How To Get the Harlequin Pattern on Your Walls

Use two colors or express yourself with many colors

The harlequin pattern is easy to put onto walls because it is simply a series of interconnected diamonds. Make a harlequin focal point on just one wall, or make a strong statement by displaying the pattern on every wall. When choosing colors, select basic black and white, monochromatic tones, or brightly colored diamonds in all the colors of the rainbow. Harlequin has no standard size, so create a tiny mosaic pattern or make the diamonds giant sized to achieve the look you are after.

Things You'll Need

• Painter's cloth or floor covering
• Paint
• Paint roller
• Paint tray
• 2-inch flat paint brush
• Yardstick or straight edge
• Chalk
• Masking Tape
• Floor covering

Instructions

1. Decide which colors you'd like to use for your wall. Paint a small test area with each color so you can see which shades and combinations you like best. Determine the size of the diamonds. Once you've made your choices, protect the floor and other household items by laying down a painter's cloth or other floor covering. Paint the wall of your chosen colors using the paint roller and paint tray. Use the 2-inch brush to cut in sections along the ceiling, baseboards, and corners. Allow the wall to dry for several hours.

2. Begin anywhere on the wall and draw a diagonal line in chalk from ceiling to floor, using the yardstick or other straight edge as a guide. Use chalk to mark the line. Measure from 1-inch or larger from the chalk line, about every few feet and make another diagonal chalk line. Repeat these steps until you have marked out the entire wall. Next, mark diagonal lines going the other direction using the same measurement that you used for the first set of diagonal lines, once again, using chalk to mark the surface.

3. Mask off the diamonds that you intend to paint first. If your scheme is two tone, paint every other diamond using the second color. If you chose a multi-colored pattern, use chalk to label the appropriate colors of the diamonds, so that you can easily recognize the correct color. Start painting in diamonds one at a time, using a small flat brush. Remove the tape and touch up any paint seepage of minor flaws.

Tips & Warnings

• Other ways of creating a harlequin patterned wall include gluing on harlequin print fabric or applying harlequin print wallpaper. An alternative is to paint the wall a solid color and affix thin wood blocks in a diamond pattern to the wall. Glue a small jewel, bead, or button at the intersection of each diamond to add interest.

• Make sure the cans of paint have been properly mixed so that the paint is not separated. When using multiple colors, map out the colors on a piece of paper or computer to make sure the design has a predictable and pleasing pattern. Check the paint to see if it is water or oil based. Purchase paint thinner to clean brushes when using oil based paint.

References

• Faux Painted Walls
• How to Cut in a Wall or Ceiling

Resources

• Decorative Masking Patterns
• Wall Painting Designs