Decorative Painting Techniques
Bring Style and Class to Your Home with Faux Painting
Creating a stylish room may be as simple as trying a decorative painting technique. Depending on the technique, your results can be casual, quirky, or sophisticated. Faux finishes can camouflage a multitude of sins, including uneven and damaged drywall. Geometric designs can make a room seem smaller or larger than it really is. And washes add amazing depth of color for a dramatic result.
Because paint is so inexpensive, feel free to go wild with different styles and finishes. Unusual designs are a good way to express your personal style and make your house feel like home.
Some decorative painting techniques will require special faux painting tools and/or paint glaze, but you will be amazed at what you can do with common household items.
Faux Finishes
Have a unique decorative painting finish on your walls?
Faux finishes are designed to mimic other surfaces. Marble, granite and other stone effects, leather, parchment, and wood grain finishes are all popular choices.
With a little imagination, you can also create finishes that look like aged metal- tarnished bronze, pewter or gold, rusted tin or iron, or even faux verdigris are possible. And don't overlook the possibility of faux brick or tile finishes- both work well in the kitchen.
For the most realistic result, keep a sample or two (or at least pictures) of the material you're trying to recreate. Refer to it often as you mix and apply the colors.
Don't try for perfection; some unevenness and variation in color and texture are desirable. Not only do these minor flaws create a more natural finish, they also mask less than smooth walls.
Other Popular Decorative Finishes
Several very popular techniques involve using multiple paint colors and unusual tools to create exotic textures. For a subtle finish, choose similar colors and
sheens; more dramatic results can be obtained by selecting contrasting shades or layering glossy paints over flat or eggshell finishes.
Color washing involves applying a thin wash of color over an existing paint job. This technique is relatively simple and creates deep, unusual colors.
Ragging and rag-rolling can be done with a variety of materials; cotton or denim rags, plastic bags, and even saran wrap and aluminum foil all create interesting and unique effects.
Spattering is a fun technique for kids' rooms. Simply flick color onto the wall using some kind of brush. Thin paint and stiff bristles create tiny specks of color; thicker paint and soft bristles yield bolder blobs.
Sponging is a very organic-looking finish that can mask imperfect drywall. Irregularly shaped sea sponges generally yield a better result than standard kitchen sponges. This can be either an additive or subtractive technique, depending on the desired result.
Stippling, or pouncing, involves dabbing color on with a brush. The stiffness, size of the brush, and the way it's held determine the final effect; it can be random or very regimented.
Geometric Designs & Stenciling
Geometric designs, including stripes, are popular but require more prep work than other decorative methods. Masking typically takes more time than the painting itself, but the effects are dramatic and sophisticated. Vertical stripes make low ceilings look higher; horizontal ones make rooms look wider and longer. Careful measuring and positioning is critical; uneven widths or off-square stripes will not look good!
If stripes aren't your thing, try masking off squares, diamonds, or even circles (make a stencil with low-tack contact paper for rounded shapes.)
Precut stencils are another fun option; good ones will have registration marks that will allow you to perfectly align repeats.
Don't be Afraid of Change
Giving your room a colorful facelift will take less time than you think. Don't be afraid to go bold- perhaps incorporating an interesting specialty paint into your finish. If you're worried about making a mistake, practicing your finish on a scrap of wallboard, plywood, or even poster board can help you perfect your decorative painting technique before touching a wall.
Your Ideas
Decorative Painting Ideas
Have any ideas about decorative painting or faux finishing? Or maybe you know about another way to add flare and style.
What did you do to achieve a new look? I would love to know about any ideas or tips you have. Or just show off! Use the form below and tell the world, plus have your own web page. (You can even add a photo!)
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Related Sites
I have found a great site that has additional information on many faux finishing techniques and the steps needed to achieve them.
Another site that can inspire and give you more ideas for your walls is Your Step By Step Wall Décor Guide. This resource is packed with ideas and tips for all your wall decor projects.
Here's an inspiring website about DIY painting the artist's way: painting ideas and techniques, based on the ways of artmaking. It has information on choosing paint colors and how colors behave in painting, info on faux painting and examples on integrating art and interior design.
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