Aaron is celebrating, because it seems that we have finally transitioned out of the “paint it all white” trend! Homeowners are leaning into home decor that feels one-of-a-kind, and paint is the MVP.

A colorful mural is one of the cheapest ways to change the look and feel of a room, without having to completely overhaul your decor. And the best part: making a statement with paint is affordable and totally DIY-able.

Today’s instructor, Racheal Jackson is a mural magician! Her popular instagram feed @banyanbridges is a stunning collection of DIY interiors, custom murals and so much COLOR! She’s going to share all of her painting knowledge with us and give us the pep talk we need to just go for it!

By the end of this class you’ll know Racheal’s favorite tools for the job, some tips for taking your mural from design to finished product and her recipe for the perfect tape pull. Class is in session!

How do you prepare the surface for your mural? Do you prime?

Make sure that it’s clean and smooth.

What types of paint work best? How do you select sheen?

Flat or matte is preferable so you get the full impact of the design without reflections. For white Racheal uses eggshell.

What types of brushes should you have in your arsenal?

About 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch brushes. Nothing much larger than that.

Do you use any programs to create your mural before painting it?

Illustrator.

What technique do you use to sketch the mural on the wall?

A 4 foot level and pencils!

How do you create clean circles, arches and curves?

A homemade compass! String, pencil and a thumbtack. Then Racheal will slowly freehand it.

Is there a specific order you should paint your mural in?

Lighter colors should go first, same with super vibrant colors.

Any tips for getting the best result out of painters tape/avoiding bleed?

Put on the tape and go over the edge of the tape with the base wall color, so you can control the color that’s bleeding through- then you can put your color on top for a clean peel. Check out her “Clean Lines” highlight on Instagram for more tips!

Aaron mentioned liking Frog Tape

Racheal’s tips:

• Bring the paint swatches into the room you’re going to be working on with your normal lighting.
• A 4 ft level will be your best friend.
• Just start! You’ll learn so much and then you can keep up-leveling!

Homework:

• Paint something on your wall! Just to get over your fear of damaging your pristine wall!

Find Racheal!

Website: banyanbridges.com

Instagram: instagram.com/banyanbridges

Some of Racheal’s Fave Instagram accounts!

@Ashleymaryart

@VintageRevivals

@HouseofEsperanza

@BenjaminUyeda

@StudioDIY