It is important to note that this color is going to create the white part of the jean look. But beware! Whatever paint color you had underneath decades ago may rear its ugly head. To avoid this from happening you will want to prime the walls with a light yellow, white or cream base coat. You may even want to add a second coat if the old color is especially vibrant.

Jane Tip: It's best if you wash your walls thoroughly with a water-TSP mix (tri-sodium-phosphate)-available at any local hardware store-look at the label for the proper recipe concentration) prior to applying any paint whatsoever. Make sure the walls are completely dry prior to applying the primer.

Using chalk and a tape measure, divide the room into vertical 40" sections.

" />Apply the denim glaze with a paint roller to one of the sections.

" />This is the KEY step - and where your second person will come in handy. While the paint is STILL WET, take the wallpaper brush and brush through the paint using a vertical stroke. These lines do not have to be perfectly straight because denim is never perfect looking, either. (Besides, it adds to the character.) So, while one person is rolling on the denim glaze, the other person should be using the wallpaper brush to create the denim effect. Wipe the brush often with the wallpaper brush to avoid paint build up.

" />Once the vertical strokes have been made, do the same thing in a horizontal pattern to truly establish the "look" of actual denim.

Jane Tip: Don't stop brushing in the middle of the wall! This will cause the paint to build up and will be nearly impossible to fix.

As the wallpaper brush removes some of the paint, the primer coat will be exposed. This is indicative of the negative painting technique-removing paint to expose what's underneath.

Use your paint brush to dab along the edges and corners to blend in the look with the rest of the wall.

As an added step that will really finish off the look, before the glaze has had time to dry completely, roll with a check roller (Ralph Lauren makes a good one in their line). This is the most time consuming part and it will create the final distressed jean look that you are looking to achieve. Another benefit is that this will give you a good arm workout because you will need to press with some force in order to get through the layers of paint.

The next day, apply tape over the newly-glazed wall, abutting the unfinished portion of the wall.

Sit back and enjoy the blue!

Jane Tip: This technique looks particularly good underneath chair railing or below a border complimented by a lighter color on top.

That's it! You've now got button fly walls!