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Music Room Wall Treatment – Fancy Textured Vertical Stripes

Last Updated on February 26, 2015 by Kristi Linauer

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I showed you my music room walls where I had practiced my grasscloth paint technique?  It looked like this…

faux grasscloth painted wall treatment - final 1 - resized

Several of you asked me if I was going to keep that in there, and just finish the rest of the walls.  Well, that answer is “no”.  🙂

I was actually never intending to keep the faux painted grasscloth in there.  That experiment really was just an opportunity for me to test out the process and see if I even liked it.  So when I was ready to paint over the wall, I decided I wanted stripes.  Y’all know I love my stripes!  They didn’t work out for me on my kitchen floor, but I loved the idea of having them in the next room over, either in the music room or the dining room.  The music room won the coin toss.

As I was searching for inspiration, I came across this entryway from Architectural Digest.

vertical striped walls in entryway, via Architectural Digest

Those colors are too dark for my taste, but what I do love are the wider stripes accented with the narrow stripes in what appear to be a metallic finish.  That is actually Zoffany wallpaper, but I knew I could easily create something similar with paint.

I only have about half of the room finished so far, because I chose to so a really tedious design.  I probably still have at least two day’s worth of work in here before the walls are finished.  Maybe three.  Or four.

Anyway, I started off by painting 10-inch vertical stripes on the wall.  I painted the entire walls in the white first (Behr’s Polar Bear), and then taped off the darker stripes (Behr’s Belvedere Cream) and painted those.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 1

Then I used the narrowest painters tape I could find (.70 inch wide, found at Michael’s), and placed it along the edges of the Belvedere Cream stripes as a spacer.  Then I taped on either side of that spacer.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 2

Once I removed the narrow tape, I had my narrow stripes.  I painted those narrow sections using gold craft paint from Michael’s.  It took three coats for it to cover completely!

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 3

Next came the tedious part.  I added nailhead trim in the narrow gold stripes.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 4

I love the subtle texture that it gives to the wall!

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 5

I used a paint stick and a pencil to measure and mark the spacing for the nailheads, and then nailed them in with a tack hammer.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 6

It really went much faster than I expected.  I thought I might be hammering in nailheads for days.  Weeks, even.

Adding the nailheads on this whole wall took four hours.  I don’t think that’s too bad considering I was using the individual nailheads that had to be nailed in one at a time!  And that also included the time it took for me to measure and mark all of the spacing for the nailhead placement.  Once I got a system down, it went relatively fast.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 7

So far, I only have about one-and-a-half walls finished, with the half being the wall with the rolling doors that only has about six inches of walls space above the door trim.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 8

There’s still quite a bit more to do, but on the other walls, I still have drywall patching that I need to do from moved electrical outlets before I can finish up.  Hopefully I can get that done in the next couple of days and get these walls completely finished.  And of course, that ridiculous quarter round at the ceiling drives me crazy.  Once I get the ceiling situation taken care of (which will probably require all new drywall), I’ll be adding some crown moulding.  Until then, I have quarter round.  *Sigh*

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 9

I can’t wait to get these finished up, get my piano here, and get this room decorated.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 10

I’m anxious to see what my striped walls will look like when they’re a backdrop for the rest of the decor, rather than the front-and-center main attraction.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 12

And hopefully I can get some better daytime pictures of the walls soon.  I worked late into the evening, and only got night time pics of the parts I had finished.  I think the stripes look a bit more subtle during the day with good lighting, and I prefer that subtle look.  I also need to get a pic looking from my kitchen into the music room.  The two rooms next to each other look pretty great, if I do say so myself!  🙂

UPDATE:  Here are a couple of views of the striped walls from the kitchen.  Obviously they’re not finished, and I didn’t get as far on them above the doors as I thought.  Wishful thinking, I suppose.  🙂

I also still need real baseboards.  But this gives you an idea of the view.

striped walls with nailhead trim accents - 14

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62 Comments

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  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Amanda R
    January 6, 2015 at 10:00 am

    I LOVE it!!! Also, I need to thank you for inspiring me to do a mini makeover this weekend on one of our bathrooms. Our home is 98 years old, we bought it 3 years ago. It was a foreclosure and the previous owner took every light fixture, cabinet and and sink that the place had. I am a “pay as you go” person so this has been a long project. I kept putting off doing anything to the bathroom because I hadn’t saved enough to remodel they way I want. Your post a while back about making your home good enough “For now” has been on my mind and spurred me on to make the improvements that I can for the time being. I started this past Friday and have replaced the flooring, light fixture, painted, put in a recessed built in, painted and put in new trim. All with things leftover from other projects. I expect to be finished in a couple days. I still have those awful ceiling tiles, but I have decided not to look up for now 🙂 Thank you again for the inspiration!

