A circle is such an effective statement for a feature wall. It goes particularly well with modern, minimalist decor and furniture.
But if you get it wrong, it can look terrible, so it really pays to look into how to do it properly for best effect.
And that’s exactly what this article is here for. We’re going to explain how to make the perfect painted circle for your feature wall to give your wall some interest for you to enjoy.
It’s an easy-to-follow guide that will walk you through everything you need to know, and is backed up with lots of handy tips along the way as well.
This method is quick, and easy, and cheap, and requires no stencils.
But before we do, let’s summarize why this is such a good way to decorate a feature wall.
Why Choose A Large DIY Painted Circle For A Feature Wall
Here’s why you may want to paint a large circle for your feature wall:
- It’s a great way of making a wall look more interesting and appealing.
- It’s much easier to do than wall papering.
- It can be done in absolutely any room.
- It’s perfect for tying two colors together when the room’s walls are in different colors.
- It can be used to draw attention to shelving or to display a profound quote.
- You don’t need to buy a special template.
How To Create A Large Circle On A Wall Without Stencils
There are three common methods for making a DIY circle on a feature wall…
You can draw it freestyle, which is great if you can do it, but to be honest, few people have the confidence to do it this way.
Or, you can use a string nailed to the center of the circle, with a pencil on the end, and draw the circle as though you were using a compass. This is the method we will be using here.
Alternatively, you can use a wooden batten with a pencil hole drilled in at one end, and use this as your compass to create the circle shape. But we would argue that the string method is easier.
How To Create The DIY Circle: The String, Nail And Pencil Method
What You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’re going to need for this method:
- At Least 2 Wall Paints
- Some Good Quality String
- A Pencil
- A Nail
- A Hammer
- Some Sandpaper
- A Paint Roller And Tray
- Some Masking Tape (Ideally A Low Tack One)
- A Small Paint Brush For Touch Ups
- Some Polyfilla
The Steps
So, here’s what you need to do…
Step 1: Decide where you want the circle and how big you want it to be. This will help to determine the desired radius of the circle, and thus how long you need the string to be.
Cut the string to just over half the chosen diameter of your circle, making sure to leave some room on one end that you can use to tie up your pencil.
Step 2: Secure the string to the center of your circle, either by nailing it in place, or by using a picture hook.
Then, with the pencil tied to the right point on the string, draw your circle in one consistent movement.
Step 3: Next, you need to press masking tape in place, lined up inside your drawn penciled circle, before rubbing away the pencil outline with an eraser.
Step 4: Using an artist’s paint brush, you can now paint your darkest color, whether it’s the inside or the outside of your circle.
You don’t have to worry if any paint gets on the masking tape.
Step 5: Once this is done, you can now continue to complete your painting using the paint roller. You will need at least 2 coats of paint.
Step 6: Remove the masking tape or Frog tape without damaging the paint work.
Step 7: Once the masking tape has been removed, you can now use an artist’s paint brush to make any touch ups to the circle that may be required.
Step 8: Remove your nail from the center of the circle, and use some Polyfilla to fill in the hole.
Step 9: Complete the painting, and personalize as desired.
Top Tips For Creating Your Feature Wall’s Circle Feature
Tip 1: We recommend that you paint paler colors first because it can be hard to paint paler colors on top of dark background colors.
So, if your circle is going to be paler than the background color, then the circle should be painted first.
If, however, you want the background to be paler than the circle, then it’s better to paint the background first.
Tip 2: If you’re not sure where to have your circle, we suggest that you have the circle so that its center is at eye level.
Tip 3: Remember that although you have to keep the string taut, the string can stretch, so you must be sure that your pencil remains straight at all times.
Tip 4: If possible, we recommend using Frog tape rather than masking tape because it’s low-tack.
Tip 5: Be careful not to overload your paintbrush.
Tip 6: In our experience, the best way to remove the masking tape without damaging the paint is to only remove it while the tape is pushed flat against the wall.
Tip 7: You may wish to sand down the inside of the circle before painting it for ensuring smoothness and better paint adhesion.
How To Personalize Your Feature Wall’s Circle
You can personalize your circle any way you like. Here are a few ideas for you:
- Hang up a picture
- Hang up a calendar
- Hang up a mirror
- Hang up a clock
- Use pretty stencils
- Paint a nice quote
- Paint a mural
- Hang up some favorite photos
Wrap Up
And that’s a wrap, everybody. I hope you now feel encouraged to give this method a try, and that you’re now confident enough to make a glorious feature wall. All the best!