A painted half-wall is a simple and affordable way to add colour, character and visual interest to any room. Whether you're transforming a spare room into a creative workspace, updating a hallway or adding personality to a child's room, a half-wall design can completely refresh the space without overwhelming it.
For this project, a forgotten, dark room under stairs is being transformed into a bright and playful sewing space that the whole family can use.
Here's What you need:
Here’s How You Do It:
Step 1:
Inspect the space and repair any damage to the walls with Selleys Spakfilla Rapid. Allow to dry before sanding with 120 grit sandpaper. Wipe away any dust from the walls.
Next, scrub the walls thoroughly with Selleys Sugar Soap to remove dirt and grime before cleaning with water to remove any final residue.
Step 2:
Lightly sand the walls with 120 grit sandpaper. This is one of the best ways to achieve a professional finish for your project. Wipe away any remaining dust with a cloth.
Step 3:
Mask the trims and any other surfaces you do not wish to paint with masking tape. Keep the tape edges fanned out to prevent paint splatter. Lay down a drop cloth on the floor beneath the walls you’re painting.
Step 4:
Apply 2x coats of Berger Triple Prep Acrylic primer to the walls, first cutting in before rolling. This is key to covering the previous dark colour paint and making sure it doesn’t show through your chosen top coats. Allow to dry between coats.
Step 5:
For the half wall, apply 2x coats to the top half of wall in your chosen colour. Cut in around the edges before rolling. Allow the first coat to dry before applying the second.
Step 6:
Once the top half of the wall is dry, measure and tape the half wall with masking tape.
Step 7:
Bleed seal the bottom edge of the tape with the top half of the wall colour. This is the secret to achieving clean, crisp paint lines on the half wall. Allow to dry.
Step 8:
With your chosen bottom half colour, apply 2x coats to the bottom of the half wall. As above, cut in around the edges before rolling. Allow the first coat to dry before applying the second.
Step 9:
Add some personality to the space. For this project, the underside of the stairs was the perfect place to inject more colour into this small room. 2x coats of paint were applied, which really brightened up this space.
Timber trims and timber rounds were added around the top of the half wall, providing a more pronounced barrier between the halves. And a stencil was used to give the top half of the wall some more whimsy.
The project was finished off with some bespoke, spray painted frames and some final touches to transform this space into a cute and practical sewing room.
This half-wall makeover completely transformed the room from a dark, overlooked space into a bright and inviting sewing room full of character. By combining carefully chosen paint colours, crisp painted lines and thoughtful decorative details, the project created a practical workspace that feels both functional and inspiring.
Whether you're refreshing a craft room, home office or spare bedroom, a half-wall design is an easy way to introduce colour, define a space and create a look that's uniquely your own. Visit your local Inspirations Paint store to get started on your next project today.