Inspiring Home Decorating Ideas: Faux Finishes are Hot

Faux Finishes are Hot – Bare Walls are Not!

Ever seen an artistic wall finish that doesn’t look like wallpaper or regular paint? It just might be a faux finish.

Faux finishes are the latest home improvement craze. A faux finish can be applied to any type of wall surface including dry wall, metal, glass, ceramic, wood, etc.; however, preparation for each type of surface varies.

Faux finishes tend to last longer than wallpaper. Because it's not paper, it will never peel off. And if you tire of it, you'll never have the tiresome chore of trying to peel it off!

A faux wall finish can be coated with polyurethane that is available in satin, matte, or semi-gloss texture for a longer lasting appeal.

There are several different techniques that can be done with faux finishing. Usually the condition of the wall surface determines the best technique to use to hide any imperfections.

With the various techniques possible with faux finishes, a small room can appear larger and more spacious, or a larger room can become cozier.

Faux Finishing Basics

Like any other paint project, the wall surface you wish to paint should be prepared to obtain a long lasting finish. With proper preparation of the wall surface, almost any type of paint can be applied to any surface and be long lasting.

How do you prepare a surface for painting? Simple, make certain that the wall is very clean. Clean interior surfaces with soap and water; however, if mold or mildew is present, use a very mild bleach solution to get rid of them. For exterior surfaces, some scrubbing with a bristle brush may be required - just make sure that the surface is well cleaned.

Once the surface is clean and dried, you can start with your project. There are no special rules to follow when doing faux finishes - do whatever you want to create the desired appearance.

There are techniques that can be applied and instructions available to help you with your first project to get the effect you desire.

First, before you start, gather together all of the necessary tools. The most common tools that you will need are the primer, glaze, coating, brushes, rollers, paint tray, water bucket, gloves, rags, soap, water, and technique-specific materials such as a sponge, feather, and wood-graining tools.

Color is one major consideration in faux finishes. Since you can be as artistic as you would like to get attain the desired effect, you may want to try color blending or other combinations. The paint stores will often have examples, too. If decide to try blending colors, be careful to use only colors within the same color group. You can probably use the same base color with different shades which will be more pleasing to the eye than trying to combine contrasting colors.

Before you start applying the finish to the surface itself - experiment first by using a small piece of the same surface that you will be placing the finish on, or if that's not possible try a small piece of wood. By experimenting, you can practice the technique and also see how it will look. Then you can decide whether to continue with that finish or try a different one.

Here are some examples of the different techniques of faux finishing:

Color blocking – this is when there are different shades of a base color shaped as big blocks; this technique is ideal for nursery rooms.
Smooshing – this is a simple marble effect, something like moiré wallpaper.
Stripe – this uses different variations and shades of one color for a soft effect.
Shadow Striping – if a striped tone-on-tone technique to make an elegant wall finish.
Terracotta tile – a durable alternative to terracotta tiles; and only a fraction of the cost of the real thing.
Fresco – is used for a mottled, parchment look.
Copper patina –is ideal for kitchen surfaces because it provides a rich texture from the old country.
Golden glaze – has a soft texture that adds a glimmering touch to a room.

Faux finishes are hot! Use your creativity and imagination to obtain your desirable effect. Don't have just plain painted walls! Try an artistic faux finish which will last for a long period of time just like a normal paint. It’s faux, it’s practical, its hot!