A $55 DIY Mural Makeover Transforms a Tiny Entryway

Before, the walls were a plain white shade and lacked personality. Perez thought the colors and decor made the furniture look “too serious.” Instead, she wanted the space to feel fresh and full of life, so she opted to paint the walls with a unique square pattern using chalk paint and acrylic paint that she had left over from previous home projects.

 “The first thing I did was paint the squares on a sheet of paper and put it on the wall with some tape to see if it worked … the size and color of the squares,” she says. 

Starting with the more inconspicuous areas of the wall, she made sure to take a step back and double-check the sizing and placement of the squares to ensure everything was in line (but without looking too uniform!). 

To give the squares a perfectly imperfect look, Perez watered down her paints, which gave a watercolor effect and texture to some of the squares. The majority of the squares are a neutral earth tone, with the odd square painted in a brighter shade to add a pop of color. 

“The hardest part was that it was a ton of work,” she says. “It was three complete days.”