course - and then paint!

#7 - Keep Going
As you are painting, if you see a spot you missed, don't go back over it once it has started to dry.  This can create unwanted color streaks or paint brush or roller lines in the paint.

#8 - Prepare Your Painting Room
To keep the things in the room that don't need painted from being painted, cover them up.  This includes the floor - put down a drop cloth.  Also, sandwich bags work great for covering up door handles, but remember to tape them and don't forget to remove your outlet covers and light switch plates.

#9 - Out With The Brush - In With The Roller
Using a roller for wall surfaces will help you get the job done faster and it does a better job than a paintbrush in an amateur's hands.  However, paintbrushes do work well for details - such as My Wonderful Walls Stencil Kits.

 #10 - Be Patient
If you want to add a second coat of paint, that's fine.  Here's the deal - wait until the first coat is dry, or else you could end up pulling off the paint you've already applied!

Hopefully these tips will have you on your way to a beautiful finished wall mural in no time! Happy painting!

How To Paint the Sky & Hills in the Background 9

One of our most frequently asked questions is how to paint the hills in our mural scenes, so we decided to do a post about it. You'll see that it is really quite simple.

Our murals can, of course, be painted or applied to plain or monotone walls, but for them to really POP, we recommend that you stage the scene with 2 colors of latex paint to create a scene with a sky and gentle rolling hills. Here’s how to do it:

Method:

1) First, using a paint roller, paint the entire room/wall the sky color and let dry.

2) Next...

3) Then...

4) Now...

5) Finally...

 Tip! Save background color paint for touch-ups.

Tip! Corners can be tricky. To avoid it looking like a point, try to make your hill line at the corners as flat as possible.

Tip! You’ve got a lot going on with the mural design so go easy on the hills. Gently flowing hills tend to look much better than Dr. Seuss style extremity.

Michael shows this process very simply in the Tutorial Video for the Fanciful Fairies Stencil Kit. After about 30 seconds, he demonstrates this easy hill-painting method.

Now that you’ve seen for yourself how easy it is, get out there and paint that wall mural!

Mixing Murals and a little Magic-An Interactive approach! 2

When it comes time to redecorate a room, there’s nothing more fun than adding your own personal touch to the walls. Whether it’s a boy, girl or adult bedroom; choosing a color scheme and accents sets the tone for renovation.

While choosing those colors and decorations can be fun, it can also be a frustrating process to try and see the overall, finished product when looking at only a sample. There are times when decoration calls for a little more imagination and a lot more flexibility!

For that very reason, we’ve added an interactive feature to our mural design center. With the click of a button, you can now create, adjust and re-create a personalized wall mural to fit any room you are looking to overhaul. Adults and children alike can add a touch of their own magic to their mural creations when they are able to set the theme, design the content and pick and choose colors as they like.

Adult shoppers will see the efficiency value in this new feature as it allows you to save on time and frustration. Being able to see your finished product before you purchase your wall mural, and make adjustments in advance, will ensure that your room lives up to your imaginative expectations.

Children will love the quality time they can spend with mom or dad helping to create a mural of their very own! When your children have the opportunity to contribute to a design that might adorn a newly, refurbished room; their sense of pride will match your finished mural perfectly.

This interactive feature allows you to simply click on your desired image, and alter it as you like at the touch of a button. Whether it becomes the dream work that you’ve been looking to place on your wall, or just a place to find inspiration; this feature prompts creativity and family time together! Kids can feel free to play with the digital mural online without having to purchase in the end. If you like your design, we’ll be happy to make your vision a reality. This is a space where digital creation has no limits!

We understand that when it comes to room decoration, your walls carry a lot of potential. For this reason, we decided to go beyond simple design technology and make our interactive creative space something that could be applied to a variety of mediums. This means that our interactive design feature isn’t only restricted to murals.

We’re excited about the many possibilities this new feature holds. We know that our customers have an endless number of visions, and we’re working hard to make figuring out the just the right theme….fun! So bring the kids and make sure and stop by mywonderfulwalls.com and check out our new interactive design feature! It’s an easy and creative way to add a little magic to your mural, and maybe, just the decoration inspiration you’ve been looking for. Let us know how the new feature helped you plan the room of your dreams – we would love to hear from you!

Using Psychology of Color to Select Paint for Children's Rooms 2

Designing your child’s room or nursery is a fun process brimming with possibilities.  Painting walls is just one simple way to transform a space, but choosing the perfect color can seem daunting at first.  There are many ways to decide what color to paint a child's rooms- from color matching paint with the child’s bedding, to choosing shades you personally like.  One way to approach the decision making process is to consider the psychology of color.  It’s long been known that colors affect people’s moods, both positively and negatively.

Have you ever wondered why nearly all fast food restaurants implement bright red in their decorating schemes? Simply because the color red increases appetite! Red is also known to raise one’s blood pressure and heart rate. So, if you are looking for a peaceful setting for your little sleepers, painting a baby room wall red would not be a good idea.  However, just because a swath of red might not be the best choice for a wall, doesn’t mean you have to eliminate the color altogether.  You can use red accents for a splash of color.  Still wanting to paint the wall with a warm color, yet without the stimulating intensity of red? Try a cheerful orange!  Orange is a welcoming hue, symbolizing balance and stability.

To instill a feeling of tranquility to your kid room wall decor, focus on cool colors, such as blue, green or lilac.  Blues seem to produce a calming effect on people, helping signal bedtime for restless children.  Be careful to pick a shade with warm undertones to prevent a feeling of coldness, and steer clear of dark blue-which can have the same effect as black.  Green, considered the color of relaxation, is also a soothing option.  While the majority of adults tend to dislike violet, this color generally elicits a pleasing response from children.  It is also said to stimulate imagination-perhaps an ideal hue for a playroom?

Some other tidbits to take into consideration while choosing paint colors for children’s rooms and nursery wall decor:

• Muted earth tones, such as brown, light gray and beige, have a grounding effect and are a good choice for hyperactive children.
• Since white reflects 80 percent of light, it makes rooms appear larger and brighter.  White can serve as the base color, leaving you a lot of room to pull in other fun, colorful elements.
• Blue has been said to help prevent nightmares.
• Bright yellow can produce anxiety in babies and children.
• Green is believed to strengthen self esteem and makes dim rooms appear more vibrant.

Although I’ve mentioned general statements about color, you must remember that not everyone responds the same way to each color.  As long as you follow some basic, common sense guidelines (don’t ever use black or dark colors for baby nurseries or bright red for the main color, etc.), you can choose shades within the realms of personal preference.  It is a good idea to involve older children in the paint choosing process, since they alone know how certain colors make them feel.  Plus, what child wouldn’t want a personal space reflecting their budding personality?

Written by Heather Isaac