    • Reply To This Comment ↓
      Kristi Linauer
      January 6, 2015 at 10:03 am

      That’s awesome, Amanda! And even though it’s not exactly what you want for long term, I’m sure it feels so refreshing walking into a room that’s almost finished for now. I’m going to try to keep that focus all year long and see where it gets me at the end of 2015. I’m excited!

    • Reply To This Comment ↓
      Linda
      January 6, 2015 at 10:48 am

      Yes to that! I, too, live in an old house (built around the Civil War) and am a pay as I go person. In 2015, I am embracing the concept that good enough IS good enough for now. Our lives have seasons, and I’m not currently in a “forever” season! What a encouragement Kristi is and all her blog followers. How many of us have been positively motivated by the encouragement that this blog and comments generate. Thanks to everyone!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Kate
    January 6, 2015 at 10:03 am

    You are my hero! You think of it and then you do it! Amazing!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Karen
    January 6, 2015 at 10:03 am

    oh wow, the year is starting with a stunning project! Believe me, had you told me about what you were planning to do without the pictures, I would have loathed the idea (don’t like gold, don’t like nailheads), but the result is breathtaking and sooo convincing!!!! I’m glad you’re back and seemingly full of energy, too! Have a great year – I’m looking forward to sharing your projects 🙂

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Monica
    January 6, 2015 at 10:04 am

    Spectacular! The texture of your walls makes it look like leather.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Betsy
    January 6, 2015 at 10:07 am

    Looks great and as a fellow nailhead lover, they look super great. Looking forward to seeing that pic of the kitchen and music room walls together.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Nancy
    January 6, 2015 at 10:14 am

    I love the stripes and the nailheads, which is odd for me. I don’t generally like nailheads. Keep up the great work inspiring to do smaller workable projects to make it livable first then take the time and funds to plan the full design. Thanks for being real about the about the amount of time and funds projects take.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    terrillr
    January 6, 2015 at 10:16 am

    WELCOME BACK!! I like what you’ve done in your music room, looks great. I’m wondering though…. I know the plan is to re-do the ceiling in the future, will that process interfere with the walls? I’d hate if you had to re-do the walls, but I’m sure it would be a good blog post. 😀

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Angie
    January 6, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Absolutely love it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Christine McCombs
    January 6, 2015 at 10:18 am

    Looks great! Don’t know if I could do all the hammering though! lol

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Bonnie
    January 6, 2015 at 10:25 am

    Wow. Starting the New Year with a bang! I’m interested to see how the walls work when the room is decorated, and in relation to the rooms around it. I don’t have your vision, clearly!
    Beautiful work!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Londa Boone
    January 6, 2015 at 10:32 am

    Beautiful. Have you seen these for a ceiling fix? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/141370875778526360/

    I really dislike the popcorn on my ceilings but husband feels it’s too much trouble to fix. What are your thoughts about the tiles?

    • Reply To This Comment ↓
      C.B. McDuff
      January 11, 2015 at 5:13 pm

      if it helps to know we had these Armstrong tiles in our old house and LOVED them! You could not tell that they were a tile! They can be painted or left white too. When we sold the house we heard from everybody how much they loved the ceilings – and the lady that bought the house said it was one of the main reasons for getting it, because it reminded her of her grandmother’s town house in Brooklyn when she was growing up. They were very easy to install as well!
      http://www.armstrong.com/residential-ceilings/ceiling/tintile-1240-tile/14147-44552

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Sheila F
    January 6, 2015 at 10:32 am

    I am so happy to have you back! I hope you enjoyed your Christmas. I love the wall. You are sooooo creative. I am glad that you are making each room pretty for now. It will be years before you can create your dream home. You deserve to have it pretty in the meantime. I also like how you can try different techniques and live with them for awhile and decide if these will be keepers. I also think it is important for your creative side. You have so many ideas. And I love that you change your mind and change a room. You are an inspiration. BTW how is the condo coming along? Again, WELCOME BACK!
    Sheila

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    jenny
    January 6, 2015 at 10:34 am

    Love how you inspire me! I see this stripe in my masterbath. Small expense for the lift in the atmosphere. Keep on inspiring the masses.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Mary Anne Looby
    January 6, 2015 at 10:35 am

    I think it looks pretty cool. The gold and nail heads (while not my taste) do set off your peacock door handles. I love the stripes and the colors you used. Don’t think I would have wasted my time with the quarter round. I would have preferred to get the ceiling done right away, but I know you are tired of dealing with sheet rock. Exactly how big is the music room? Maybe, since you have the metallic look going on with the gold and nail heads, you could do a metal ceiling. They have the sheet that are a manageable size and they just nail into the existing ceiling. I think that would be pretty cool and give that room an unusual vibe, which would look good in a music room. Blessings

