13 Glitter Paint for Walls Color Choices (The Only Guide You Need)

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The painting industry is continually evolving. New trends are mushrooming overnight that it can be quite hard to keep up. The most recent craze in the industry is glitter paint for walls. Kids and adults all over the world have fallen in love with it. Glitter wall paint creates a surreal feel in the rooms, especially, the kids rooms. And though it’s a recent craze, it has been in use for several years. As such, manufacturers have had the time to perfect the product. Painting professionals have used the glitter paint on ceilings, but are slowly gravitating towards glitter wall painting as well.

And while there are various ways one can achieve a spectacular glitter wall paint look, they all have one thing in common – they require patience, and skill. The glitter wall painting process can take a few hours or a couple of days, depending on the size of the project. While you can turn it into a DIY project, we recommend hiring a professional with a keen eye, steady hand and experience to deliver quality and long lasting results.

What is glitter wall painting?

Before we touch on the glitter wall painting techniques, it’s important that we are on the same page on what it is. No, it is not an adult version of applying Elmer’s glue to your walls and shaking up galaxy purple craft glitter all over it. As we pointed out above, it’s the new chic way homeowners are using to add glitz to their bedrooms, corridors and bathrooms. Most homeowners prefer painting patterns or accent walls because an entire sparkling room can be a little too much.

Best techniques for glitter wall painting

Now, the method used depends on how much time you have on your hands, how complex you’d like it to be, and the budget you’re working with. Here’s a quick list to fill you in.

Blown on

This technique is simple and arguably the simplest. It involves blowing dry glitter onto freshly painted walls. The walls should be at least 50% dry. Although it is simple, easy and straight forward, it is insanely messy. Imagine blowing glitter all over your wall. Regardless of how careful you are, you’ll blow glitter all over the floor. Additionally, you need to work fast and smoothly, lest you end up with glitter clumps and patches on your walls thirsting for glitter.

Glitter spray

The other technique is applying liquid paint to painted walls. The walls need to be dry. But like the spraying method, spraying gets messy and requires great skill to get smooth and consistent results. Moreover, the project requires proper ventilation. It’s dangerous being in an enclosed room with the toxic fumes from the liquid paint, even if it contains low VOCs.

Note that with the blown on technique, painters need to use eye and mask protection. For the spray on method, proper ventilation is critical as is wearing a respirator mask for added protection.

Spray on methods are perfect for oil-finishes. For this reason, they are arguably the most difficult to strip off the walls for repainting or painting over (more on this later on).

Paint additives

You can add paint additives to any type of paint. Glitter is one of the most common additives in the industry. However, we should caution you that not all glitter can be used in paint. For instance, craft paint won’t stick to the wall, and the paint will simply cover it up.

When using paint additives, you need to keep stirring the paint to ensure even distribution of the glitter throughout the wall painting process. Once you’re done with the base coat, allow it about 6 hours to dry. Later, stir in the special glitter into your paint and mix thoroughly. When painting, cover 4×4 ft squares, rolling in and cutting in section. Remember to always retain a wet edge that you’ll use to blend the squares for a perfect and flawless finish.

When using this method, it’s important to use a clear faux glaze for the finish. Why? Well, most times, the glitter you add to your base color won’t show up well. The glaze will provide a translucent medium that the glitter will sit in and make it the first layer people pick up on. Also, since kids grow up and grow out of love with glitter wall paint, the wall paint will have to be painted over or removed. If you applied the glitter using the finish glaze, then it will be easier to sand, prime and paint over the glitter wall paint.

Glitter paint

Of all the methods mentioned above, premade glitter paint is the simplest and best method to use. Premade glitter paint is designed to work with the glitter. It features the right density and has great coverage. The glitter used is ground granite and sticks to the wall perfectly. Premade glitter paint is available in a variety of different colors and is easily painted over when you need a fresh look.

With the above methods, a clear process is used for an excellent result. Below is a quick breakdown of the steps.

Clean the walls

Before you apply glitter paint for walls, you should spend some time preparing the surface. This includes cleaning the walls and repairing any cracks or holes. Warm water and a mild detergent are perfect for cleaning the walls. However, be careful not to over saturate the walls. Only use enough cleaning solution to clean off the grime and dirt.

Paint the wall with glitter paint

Apply glitter to your wall using any of the methods we’ve explained above. During the application process, it helps to start from the corners. This helps you to progress consistently without worrying about redoing dried spaces. The key to a flawless glitter wall paint finish is consistent covering. As such, redoing a dried spot will yield an unsightly look.

