There are those rooms that seem to exude charm from the moment you step inside, even when they’re completely bare. Tall ceilings that reach for the sky, large windows that let in floods of light, and intricate woodwork or molding details—these elements give a room an inherent allure, a head start in the charm department. But then, there are rooms that lack all of these features, and adding personality to such spaces can feel like an insurmountable challenge. This was precisely the situation with the bedrooms in our 1960s ranch home.
When I decided to convert my office/craft room into a playroom for our daughter, I was met with a rather uninspiring sight as I cleared out all the office equipment. The room looked stark and uninteresting, and I knew I had to do something to liven up the walls and bring it to life. That’s when the internet came to the rescue.
A few months ago, while scrolling through the A Color Story Instagram feed, I stumbled upon a captivating photo. It featured a neutral rainbow stretching across the corner of a wall, and I was immediately smitten. I later learned that the design was the work of Grace Dille at the Flea Style, and it was truly a masterpiece. Since the far corner of the playroom is the most visible when passing by in the hallway, I thought a similar corner rainbow would be the perfect way to infuse the room with happy vibes. Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a few more pink shades to the color palette to make it even more special.
Now, let me walk you through the process of creating this magical rainbow corner accent wall. First, gather your supplies: paint in various shades for each rainbow strip (I used Valapar’s Champagne Pink, Baby Blush, Opal Blush, Warm Cappuccino, and Pink Wink from top to bottom), painter’s tape, scissors, white paint (or your main wall color), paint brushes and rollers, cardboard, and a light – colored pencil for guidance.
The first step is to use painter’s tape to outline the largest arch of your rainbow. Start by marking where you want both ends of the arch to be, then place tape at the highest point of the middle. From there, fill in the rest of the curve. The beauty of this project is that you can customize the shape of your rainbow—make it tall and skinny, wide and fat, or even a bit lopsided; the choice is yours!
Once you have the general outline of the outer rainbow band, it’s time to refine the edges. Connect the dots with the tape to create a clean, defined border. Next, decide on the width of each rainbow stripe. I opted for 10 – inch – wide stripes, so I cut a piece of cardboard to that length and taped a light pink colored pencil to the other side. This served as my width tracer, allowing me to mark where the next strip of tape should go.
When marking the lines, it’s crucial to use a light – colored pencil. I’ve learned from experience that regular pencils can leave marks that are difficult to cover with light – colored paint. Run the non – pencil side of the cardboard along the existing tape mark of the rainbow band to create a new line 10 inches away. Then, place the painter’s tape just outside the pencil mark, ensuring that the marks will be painted over and hidden.
Creating a smooth arch with straight painter’s tape can be a bit tricky. You can either cut the tape in half to make it thinner and more flexible or make small cuts along the outside edge of the tape to the halfway point, which will allow you to bend it more easily to follow the curve.
After taping off the first section, take your main wall color (white, in my case) and paint along the edges of the rainbow band where the tape meets the wall. This step might seem unnecessary, but it’s actually the key to getting a clean, sharp line when you remove the tape. If there’s any paint bleed, it will be the color of the wall, making it virtually invisible once the tape is peeled off. Trust me, I’ve skipped this step in the past and regretted it every time!
Once the wall color is dry, it’s time to paint the rainbow band with your chosen color. Apply as many coats as needed, allowing sufficient drying time between each one. When the paint is completely dry, carefully peel off the tape, and voila! Your first stripe is complete.
Repeat the process for each subsequent layer of the rainbow. Tape off the outer edge of the next layer, use your cardboard width tracer to mark the next tape line, paint the wall color along the edges, and then fill the stripe with your chosen color. Keep going until your entire rainbow is finished.
You can choose to measure the space between each rainbow band precisely for a perfectly spaced look, or you can eyeball it like I did. In the end, my rainbow corner accent wall turned out incredibly cute, and I didn’t have to spend hours obsessing over perfection. With a few simple supplies and some creativity, I was able to transform a dull, boring room into a vibrant and cheerful playroom that my daughter adores. And with a few finishing touches like a beautiful light fixture, art prints, and wicker baskets, the room truly came to life.