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Elizabeth Mote
    January 6, 2015 at 10:41 am

    Omg I love love love stripes and these are great and such an uptown look….you hit the nail on the head with this!!!!! LoL

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Lisa E
    January 6, 2015 at 11:00 am

    How unique. Love it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Jean
    January 6, 2015 at 11:25 am

    Beautiful!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Tammy
    January 6, 2015 at 10:32 am

    Welcome back Kristi..!! Boy you have already been very busy I’d say.. You do always pick “tedious” projects but in the end they turn out wonderful.. I on the other hand I pick simple stuff, would like to be more like you but I can’t see that happening so I’ll stick to the simple stuff…lol

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Laura G. O'Connell
    January 6, 2015 at 11:34 am

    Wow! I like what you have done so far. I’ve never been big on the whole nail head thing, but this looks really good. Don’t think that I would have the patience to do what you’ve done, and I certainly know that my husband (the one who does all the painting, etc.) doesn’t either, so I would have to settle for a wallpaper. Still going to show him this, though.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Valeska
    January 6, 2015 at 11:59 am

    Your work is spectacular and individual. I love everything especially that kitchen!!!!!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Janet L
    January 6, 2015 at 12:05 pm

    How striking, I love it!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Guerrina
    January 6, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    Love your creative mind!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Carol
    January 6, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    love this! Might try it on my walls that are papered in strips… Paper is almost the same color too

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Sue
    January 6, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    That looks amazing! I love the stripes and the nailheads are just the right amount of texture for the walls. This room will be great when its finished!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Sharon C
    January 6, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Firstly, Happy New Year Kristi. Love, love, love your wall design for your music room. Wow, you have amazing ideas and can’t wait to see the room finished, then decorated.
    As always, you are a real inspiration and I look forward to your blog everyday.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    LBriscoe
    January 6, 2015 at 12:48 pm

    I love how you think outside the box. This is stunning and I know I would never have thought of it, and I doubt most other people would have, either. Awesome beginning to what I hope will be an awesome year for you. Way to go!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Robin
    January 6, 2015 at 12:48 pm

    AMAZING!!! I too, love stripes, metallic and nail heads. You did a fantastic job of combining all three. Where did you purchase your nail heads?

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Sandy Poole
    January 6, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    Kristi, I love it!!!…WOW,WOW,WOW!!!…A lot of work I know, but that is stunning!…Can’t wait to see it all decorated.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Heather
    January 6, 2015 at 1:43 pm

    It’s gorgeous!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    angela
    January 6, 2015 at 1:44 pm

    we i first saw the pic. it looked a little like a circus tent. i think it is the gold stripe with the nailheads that makes it look like that to me. love the other stripes though.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Donna
    January 6, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    That looks absolutely fabulous!!! Magazine worthy for sure!!! You are amazing! It would have taken me months to accomplish that project!!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    DIYLOVER
    January 6, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    I love the wall pattern it looks so pretty , now for the ceiling i would say add bead board or paint the ceiling a fresh new coat of white paint just for temporaray option , untill you can get new drywall up there,work with what you got 🙂

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    barb
    January 6, 2015 at 2:09 pm

    Looks fabulous even though the thought of the creating those marvelous stripes PLUS adding nail heads nearly had me passing out.

    You are a rock star.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    designdreamer
    January 6, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    Looks good. Are you a pianist? When you get your piano, in there, I hope you post and audio of you playing :-)!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Brenda Roberts
    January 6, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    You can’t see me now, but I am bowing before your genius. Lol. Seriously,it’s gorgeous.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Mitzi
    January 6, 2015 at 3:20 pm

    Love it! Looks great from the kitchen, and I am excited to see the “good enough for now” changes you make in the coming year. I am encouraged by our guts, because personally, all I could think about when you were explaining the process was that if you ever wanted to change it again, there would be thousands of tiny holes from the nail heads to patch! Sometimes you have to step out on faith. You go girl! Looking forward to all that’s to come in 2015.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Gilmer Gal
    January 6, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    B-U-T-FUL! I love this. I think I might steal this idea for my dining room, or entry, or hall…

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Thelma Hamilton
    January 6, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    I am reading this and I have to wonder. You never talk about what your husband thinks of your designs. Is he as impressed with you as we are…..or does he just expect this from you? You impress me more and more with every post. Who would have thought to use nail heads????? Where did you get so many??? Did they cost a fortune?

