Fall 2017 One Room Challenge, Week 3: DIY Gold Sharpie Wall

Well, the gods of baby naps have heard my pleas; this week, Mila took at least one 3-hour nap nearly every day. As a result, I’ve been able to finally cross off one ORC project: the entryway accent wall.

I posted a sneak peek in my Insta stories yesterday and already have received lots of questions. So today I photoshopped a tutorial on how you can recreate the project in your own home. All you need is eight dollars, a steady hand and a couple free hours. I wish I could take the credit for this beautiful idea, but I was inspired by Mandi at Vintage Revivals.

First, gather your tools:

• Sharpie Water-Based Paint Markers – I bought three markers at Michael’s using a 50% off coupon and asked the cashier to ring them up separately so that I could use the coupon on each one. Hence, the total cost being less than $8!
• Level
• Measuring Tape
• Pencil

Because I’m extremely OCD, I outlined the design ever-so-lightly with a pencil first. I wanted to make sure I was satisfied with the results before I took a permanent marker to the wall. Living in a house built in 1930 has its charm, but one issue I’m constantly running into is uneven floors and ceilings. As a result, I have to be extra careful with DIY projects that require straight lines.

Another disclaimer: Make sure you’re using water-based paint markers – not oil-based and not a regular Sharpie. With a water-based marker you can paint over it without having to prime first.

Now, for the tutorial!

Step 1:

Starting at the ceiling, use a level and a pencil to draw very light horizontal lines. I spaced mine out 10 inches.

Step 2:

Next, use the measuring tape to mark where the vertical lines will intersect the horizontal ones. Space them out the same distance as the horizontal lines.

I recommend starting with the end of the wall that is in direct line of sight for people entering the room. That way, if you have an incomplete design, it’ll fall on the side of the wall that is less visible – in our case, behind the door when it’s opened.

Step 3:

Use a level as a straight edge to connect the dots you just drew.

Step 4:

Now, draw an “x” in each square using the level as a straight edge.

Step 5:

Now that you’ve outlined the entire wall with pencil and are satisfied with the results, use the marker and level to draw over the light pencil markings for the final look.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is it!

This project is a great, easy and affordable way to add pizzazz to an otherwise boring room without investing too much money or spending too much time (I’m looking at you, wallpaper!). You’ll have to tune in to the blog during week six of the ORC to see the finished space, but here’s a little Photoshop rendering to get you excited!

Don’t Want to Miss the Next Update?

I’m sharing our ORC progress every Thursday, and I hope you’ll tune in to cheer me on and see how it all unfolds. You can also sign up for the FOXY OXIE newsletter or follow on Instagram Stories, where I’m sharing lots of behind-the-scenes, like this week’s accent wall.

On a somewhat related note, don’t you love Instagram’s new poll feature? So many of you said I was crazy for attempting this project – what do you think now? Is this something you’d take on?

About the One Room Challenge

The One Room Challenge (ORC) is a wildly anticipated design event hosted by Calling It Home in partnership with House Beautiful.

Twice a year, 20 featured designers along with hundreds of guest participants are challenged to transform any room they so choose, but they must complete the entire project in six weeks.

Learn more.