Interior Decorating Information

Four Decorative Painting Techniques


Tired of plain, boring walls? Faux finishes are a great way to jazz up your space with little cost or effort. Here are a few of the most popular finishes.

Sponging: Of all faux finish techniques, sponging is the easiest, even children can do a somewhat messy reproduction of this technique. In order to sponge, you must first paint the entire area one base color. After this coat dries, then you can take a sponge or even a plastic bag, dip it in paint, and apply the paint randomly to the walls. Although this is a random process, you want to be careful not to get any one area of the wall extremely dark or leave it extremely light or your eye will be drawn to that spot immediately. Sponging is very easy, and for all supplies usually costs between $50-$100, which may also include classes if you want to learn from the professionals.

Combing: Combing is a little more difficult. When combing, you use a squeegee with teeth to comb through the top layer of paint. As with sponging, you want to have a bottom layer so that when you comb there will be a matching layer beneath it. Using a combing technique is also very inexpensive, and you can use the squeegee to make wavy, zigzags, and other designs on the wall.

Glazing: Glazing is actually the product that you put over your first coat of paint. In order to glaze your walls correctly, you should take a class. You may be able to find a home improvement store that offers glazing classes or you may need to talk to a local interior decorator about classes, although these will likely be very expensive. Glazing places a transparent coat over the base coat of paint, making the wall look a bit shiny and transparent. You can use as many coats of glaze as you want to get the desired look.

Trompe-L'oeil: Trompe-L'oeil is French for "fool the eye." This finish fools the eye into thinking that the wall has a marble or granite finish. This is probably the most difficult finish to accomplish on your own. For creating the marble finish, you use a technique very much like sponging, but this one takes a bit more talent. Visit local stores to see if they have classes or tips on achieving this style.

These are the four primary types of faux finishes. The first two are fairly easy, while the latter two are significantly harder. Before attempting any of these, plan well so that you can estimate the cost, and visit your local hardware or design store for classes or helpful hints. Having a buddy to take classes with you or practice with you will make the experience more fun. You can even do one room in your house and then decorate a room in your buddy's house; the fun never ends!

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article is provided courtesy of The Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network - http://www.diyhomedecorating.com - a large and growing decorating and decor website featuring articles, tips, advice, and popular decor shopping. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.


MORE RESOURCES:

05/23/2024
This Architectural Gem Enticed New York Transplants to Call Connecticut Home
A Manhattan family found an exceptional English-style manor built in 1911 in Connecticut and turned to Sanchez+Coleman Studio for the refresh.


more info


05/23/2024
Inside a Three-Story Oasis of Serenity In Naples
AC Hotels Naples 5th Avenue by DLR Group showcases interiors that embody relaxed luxury that is channeled by nuanced materials.


more info


05/23/2024
Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca
Atelier du Pont employs abundant local stone to transform a late 19th–century Spanish farmhouse on Menorca into the Son Blanc inn natural wonder.


more info


05/22/2024
Milanese Elegance Meets New York Boldness in This Chic Home
An art-inclined family returns to Italy after nearly a decade living in New York City and melds the best attributes of both locales their flat.


more info


05/17/2024
AvroKO Turns to Warm Brutalism for the Jay Hotel
Warm brutalism may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it aptly describes the interiors of the 24-story, 360-key Jay hotel by AvroKO.


more info


05/17/2024
Rockwell Group Updates a Historic Hotel in Boca Raton
Rockwell Group renovates, expands, and coheres a 1926 hotel property in Palm Beach in the firm’s signature luxury and consideration of site.


more info


05/16/2024
California Cool Meets Swiss Precision In This Beach Home
Soak in the sunshine and the wire-brushed Douglas fir planks that make up the flooring and ceilings at this beachfront getaway retreat in Malibu.


more info


05/03/2024
Stonehill Taylor Designs a Biophilic Hotel Haven in Boston
Raffles Boston, a new build that melds residential and hospitality spaces, features a 147-key nature-inspired hotel by Rising Giant Stonehill Taylor.


more info


05/03/2024
Get Ready to Party at This Maximalist Florida Eatery
EDG Interior Architecture + Design delivered a maximalist setting for Fiolina in Boca Raton that invites all guests to have a fun time.


more info


05/01/2024
Ski Straight into This Rustic-Chic Aspen Home
Rising Giant Rowland+Broughton turned a rustic 1990's mountain dwelling into a modern Aspen home with expansive windows and oak millwork.


more info


04/29/2024
Uncover An Engaging Work Atmosphere At LinkedIn’s Toronto HQ
At LinkedIn’s Toronto headquarters by CannonDesign, company values are expressed via witty graphics and connection-conducive spaces.


more info


04/26/2024
Peek Inside This Award-Winning Boutique Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Things are looking up at The Morrow Hotel by INC Architecture & Design and Rottet Studio with a fresh, light scheme that encourages relaxation and positivity.


more info


04/24/2024
6 Vibrant Ventures: Where Creative + Locale Collide
Check out these projects designed by Interior Design’s Top 100 Giants that reflect the city they are built in.


more info


04/23/2024
Unwind in the Chase Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia Airport
Restorative biophilia, rain showers and tasty cocktails are just some perks of the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia Airport by Corgan and ICRAVE.


more info


04/18/2024
Kimpton Hotel Theta Offers an Escape in the Heart of Manhattan
Embrace the soothing modernist motifs that predominate Kimpton Hotel Theta crafted by Crème/Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design and Lucid.


more info


04/18/2024
Rainbow Hues Inform Autodesk's Innovative Office in Atlanta
Discover how Corgan took inspiration from Atlanta's BeltLine project when developing the floor plan for software behemoth Autodesk’s latest regional outpost.


more info


04/18/2024
Studios Architecture Designs an Eco-Friendly School in Washington
Studios Architecture updates a 1920's redbrick structure for the next generation of students at Raymond Elementary in Washington.


more info


04/17/2024
NicoleHollis Transforms a Storied Space into a Chic Duplex
NicoleHollis crafts up a New York duplex penthouse with hints of the firm’s signature nuanced textures, art curation, and tailored livability.


more info


04/17/2024
TPG Architecture Reinvents the Office to Prioritize Connection
Though this financial firm’s New York office can accommodate 300 employees, TPG Architecture skipped the sea of desks in favor of intimate team rooms.


more info


04/17/2024
Inside Boston Consulting Group's New York Locale
Seeking to expand its headquarters at 10 Hudson Yards, Boston Consulting Group took over an additional floor designed by IA Interior Architects.


more info


04/10/2024
Innovation Thrives in This Postpandemic Workplace
Clive Wilkinson Architects and WRNS Studio deposit a light and airy workplace for financial-software company Intuit in Mountain View, California.


more info


04/10/2024
6 Restaurants and Bars That Inspire Appetites and Awe
Across the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, a fresh crop of restaurants and bars is serving up truly innovative F&B design.


more info


04/10/2024
Immersive Design Greets Visitors in the Flogistix HQ
Rand Elliott Architects engages visitors in the mysterious world of Oklahoma tech company Flogistix with dramatic lighting and high-tech LED elements.


more info


04/08/2024
Inside a Historic Palace Turned Boutique Hotel in Italy
Discover how the striped facade of an Italian duomo inspired the renovation of the Palazzo Petrvs, a boutique hotel by Giuliano Andrea dell’Uva Architetti.


more info


04/08/2024
Learn How Design Can Manifest A Brighter Future In This Gensler Tome
Penned by Gensler global cochairs Andy Cohen and Diane Hospins, Design for a Radically Changing World is a call to (design) action.


more info



home | site map | contact us