This post is sponsored by FrogTape.
Want to create a statement wall without spending a lot of money? Here’s how to paint a DIY cube wall. All you need is paint and a little imagination.
One of the greatest joys of writing this blog is using my imagination.
I have so many projects jumping around in my head that there aren’t enough days to create them all.
Some of them have already been created like the ombre hexagon wall or the blue and gray herringbone wall or the diamond painted floors of the imagination room or any of these projects here.
Some of them need a little more work (like a barn door that turns into a desk when it’s not rolling).
Some of them are too extra to ever actually be made (like the laundry room countertop that flips up and turns into an organizer).
But every now and then a project comes along that’s perfect.
That I describe to my husband and his eyes light up and his brain starts working and a light bulb goes off and he swings me around and says…
…”let’s go.”
A project like this one.
Get your paintbrushes ready.
Here’s how to paint a DIY cube wall.
This is where the wall started.
Blank.
Plain.
White.
Oh wait.
Actually, we started here.
The first thing we did was determine the size of our cube and what we wanted the cube to look like.
I knew I didn’t want the cube to be completely equal on all sides. To create the 3-d look of the cube, I knew I wanted the top to be smaller—kind of like a diamond. That smaller piece at the top would create the illusion of the cubes kind of leaping off the wall.
Random.
I know.
But that’s what truly makes this project work.
Step 1: Measure the cubes on the wall
To create the illusion, the top of each cube was a diamond shape.
Each diamond was 9″ high and 15″ wide.
We measured each of the nine sides of the cube and the diamond top and taped off.
Each cube had nine sides.
And each edge line was 9 inches long.
We chose a starting point and then measured and repeatedly marked off points 9 inches apart in a vertical line down the wall. Next, we measured over 15″ to the right and made the same marks down the wall. Next, we measured from one of these points to the ceiling and, moving to the right 7 ½” and made marks down the wall exactly 4½” below the previous marks. We then continued the pattern over the entire wall. Lastly, we ‘connected the dots’ with pencil lines and then taped off the ‘top’ of each cube.
You’ll want to use a level when measuring, just to ensure that your lines don’t start to “drift.”
Here’s the tape that we used.
Multi-surface FrogTape.
You want to make sure to score each of the pieces of tape to prevent paint-bleed.
Step 2: Paint diamonds
After everything was taped off we painted the diamonds.
I wanted to create the impression that the light was coming in from the right, so we planned out the colors on the cube.
The side of the cube on the right was to be painted SW Greek Villa.
The color on the left side of the cube was to be painted SW Cavern Clay.
(total aside: This is Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year. You can see another project I did with it here.)
The color on the diamond top was to be painted SW Slate Violet.
Step 3: Paint another coat
Here’s a close-up of the top layer of the diamonds.
We painted each layer twice to ensure an even paint coat.
After the second coat dried, we peeled off the tape and planned out the next layer of the DIY cube wall.
Step 4: tape off the cube
The next step was to connect the diamonds with FrogTape to create a cube.
You can see the cube starting to take shape here.
This step involved painting the left side of the cube with SW Cavern Clay.
It’s important to tape OUTSIDE the edges of the cube before you paint to make sure you have the entire side of the cube painted. If you don’t tape outside the edge of the cubes, they won’t line up properly.
Step 5: Paint the left side of the cube
Paint the left side of the taped off cube with SW Cavern Clay.
Here’s what the wall looked like after we painted one coat.
Let this coat dry and paint a second coat.
Then remove the tape and you’re ready for your last side of the cube.
Step 6: Tape off the right side of the cube
Using FrogTape, tape off the left side of the cube.
Next, paint the remaining side with SW Greek Villa.
Let the first coat dry.
Paint second coat.
Step 7: remove tape and touch up
You are almost there.
Remove the last layer of tape and check to see if you need to touch up any areas.
And then?
Your wall will look like this.
And this.
And this.
And if you have a dog?
Your room might look like this.
Here’s to rooms that live large and projects and imagination and dreaming and creating and believing and painting your heart.
Every. Single. Day.
disclosure: this post was sponsored by FrogTape.
All opinions are my own.
Please see my disclosure page for more information.
You are always so good at this! You create amazing walls for sure! Nancy
Karianne! You are amazing! I'm gonna have to drink a few more cups of coffee and read this a few more times to get how you did this! LOLOL
Absolutely love this!
This is amazing! I love how this came about!
GENIUS!!
Wow! I have done stripes on a wall and a checkerboard on the floor...the impact was worth the work. This is AMAZING! I would say it must be worth the extra effort! I love seeing other's creativity in action!
That’s quite the project!!! Turned out great!
It's quite obvious that we all like your wall! However, speaking for myself only, I would lose my mind and eyesight trying to do this! I think I will just enjoy yours! lol
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That took a lot of thought and taping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Love how it adds so much dimension and movement to the room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIRL... I quilt and this is called ‘tumbling block’ quilt pattern !!!! It’s beautiful and warm in Lexington today!! Got tons of acrylic dinnerware in and bunnies are running out of my ears here at HomeGoods
You are a genius to be able to figure it out. I’ll just admit it’s not my thing and my eyes would be so confused and so would my poor brain.
I have a similar quilt my Mom made many, many years ago. It looks to be ombred (is that a word?). Lol. My house is too small to pull off something like this. I’d have to reduce the size of the blocks to the point of giving me a headache on the daily.
Holy Cow! That’s amazing! And what really amazed me is that you could envision it all and know how to measure it all out to mark and tape. That’s where my math skills would have gone and left me!! You always give me hope that I could do this. My grandson would lOVE this for his new room! Thank you for the inspiration, friend!
Now gguuuuuurrrrrllll~~friend that"s incredible!! Truly. And a perfect background for the dog to pose!
KariAnne, only you could tape your way to a painted cube! Looks fantastic, but way out of my mathematically challenged league! Measuring and taping just so, you are a true genius!
KariAnne, your wall is Amazing!!!!! Thank you for sharing with all of us!
Cool painted wall, and Buddy is a perfect accessory🤣 Pat
Looking at this made me dizzy and gave me a headache! Oh my.... I would have made such a mess of this! Great job, Karianne!
I cannot believe how perfect that turned out! Your projects totally sold me to switch to Frog Tape for my kitchen cabinet painting project and I love it.
Wow, just wow!!! xoxo
Amazing!! Time consuming?
Hey girl, What do you mean by "scoring" the tape. You want to cut it half way through, like glass? Or you want to press the edges down tight? And where is this hallway? I love it, but my whole main floor is orange. Isn't most of your place white and taupe? I bet it would be awesome for a rear entryway. Great work. It looks pretty much perfect. All the best, The Other Marian