Yes, Please: Striped Walls

This season, go bold with vertical stripes in the bathroom, bedroom or living area.

Although striped walls are nothing new, we've noticed an uptick in the trend this year (even Anne Sage agrees!). Perhaps the popularity of the look has stemmed from the striped revolution in fashion? Stripes are no longer reserved for nautical decor and coastal settings. Why not get vertical with a few of your rooms? The result will lift your spirits (and ceiling heights!) faster than you can say "Stripe me!" Here's how to get the look:

In your bedroom
By pairing this striped wallpaper with oil paintings, antique furniture and a spindled, four-poster bed, this bedroom can easily be mistaken for a Parisian bed-and-breakfast getaway (and you know we love a good bed and breakfast!). Notice how the homeowner has used black and white curtains to blend in with the wallpaper, creating a seamless perspective for the eye: It's genius!




Looking for a softer-yet-contemporary striped look? Try pairing a yellow and white striped wall with a modern charcoal-gray headboard. The key to making this aesthetic pop is symmetry. By keeping everything else in the room balanced, the stripes are less overwhelming and more inviting, especially when capped off with a few colorful, decorative pillows.

In your living space
Can you believe how different these two rooms look? Although both rooms share gray and white vertical stripes, one is decidedly more trend-driven than the other. On the left, the accent wall is highlighted with a bright, bold dose of yellow and paired with a few complimentary plum pillows. However, the homeowners at right chose more subtle furnishings and thinner stripes, creating a neutral background for a collage of artwork and mirrored focal points. Proof that stripes can be bold or neutral, depending on how you accessorize!

In your bathroom
Stripes in the bathroom are admittedly tricky. If the space is tiny (as most bathrooms are), stripes can create a chaotic, circus-like aesthetic. One way to combat the crazy? Continue your paint lines to the ceiling. By creating a vertical perspective, your guests will focus less on your tiny bathroom and more on those tall, handsome ceilings! When using stripes in the bathroom, keep accessories and furnishings light: A pedestal sink and a diminutive dark bench are just the right scale for this space.

Of course, striped walls are quite the commitment, if you're scared of the permanence of paint, you can get a similar look by incorporating striped curtains over picture windows and/or sliding glass doors. Although they're marketed for children, I'm a big fan of the coastal-chic color scheme of the Alfresco Curtain Panel ($180). For a more affordable option, why not take a pair of West Elm sheets ($80) and transform them into decorative panels?

Best of luck, stripeys. Can't wait to see what you come up with! Have a striped wall to share? Upload and share your photo on our Flickr site!

For more striped inspiration, read on:
- Trend Watch: Stripes
- A Calming Blue and White Bedroom