The glitter will spread everywhere when you are applying it. It doesn’t matter if its accessory for clothing or craft. The glitter will find its way to places you don’t want it to be. Painting a wall from corner to corner increases the chances of the glitter spreading in the house. To save yourself countless hours of clean up after painting, cover all the surfaces with drop clothes, use gloves, paint coat overalls, and hair protection.

Cover it with glaze

After the glitter wall paint dries, apply a coat of clear glaze. This will bring out the shiny effect of the glitter all the more. It will also protect the glitter from falling off with time.

Choosing the best glitter paint for walls

Now that we’ve covered the process of proper glitter application for best results, let’s review the process of choosing the best glitter paint. After all, glitter wall painting results are only as good as the quality of paint used. To increase your chances of achieving flawless results, here are some questions to ask when choosing the best glitter paint for walls:

Where will the glitter paint be used?

When shopping for glitter paint, you should think about the room you’ll use it in. While you might think the paint color will be perfect for a specific room, you might change your mind after application. So before you apply a glitter paint color that you’ll hate (translating to money down the drain), you should take some time to think it through. You could have a small sample on the wall or use online applications to have a 3D look at the results before spending your hard earned cash.

How much paint is needed?

The thing about glitter wall painting is that to get great results, you need to have the right amount of paint. To avoid buying too much or too little, you should calculate/determine how much you need beforehand. The easiest way to calculate the paint needed is to measure the width and height of your surface (s).

But this will only give you a rough estimate. To get closer to the real value, below are some consideration you should make:

What you’ll be painting

If you’ll be painting the walls only, you’ll need less paint that if you were painting the walls, ceiling, doors, and moldings. Additionally, dark or unfinished walls require a second coating of paint which translate into twice as much paint in comparison to light-colored and smooth walls.

The painting formula

The square foot formula, as earlier pointed out, is a great starting point. However, the formula is simply a guideline and isn’t accurate in determining the exact amount of paint needed. Generally, a 350 square foot area can be covered with a gallon of glitter paint.

Measure the length and height of the walls. Multiply the length by the sum of the heights. If you intend to paint the windows and doors, divide the number by 350 to get a rough estimate of the gallons of paint you need.

If you are aren’t painting the windows and doors, minus 20 sq. ft for each door and about 15 sq. ft for each window from the initial results. The resulting figure should be divided by 350. Remember, this is just a guideline. Other factors, like the texture and color of the wall, also affect how much paint you use.

Buy a test coat

Since most painting contractors cannot accurately determine the amount of paint needed, we advise investing in a test coat for determining the amount of paint needed to complete the project. But here’s some good news. Painters in Bergen County NJ have a wealth of experience. Our contractors understand various surfaces. They know their porosity and can, therefore, estimate how much paint is needed for a successful glitter wall painting project more accurately.

Glitter paint color

Before purchasing any glitter paint for walls, consider the color you need on the wall. Some glitter won’t pop with some light paint colors and might overpower darker colors. Think about the glitter paint color in relation to the wall and room you will be painting. However, we know that this is easier said than done. And even with the online color charts, you need a professional by your side to guide you through the choosing process.

Now, while it’s allowed to get inspiration from sites like Pinterest and Houzz, bear in mind that your needs might be different. You should choose a color that looks great on your walls judging by the lighting, your furniture, home’s design and your goal. Own the glitter wall paint color and let it transform your home into your dream space.

Top 13 glitter wall paint colors for your home

Glittery or not, colors have a meaning and a psychological effect on those who gaze upon them. In this section, we shall fill you in on the color effects and ultimately help you in making the right choice for your wall.

1. Red

In Russian, the word ‘red’ means beautiful. Some of the words that can be used to describe red include excitement, stimulating, bravery, speed, fire, dynamic, lust, eroticism, vibrant, and provoking. Many novelty items, including Ferraris and designer dresses come in red. Simply put, red is an intense color that evokes moods and emotions from people. The most important emotions include seduction, desire, passion, and love. On the flip side, the darker shades of red ooze courage and willpower.

Most homeowners love this color. But given the strong emotional feelings that the color evokes, we do not advise using it in your kids’ rooms. And if you have to, you should use the red glitter paint as an accent instead of the base color.

It is, however, perfect for bedrooms because of its seduction, love, and passion effects, and also because you’ll often see the color after dark. When viewed under the lamplight, the color is muted, elegant and rich – the glow and shine are spectacular and not too overpowering.

