Creating a split wall with Lick Home

I’m in the middle of a home office makeover and as part of the project, I’ve been working on a split wall.

I’ve teamed up with Lick Home, who very kindly gifted me the paint for the job, and I opted for the bright and warm shade Orange 02.

This is my first time using Lick Paint – and I’m seriously impressed. The coverage is amazing even after just one coat, the colour itself is gorgeous (Orange 02 – I’m obsessed with you) and the packaging is Insta-worthy in its own right.

If, like me, you’re super impatient when it comes to getting jobs done, Lick Home even offers next day delivery – it’s ideal.

In terms of the split wall effect itself – I did something similar as part of my Bedroom Makeover a few weeks back and loved the effect it created in the room.

I’m lucky to have relatively tall ceilings as it is, and the half/half wall really gave the room added height.

Creating the illusion of space was key for my office, which is in the smallest room of the house, and being home to a desk, drawers and cupboard storage used to feel quite cramped and cluttered.

Time to get started!

You will need:

• Paint – I opted for shade Orange 02 by Lick Home
• Frog Tape – I got mine from Amazon
• Spirit level
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Paintbrush or roller
• A lot of patience

Step One: Prepare the wall

The main wall in this room used to be a gallery wall, so I spent about half a day pulling out old nails and picture hangers and using filler and sanding paper to fill in any gaps to create a smooth finish.

Next, you need to make sure to give the wall a good clean, whether it’s with sugar soap or a good old multi-surface wipe. Wait at least a few hours for it to fully dry after cleaning – this is how you’ll get the sharpest lines from the Frog Tape sticking to a clean, dust free and totally dry surface.

Step Two: Time for the line!

By far the worst and most tedious part of the whole project – creating the line. First, you’ll need to decide exactly how high you want it to be. Will you want a perfect half & half effect or something more abstract? Think about what’s going on this wall. In the bedroom, for example, I started the wall quite high up as I wanted a picture rail to sit perfectly on it with hanging plants. In the office, the line starts about 2/3 of the way up the wall as I’ll be decorating with three matching frames to sit half on and half off.

Once you’ve picked where the line will sit, grab a pencil and your spirit level and make a mark, making sure it’s perfectly level. Next, use your ruler to mark about 15/20cm away from your original mark, and check this with the spirit level and repeat until you’ve covered the width of the room.

From here, grab your Frog Tape and use this to tape between the lines. Make sure to push down hard to guarantee a clean and crisp finish once the paint has dried.

Step Three: Get painting

The hard part is done, and now you just need to get busy with the paintbrush and your chosen colour.

I’ve mentioned over on Instagram but I always choose to paint with a brush rather than a roller – I just prefer the coverage and I find you get a lot less backsplash and mess. Plus, if you’re going for quite a precise effect like a strong line, you’ll have much more control using a brush.

I make sure to coat the paint on thick around the frog tape for both the first and second coat. Make sure the area is fully covered as this will make for an even better finish once the tape comes off.

Step Four: Like watching paint dry

I can’t stress this enough – give your paint time to dry, and then give it time again. Unless your paint is perfectly dry and set, your line won’t be crisp and neat when you peel back the Frog Tape and you’ll likely have streaks and leaks. I recommend waiting around 36 hours to ensure.

Step Five: The fun part – peeling back the tape

Here’s where the hard work pays off, and in my opinion one of the most satisfying parts of decorating – peeling away the Frog Tape. Time to marvel at your work and hopefully you’ll have a clean, crisp and strong line that really adds depth and height to your space!