Frieze frame

Resene – Paint project, from Homestyle magazine

Trim a space with a classic decoration made simpler than its traditional counterparts but still as snazzy.

Paint a frieze - a classic decoration

How to

Historically positioned high up on a wall and often sculpted, a frieze painted within easy reach is a more achievable way to gain some extra ornamentation and a creative take on introducing pattern to a space.
Recreate our look by first applying your background wall colour – we used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Baring Head. Next, use a metre rule and pencil to draw the outline of your frieze (ours is 11cm tall), measuring from the ground up in several places to ensure it’s level. Use painter’s tape to mask these lines for a clean finish, then fill the band with two coats of the colour that will become your vertical lines – we used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Black.
Once dry, create the vertical lines by sticking strips of 13cm-tall, 2.4cm-wide painter’s tape over the band 12.6cm apart. On top of the band and tape, paint two coats of what will become the base frieze colour – we used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Unite.
Cut a diamond-shaped stencil out of cardboard, then when the frieze is dry, trace around it with pencil between the vertical lines. Mask each diamond with tape, then paint – we used two coats of Resene Pioneer Red. When dry, remove all of the tape.

Get the look

When determining where to position your frieze, consider its height in relation to the furniture and objects you’ll style the space with, so it works harmoniously with them. Situating it further down the wall will also help to visually anchor the room.
This frieze confines several shades to a small area, so it also presents an opportunity to bring bold or bright hues into a room without overwhelming it. Our main frieze paint colour, Resene Unite, relates to the wall colour, Resene Baring Head, but is a little stronger. To this we added a graphic staple, Resene Black, and a complete contrast, Resene Pioneer Red.
Our furnishings support the scheme, with pointed and cinched shapes subtly echoing the diamond pattern of the frieze. The larger items in the room are in deliberately similar hues and suitably opulent finishes.

Painting a frieze

Painting a frieze -2

Painting a frieze -3

Colours used: Backdrop walls in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Baring Head; floor in Resene Walk-on tinted to Resene Courtyard (as the base) and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Half Alabaster; frieze in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Unite, Resene Black and Resene Pioneer Red; resene.co.nz/colorshops. Image with sideboard: Left, from left – Craft sideboard by David Moreland and Nikolai Sorensen, cittadesign.com. Thawing artwork by Courtney Ghatt, cjghatt.com. Raised plate by Scott Brough, Wood-fired vase by Sarah Harrison, publicrecord.shop. Gallery Object 07 jar by Louise Roe, slowstore.co.nz. Books stylist’s own. Image with red sidetable: Additional items from left – Artie Wave side table, sorenliv.com. Unplugged Threads rug, nodirugs.com. Huggy armchair by Sarah Ellison, slowstore.co.nz. Image with floor lamp: Additional items from left: Ostro wall light by Simone & Marcel, shopdesseinparke.co. 9602 floor lamp by Gubi, cultdesign.co.nz. Sloane vase by Marloe Marloe, slowstore.co.nz.

Stylist’s tip

Take note of the Resene Walk-on tinted to Resene Courtyard and Resene FX Paint Effects Medium mixed with Resene Half Alabaster on our floor. It’s a softer, textural counterpoint to the geometric forms of the frieze and the pared-back shapes of the furniture and homeware.