Fool the eye, love the room

On the horizon: paint the illusion of a larger dining room by running stripes horizontally i a lively look to lighten the mood. Glidden Paint

Skip to the loo: Vertical bathroom stripes are a timeless standard that heighten an often diminished room. Here, a Damask Stripe by Dutch Boy combines a matte finish with metallic paint to add a stylish sparkle. Dutch Boy

Child's play: Whimsy and fun rule when you paint thick, brightly colored stripes on the walls of a toddler's bedroom or play area. Lowe's

Painted stripes offer even more versatility than the wallpaper variety. They help to mask architectural and structural problems and offer endless combinations of styles. Painted stripes can flexibly take on decorating challenges wall coverings cannot. For example, painted stripes work well in a room with tricky angles, according to Linda Merrill, principal designer at Chameleon Interiors, a Boston area home and lifestyle design firm.

Merrill suggests that if a room is an odd shape, or "not exactly plumb" because of sinking, it would be very difficult to paper with a pattern when approaching corners and edges. In that case, paint offers a great solution without sacrificing pattern. It provides the ability to change the direction of a line or pattern to disguise a slanting wall or work around an odd angle.

But painting stripes can be a tricky and precise business, depending on the style you are trying to create. Perfectly painted straight lines are a challenge (though there are helpful techniques to make perfection possible for a do-it-yourselfer with time and patience). Merrill suggests that homeowners consider hiring a professional contractor rather than risk crooked lines or bleeding outside of the line. And the idea of adding stripes to a room is sometimes intimidating to homeowners. She has had a number of clients who believe that stripes are too bold or too dramatic. This is not necessarily so, she understands, but does warn that the often dramatic impact of the pattern makes committing to a striped room a reason for thoughtful consideration. There are, however, many stripe patterns that offer an understated look, such as shadow stripes or crisp, tailored stri D strips.

Whether vertical or horizontal, the painted stripe is a helpful design tool. Vertical stripes add height to a room with low ceilings as they draw the eye upward. If you desire a "taller" room to accommodate large pieces of furniture or disguise a low ceiling, for example, a vertical stripe will help to achieve this effect by visually adding about two inches to the length of the wall. In many ways the stripe functions as an architectural element helping to change the shape and visual perception of a space. The addition of the vertical stripe can give structure to a shapeless or boxy space. Wide, horizontal stripes, or "rugby" stripes, create a playful feel and are often used in children's bedrooms, playrooms and utility or recreation rooms for a fun and cheerful wall finish. Horizontal stripes will lengthen the look of a wall or corridor, making it appear longer.

There are endless varieties and combinations of stripes. While we can't quite compare them to snowflakes, it's not difficult to come up with a combination of color and tone, texture and size, wavy or straight, to give you a striped style that is quite unique. Begin by thinking about the types of stripe patterns found on fabrics.

A few examples include awning stripes, which look like the big, broad monochromatic stripes used for—you guessed it—awnings; ticking stripes are narrow, monochromatic stripes found commonly as the cotton fabric used for pillows; satin stripes alternate matte and shiny stripes, replicating the look of silk.

It's all in the wrist — and tape

Painting techniques are numerous, as well. Consider a style that does not require precision if you plan to paint the walls yourself, or if you are an inexperienced painter. A few good techniques for beginners include shadow striping, a tone-on-tone technique that will give your room subtle and elegant stripes, or combing, a technique that will create a soft, wavy striped pattern that is more "free-form" and does not require as much precision in the application.

Before you dive in, make sure your walls and your space are suitable for the project. If you have walls with slight texture, stick with broad stripes. Consider delicate vertical stripes only if your walls are smooth or you plan to have them sanded prior to painting.

The key to success for most painting projects is good tape technique. This is especially true of projects with stripe patterns to ensure crisp lines and eliminate bleeding. Not just any tape will do — to avoid having paint seep under the tape and ruin a precise line, use painters tape available in paint and hardware stores (it is usually blue and it is available in a variety of widths).

To paint either a vertical or horizontal line using painters tape, always position the edge of the tape on the inside or outside of the line, with the tape itself outside of the line. Use a putty knife to burnish, or firmly press down, the edge of tape that runs along the line. Do this only to the edge you paint.

Using a roller or brush, apply the paint, rolling just over the burnished edge of the tape, and allow to dry. When the painting is complete, pull off the tape slowly at a 45-degree angle. For more tips on how to apply stripes or other painting techniques, there are hundreds of resources online.