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Lavelle Black
    January 6, 2015 at 4:30 pm

    Hey, just wanted to tell you that I don’t post back much, but I read all yours. We are retiring in November this year and are moving closer to our kids. We have bought 10 acres of land. And plan to start building our retirement home in a few months. It is going to be a craftsman style house , and I have decided to use the kitchen appliances that you used in yours. I have looked at a lot of vintage appliances that are not in my budget. But those are. Also got a lot of other ideals too. The only difference is I won’t be doing any of the work myself. Love all that you do.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Holly C
    January 6, 2015 at 5:46 pm

    Stunning! Simply stunning.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    MarieRoxanne
    January 6, 2015 at 5:52 pm

    i don’t usually like stripes but this looks cool!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Maggie Obst
    January 6, 2015 at 6:28 pm

    Very creative and with you piano and you deco in there it will have a Wow factor. So classy Nikki. I love it. Thanks for sharing. I’m a lover of stripes but haven’t done any as yet. But this may well have prompted me. Have a lovely dayx

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Linz
    January 6, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    Those walls are absolutely GORGEOUS!!! They complement the kitchen perfectly- great job!! You are amazing:-)

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Charlotte
    January 6, 2015 at 8:34 pm

    WOW!!! Love the stripes. Can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve for the next project.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Alta
    January 6, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    The view from the kitchen is lovely. The gold in the stripes compliments the gold trim on your kitchen cabinets. I think it will look very dramatic when you get the black piano in there with your other furnishings and accessories. Another great job, Kristi!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Cathy
    January 6, 2015 at 8:43 pm

    Did anyone else notice that the new walls look like the original floor treatment you did on the kitchen floor?
    Like the stripe look much better on the walls than the flooring. Looks great Kristi. Always coming up with new ideas that make us feel like we can be decorators too. Excited for the new year filled with new ideas. Thanks for taking us along on the ride!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Vickie B.
    January 6, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    Just curious what you meant by “I also still need real baseboards”? I’m learning all the time about DIY so I’m just wondering what real baseboards are as opposed to what you currently have. Please enlighten me and thanks for blogging!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Darla H.
    January 6, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    Kudos to you again on yet another job well done! Your blog is my absolute favorite

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Jan
    January 6, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    those doors are the most beautiful, creative thing I think you’ve ever done!!!! I wish I had the skill and fortitude to tackle a project like that.

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Michele
    January 6, 2015 at 10:02 pm

    Seriously impressed

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Susan
    January 6, 2015 at 11:09 pm

    Really interesting and beautiful work! I was starting to worry about you and Matt since there hasn’t been a post for a few weeks. Glad that you are back!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Khadija
    January 6, 2015 at 11:33 pm

    OMG you are THE bravest woman I know. Phew, i am tired just looking at those stripes! 🙂

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Wendy
    January 7, 2015 at 12:02 am

    B E U TE FULL! Those walls are amazing! I am not a big stripe fan, but I am really coming around to them based on what you have shown me. Kristi, you really are my hero, thanks for spurring my on not just on to do my own diy projects but to get healthy as well. Wendy

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Hannah
    January 7, 2015 at 4:56 pm

    Very nice! I’ve been on the hunt for some good nailheads, and I’m wondering what kind you used?

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Georgianne
    January 7, 2015 at 5:15 pm

    i would also like to know if you have a cheap place to buy nailhead. I want to do several bifold door treatments that you posted earlier that include nailhead trim. Love your wall treatment!!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    Sandy
    January 7, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    Very elegant and man do you have fortitude! AND measuring skills! So meticulous. Did you hand hammer each of those nail heads? sheesh willakers.
    You inspire me and just like you said I could, I tackled 2 of my 4 interior doors myself and they turned out gorgeous! I stripped them sanded and painted three coats on each and replaced the door knob and strikeplate hardware with venetian bronze lever style over Benjamin Moore Navajo White and I love them!! Awesome paint color too it looks like vanilla milkshake. I do have to break for winter now as there is no where to sand ( no garage) but come spring the rest will be done and I am so glad I found your blog and inspiration! Thank you! p.s. I agree with another commenter that your sliding barn doors are absolutely knock my socks stunning!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    C.B. McDuff
    January 11, 2015 at 5:16 pm

    Wow Kristi – this looks so amazing with the kitchen! It pulls it all together so nicely! And I adore how the gold goes with the bird door handles!
    My head would be swimming with the job of nailing – you my dear are a patient soul!

    Keep it up – it looks fantastic!

  • Reply To This Comment ↓
    amanda
    January 12, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    I like the stripes, but I must be honest, I LOVED the grasscloth technique. It was so beautiful. I understand you have to be happy (it is your house after all), but man, the grasscloth was so cool. You’re so talented.