Create a simple, subtle but impressive blurred line paint effect

Step-by-step guide to painting a blurred line

Discover how to master a blurred line paint technique in your home

You’ll need:

• A tin of each of your chosen paint colours

• Paint roller

• Paint tray

• Measuring tape

• Pencil

• Ball of string

• Chalk

• Paint brushes

• Scissors

• Masking tape

Step 1: Measure up

Mark two lines of dashes to start creating your blurred line

With your measuring tape and pencil, make two parallel lines of dashes at regular intervals across the wall where you’d like to paint your blurred line.

Step 2: Apply your background colour

Apply the background colour above and below your blurred line

Using your roller, paint the top and bottom sections of wall up to the marks you made, leaving a strip of unpainted wall across the middle.

Step 3: Chalk up

Use chalk, string and tape to remark your parallel lines

Cover two lengths of string with chalk. Stretch the first string across the wall where you marked the upper dashed line and secure it with masking tape at the ends. Repeat this with the second string against the lower dashed line. Check the strings are straight, then ping the strings to leave two parallel chalk lines across the wall.

Step 4: Mask up

Apply masking tape along your chalked lines

Apply two strips of masking tape – one above the top line of chalk, the other below the bottom line of chalk.

Step 5: Apply your blurred line colour

Paint between your taped lines with a small roller

Using your roller, paint the blurred line colour on the strip of unpainted wall between the lines of masking tape. Make sure you paint just over the edge of the masking tape.

Step 6: Peel and blur

Use a dry paintbrush to create your blurred line

While the paint is still wet, peel off the masking tape and use a small dry paintbrush to blur the top and bottom edge of the strip of wet paint. Your blurred line is complete!