2. Blue

Blue is a favorite color for many people around the world. It is considered as the safest color. Blue is often associated with harmony, tranquillity, trust, friendship, confidence, order, loyalty, cold, technology, sky and water. Blue is a calming color. If blue denim, the sky, water and soft blue scarfs help in soothing the mind, how much more can a blue wall in a room give you?

Blue often creates feelings of loyalty and trust. It’s the reason it’s often used in company logos. The lighter shades of blue convey freedom and calmness, while the darker shades ooze integrity and professionalism. If a room has a lot going on and you need to slow things down and give it peace and tranquility, glitter blue paint will work wonders.

Glitter blue paint patterns are perfect for the living room during the summer.

3. Green

Here’s a fun fact: night goggles are designed to use color green as the human eye is most sensitive to it. As a result, it can distinguish a lot more shades of green than any other color.

Now, what’s the first thought that comes to your mind when you see color green? Greenfields? Traffic lights? Whichever it is, green is an important color of humankind. It is often associated with nature and is used to represent growth and freshness. It is nurturing and evokes feelings of compassion and sympathy.

The beauty of green is that it’s easy on the eyes. It will relax the nervous system and will calm the spirit and improve one’s mood. But there’s a difference between shades of green. The lighter shades give a feeling of freshness, while darker shades give feelings of prestige and wealth. You can choose any shade depending on your goals.

4. Yellow

Yellow is deemed as the happiest color in the spectrum, so much so that more than half of the pencils in the US are yellow. When you think of yellow, words like optimism, hope, sunshine, summer and imagination come to mind. It’s hard to be dull when surrounded by yellow glitter wall paint.

Studies show that with yellow on the walls, your focus is enhanced. This is mainly because it makes you more analytical. The brain perceives it more than other colors. It is the perfect glitter paint for walls in summer. It will brighten your room and charge you up with positive energy, optimism and mental clarity.

However, be sure to stay away from the duller shades of yellow as they ooze feelings of sickness.

5. Orange

Did you know that there’s no English word that rhymes with the word orange? Well, now, you know. Orange is a great summer color. It is often associated with feelings of enthusiasm, warmth, balance, energy and fascination.

Orange with undertones of red represents desire and sexual passion. While the lighter orange paint colors will light up your room and improve your mood, the darker colors might give you the feeling of overconfidence.

And just in case it never occurred to you, orange is the color you see the most times in a day. You’ll see it in clothes, different cultures, the sunset, fruits and vegetables. And though it can be a little ambiguous, we love it because it is adventurous and fun.

If you are in love with orange, you can pair it with red and mauve or burgundy, citrus green, and cobalt.

6. Purple

Here’s another fun fact; babies born in a rich or royal family are said to be born to the Purple. Also, every year, the 26^th of March, is marked Purple Day.

Purple is a common choice of many homeowners because of its association with royalty. Deep shades of purple exude luxury, as seen in royal and celebrity events. For many, it has the perfect hint of blue for calmness and red for passion. Looking back in history, Cleopatra was in love with Purple.

You can apply this glitter paint color in your bedroom, living room or kids room. However, you need to pair it with bright colors or at the very least ensure the room is well lit. Being a dark color, it tends to suck the light in a room (even if it’s glittery).

Also, according to color experts, men gravitate towards darker shades of purple and women towards lighter shades of purple.

7. Pink

Girls are always in love with pink. For the longest time, it was considered a color for the ladies. A shiny pink would be perfect for your daughter’s bedroom. Since it gives the feeling of tenderness, heartfelt affection and love, innocence, sweetness, friendship and charm, your daughter will identify with it – she will feel more like a princess.

When picking a pink shade for your daughter’s room, go with the soft and light hues. They are feminine. You could also pair the pink glitter with pink accessories and curtains around the house for a complete look.

Also, if any member of your family has been in an accident, pink would be the best color to help them through their healing process. It has been identified to help in healing emotional trauma. Actually, some years ago, it was used in prison walls to calm aggressive inmates.

8. White

Glitter white paint is the color with the most shades in the world. This is because different spaces require different shades of white depending on the prevailing conditions, including lighting. Usually, white represents purity, happiness and joy in a home.

White is perfect for those rooms that don’t have proper lighting. It helps to reflect the little light available and give the space the feeling of being bigger. And given that you’ll be applying glittery white, the effect will be enlarged feel will be much more enhanced.

Generally, white is a cool and calm color. And though it is used for the edges, it is perfect for an entire wall or to complement the use of another glitter paint color.

When you use it in a room, it will give the feeling of peace, cleanliness, simplicity, snow, and innocence. Last but not least, having white on your walls will help you declutter and make space for some new and creative ideas.

