Variations of a Strie'

Variations of a Strie’ by Contributor Kristin DeMarco
Stride is a faux finishing glaze technique that adds depth and texture to a room. It gives the walls character and sophistication. It originates from the French word meaning "stripe" or "streak".
Strié is a technique that can be varied in many ways. The surface can be taped off and made to look like wall paper covering or a parchment square grid pattern. The Strie’ technique can be done by combing horizontal and vertical strokes to create a “linen” or “grass cloth” look. This same technique can be done to produce a “denim” finish when using shades of blue. Other interesting variations of a strie’ are wood grain and basket weave patterns.


To get the strie' effect, the walls are painted a base color that will subtlety show though the finished texture. Next, a glaze is mixed with the top paint color and rolled over the entire surface. It is best to work in small sections when applying the glaze mixture. Lastly, use a hard bristle brush or steel wool to create the finishing strokes over the wall surface. The strokes may be horizontal or vertical or a cross hatching.

The strie’ creates a very beautiful texture that can even be the base for a stencil or mural painting. The Strie’ technique takes practice, but the end result is always stunning!
Design Dazzle Contributor Kristin DeMarco