DIY Gold Contact Paper Ceiling Stripes

22 Sep DIY Gold Contact Paper Ceiling Stripes

Thank you so much for everyone’s kind words last week about the Gray, Gold, & White Nursery!  It was so much fun to do, and it is one of those spaces where you step back and just breathe “ahhhhh” when you see it.  This was a room that flowed out of me pretty easily design wise.  I saw the space, talked with the owners, and immediately had the vision.  As you can imagine, this does not happen super often due to rooms idiosyncrasies, but when it does, it is magical.

This week, I will be sharing more about the art, DIY window hardware, and overall thought process on the design of this sweet nursery, but I thought I would kick off this week’s posts with the DIY Contact Paper Striped Ceiling.

When I was visualizing this space, I loved the color scheme and direction it was going , but I felt it needed that extra zing to make it really special.  If you have been reading awhile, you know I love a good ceiling.  It really is the fifth wall, and so often, it is completely ignored!  I thought a gold striped ceiling would be AWESOME, but the homeowner was not pumped about painting since this house may end up becoming a rent home in a few years, or they may sell.  Therefore, I had to get creative.  I needed something removable and non-damaging.  And that is when the contact paper idea hit me.

I wanted a paper decidedly metallic with a lot of shine.  When I saw this contact paper, I knew it was perfect.  I ordered two rolls and had plenty left over.  (it also comes in silver!)

Design Your Wall

The ceiling we put this on had a little texture to it which gave a cool effect when the paper was installed, but I would say the smoother your ceiling is, the better the contact paper will stick.  We did have trouble with one of the stripes sticking, so we ended up using spray adhesive to help give it extra tackiness.

Since I had never done anything like this before, I called in my wallpaper installer to oversee this project.  The contact paper is eighteen inches wide, and we did not want to have to wallpaper under the light (because it would be a pain to cut around) so starting from the center of the room and working out, the ceiling was marked every eighteen inches.  Small guide lines for each stripe were made on the ceiling with pencil (and a ruler for a straight edge) in the center of the room, and about a foot and a half from each wall.  This helps you make sure you line up your stripes correctly!

This is definitely a two person, two ladder project – otherwise, your stripes may end up looking a little “Lucy and Ethel”.  If you  think you will have enough contact paper, it is a good idea to cut a strip a foot or so longer than you need so getting it on the ceiling is a little less cumbersome.  Remove the backing of the contact paper, line up your stripe from the edge of the ceiling (with a few inches of overhang) to the first straight mark you made eighteen inches from the wall, and start moving toward the opposite wall, smoothing with a wallpaper smoother as you go.

After you have finished each stripe, go back over it firmly with a slightly damp towel to erase any fingerprint marks and smooth any bumps.  Finally, using a razor blade and the edge of your wallpaper smoother, trim each edge where the paper meets the wall.  (notice below how a few inches were allowed to overlap at each edge to ensure a smooth cut)

Depending on how big your room is, this is a fairly speedy project with pretty fantastic results.

Now go forth and create your own striped ceiling awesomeness!  (or wall?!)

Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section, and of course, I love to hear your thoughts, too!