Clever use of paint-chip samples

HE BUILT THIS CITY After a few java refills at cozy Ukrainian Village coffee shop Star Lounge (2521 W Chicago Ave, 773-384-7827), you’re bound to make a trip to its unisex bathroom. And in that restroom, you’ll notice the clever use of paint-chip samples all over the midnight blue walls. According to Star Lounge owner Jesse Diaz, the collage idea came from one of his customers, who approached Diaz about four months ago and asked if he could redo the bathroom. After painting the walls, the customer used cream-colored paint samples to create a city skyline and hues of blue to evoke clouds. The decor is easy to re-create in your own bathroom (or even a home office or bedroom). Just stock up on paint-strip samples each time you visit stores like Home Depot. Once you have a large enough collection, cut or gently tear the samples to create different shapes and use a glue stick to paste the colors together to mold the various buildings and clouds. Star Lounge uses thumbtacks to attach its collage to the wall—you could do the same, or simply stick it on a large, painted bulletin board to avoid holes.