Technique: Ombre 

Ombre is a color scheme that transitions from a lighter to darker shade.

Supplies Needed:

• Three different paint colors in the same color family – starting with a light paint and gradually getting darker

• Tape measure

• 2-inch painter's tape

• 9-inch roller frame

• 3 Roller covers with ¾-inch nap

• 3 paint trays

• 5 paint tray liners

• 3-4" wide paint brush

• Pencil

Step 1: Prepare to paint by clearing the room of furniture, draperies, wall accessories and hardware. Cover the floors with drop cloths, making sure to lay the cloth as close to the baseboard as possible. Open a window or door to ensure proper ventilation.

Step 2: Using the 2-inch painter's tape, apply tape along the top edge of the baseboards. Also tape any door or window frames that are not going to be painted.

Step 3: Pour enough of the lightest paint color into the paint tray to cover the bottom. This will be used as your base coat. Using the roller, paint your entire wall with the lightest paint color. Let dry for several hours or overnight for best results.

Step 4: When the wall is dry, use a tape measure to divide the wall into three equal horizontal sections. Mark lightly with a pencil. Keep the top section as the lightest color or base coat and progressively move to a darker shade as you move from top section to bottom.

Step 5: In a new paint tray, pour enough of the second color to cover the bottom of the tray.

Using your 9-inch paint roller, take the second color and apply it to the middle section. Leave 3-to-5 inches between the paint and the edge of the light and dark sections. This will allow room for you to blend.

Step 6: In a new paint tray, pour enough of the darkest color to cover the bottom of the tray

Using your 9-inch paint roller, paint the bottom section with the darkest color. As with the middle section, leave 3-to-5 inches of space between the paint and the section edge for blending.

Step 7: Using a fresh paint liner, mix your middle color and your darkest color at a ratio of 50% middle color and 50% darkest color. Use this new color to paint the 3-to-5 inches between the middle and darkest color.

Hold a dry brush at an angle to blend the two color/sections together.

Step 8: Then in a fresh paint liner, mix your lightest color and your middle color at a ratio of 50% middle color and 50% lightest color. Use this new color to blend the 3-to-5 inches between the middle color and lightest color.

To blend the middle color and the lightest color, hold a dry brush at an angle to blend the two sections.

Step 9: Continue to blend colors using a dry brush until desired look is achieved.