9. Black

We all know that black is loved in the fashion world. It has been for years. But in the recent past, more and more people are falling in love with black paint jobs. Color black is associated with formality, elegance, wealth, power, style, mystery, and depth.

Admittedly, at first, it sounds like a bad idea, but it grows on you. Think about it for a second longer. How great would black paint with silver glitter look in your bedroom or corridor walls? If done right, it could be like the universe is in your house. With a bit of precision lighting, the glitter will shine like stars, and the black paint will mimic the vastness of the universe. It will add great depth into your home and give it a stylish look and finish.

10. Brown

Did you know that the Japanese don’t have a name for color brown? They simply refer to it as ‘tea color’, or ‘fox color’. Now, brown is a practical, comfortable, sincere, earthy and homey color. Science says that it is the favorite for most men. The earthy and nutty shades of brown add warmth to a room. The brown glitter paint will make you feel at home, complete and in synch with nature.

Brown is a color you can completely rely on. It has a solid feel to it that offers security. And the fact that it blends well with a myriad of colors makes it a great option for homeowner’s looking to keep their design palette options open.

If it is fall, earthy and autumn browns will look great and blend with the season. But if you are going for a richness feel, then coffee and copper hues are perfect.

11. Gray

The human eye can distinguish close to 500 shades of gray. Impressive, right? Now, we should point out that gray glitter paint passes for silver.

The color oozes intelligence, security, maturity, and practicality. However, you need to be careful with it not to end up with a boring and sad looking wall. As a neutral color, it is stable and calm. It needs to be paired with subtle colors to cheer it up. Paint science shows that lighter shades of gray are feminine, while dark grays are masculine.

12. Gold

We are not sure who came up with this notion that the devil has a golden aura. But wait, before you freak out, gold is often associated with gold, confidence, victory, compassion, class and royalty. Gold is the cousin to yellow and gives everything a shiny look.

You can apply it in different patterns on your wall to add value and some feeling of masculinity. You can also use it on a wall that you wish to draw attention to. Everyone who walks into the room will immediately notice the glittery golden wall and think it’s cool.

13. Turquoise

Turquoise has Greek roots. It is formed from the word ‘Turkois,’ which means ‘Turkish.’ Turquoise is a beautiful color (with or without glitter). It gives feelings of peace, creativity, patience, and calmness. It is an ideal blend of green and blue.

Turquoise is the perfect color to use to inspire deep thoughts in the living room, bathroom or bedroom. Because of it, you just might have loads of great ideas trickling in. It will be useful in the times you need to make great decisions for your family or business.

Glitter wall painting designs

Now, what if you don’t want to use glitter paint on an entire wall (since it can be overwhelming). What other design options exist? Well, there are quite a few ideas. These include;

Using the glitter wall paint as the border

Instead of trying to paste a wallpaper border on the wall, you should use some glitter paint. Simply demarcate the surface with painter’s tape and paint away. When done right, the results are breathtaking.

Use it on the ceilings

Glitter wall paint isn’t a stranger to the ceilings. Back in the ’70s, glitter paint for walls formed the main component of popcorn ceilings. It was used to give the popcorn ceiling some life and style. But this doesn’t mean that you need a popcorn ceiling to use glitter paint. You can add glitter to your normal ceiling in a beautiful pattern or simply spray the entire surface.

Highlight the nooks

There are loads of areas in a home that glitter wall paint can be a nice accent paint. One of these is around the borders. These built-in surfaces that house mirrors, books and art can be even more beautiful when you add glitter paint.

Accent the borders with glitter paint or use it to create a colorful and shiny backdrop for the nooks.

Add luxury to formal settings

The other way to use glitter wall paint is to add elegance to your space. If your home looks way too formal, you can consider using glitter paint to add some luxury and fun to it. For instance, you can use glitter paint around the dining area. You can also use it around the living room walls in spots that have accent lighting to bring out the beauty of the glitter even more.

Glitter wall painting is a new trend that you should jump on. However, you should do so with caution lest it might end up being a nightmare than a piece of art. Speaking of nightmares, while the project can be a DIY, and there are various methods you can use, we recommend using a professional painting service to complete the project.

For excellent and flawless results, you should consider hiring us- Painters in Bergen County NJ. We service all boroughs in Bergen County, New Jersey, and have earned ourselves an outstanding reputation when it comes to painting jobs. We also offer a wide range of services as we have the right personnel and state of the art equipment, which all enhance our efficiency. Call us today for a quick quotation on your glitter wall painting project and you won’t be disappointed.

13 Glitter Paint for Walls Color Choices