If you follow what goes on in the interior design world, you have likely heard of limewash paint. It’s a beautiful, natural wall finish that has been around for centuries, proving that it stands the test of time, but has more recently gained popularity in modern spaces. Original limewash is naturally white, so even when pigments are added, it results in a matte, velvety finish with natural variations. It creates such a beautiful sense of natural texture and can add a lot of depth and interest to a space.
12 Decorative Painting Techniques | Accent Walls | Color and Texture
florapompeiiThe act of painting walls precedes even architecture. As a fundamental human experience it reveals a natural human response to our environment. From the Paleolithic cave paintings through the evolution of the decorative arts; we have adorned our walls with colors and pattern, flora and fauna.
Decorative techniques are used to alter the feeling of space, affect mood and offer atmosphere and illusion. From accent walls to larger areas, paint and plaster provides for a variety of textures available to create subtle finishes of depth and interest. It’s a great way to share in the richness of our long artistic tradition, and experience the loveliness of decorative painting!
These painting techniques are meant to be used in small doses, subtly, and sparingly. Our design service may include one, or a combination of these hand painted affects, where we may incorporate them to emphasize special features, create small and dramatic accent walls, and add a lovely, hand brushed quality to your interior design statement as a whole.
Color Wash
A color wash is a faux painting technique used to create a subtle wash of color over a wall by applying multiple layers and colors of tinted glazes to create depth, movement and drama. It is generally applied with a softening brush over a solid paint layer, using sweeping strokes to blend and meld the glaze colors together.
Color washing was historically created with oil-based products because of the long drying time, but with today’s health and environmental consciousness, paint companies are producing more user-friendly water based glazes. This finish can create the illusion of an old Tuscan plaster effect.
Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is a faux finish whereby a brush is pulled through a wet glaze or paint, producing fine blurry stripes of the base coat color showing through and creates an effect of soft graduated lines on the wall. Dents and cracks in the wall can enhance this affect and the surface textures are built up slowly.
What materials do you need?
I wanted to keep this project affordable and easy, so I developed this tutorial using only traditional wall paint, but to achieve the beautiful textured look of limewash paint, you will need two paint colours. Start by selecting the colour you’d like your walls to primarily be and then supplement that colour with the colour either directly below or above it on the paint chip. Also, it’s important to note that traditional limewash is a natural finish, so the look is best achieved with more natural or muddy colour tones.
For my powder room, I wanted a dramatic and cozy look. I settled on a beautiful dark brown/grey with a green undertone called Porpoise (SW 7047) by Sherwin-Williams. Once I selected my primary tone, I picked my second colour by going one tone lighter, settling on the colour called Anonymous (SW 7046). To achieve the natural, chalky look, I made sure to purchase my paints in a matte finish.
The paint is the main component of this process, so the other materials are quite simple:
- Primary paint colour in a matte finish
- Secondary paint colour (either one tone lighter or darker than the primary colour) in a matte finish
- Primer (optional)
- Wide paint or stain brush (5” or larger)
- Smaller paint brushe(s)
- Painter’s tape
Step 01: Prep your walls.
It is important to start with a clean surface before applying any type of paint product, so the first thing I did was wipe down all my walls and trim with a dust brush. I also filled any holes and removed any imperfections with a little bit of soap and water. My walls were a deep blue tone, so I decided to forgo any priming, but if you are applying a light toned limewash look or if your walls need refreshing, it would be a good idea to prime the walls with a standard wall primer first. I also used painters tape to tape around the floor and my bathroom vanity and toilet. Take whatever prep steps are necessary for your own project. The prep work is the worst part of any paint project, but it’s worth the effort to do it properly.
I love the drama of a tone on tone look, especially when applying a dark colour to a room, so I decided to paint all the trim, baseboards, and the door in my powder room before applying the wall paint. To do this, I purchased a small amount of my main paint colour, Porpoise (SW 7047) in a satin finish and applied two coats. I didn’t bother being too careful where the trim met the walls since I would be painting the walls shortly anyways.
Step 03: Cut in the paint on your walls.
The brushing technique used to achieve the limewash look isn’t very precise, so you will first need to cut in using your main paint colour to ensure that you get coverage right up the edges. This includes around outlets and switches, along the trim and ceiling, and even in some of the corners. Since I was working in a tight powder room, I also decided to cut in around the toilet and vanity, just to ensure that I could get paint coverage in these areas even if I wasn’t able to reach in the tight spaces with the limewash technique.
Even though you are cutting in with a more precise brush, do your best not to establish perfect brush strokes. The success of the limewash effect is that it looks effortless and blended, so you’ll want to ensure that your wall edges don’t have a distinguished clean look either. What I did was cut in along the edges, but then fanned out the brush strokes in a random way.
Amp Up the Style Quotient of Your Décor: 5 Minimalistic Wall Paint Ideas
Home interiors have come a long way since the times when all you needed was a splash of colour to liven up your walls. Today, textures and designs on accent walls are sought after and commonly seen in homes and workplaces.
Wall paint designs can take many forms and styles and can dramatically change the look of the space. The buzz of activity on your walls is sure to take your décor up a notch. Let’s look at how you can amp up your décor with good quality wall paint.
1. The blended effect
While different methods of dressing up your walls have become popular, the blending of colours on your walls will never go out of style. Greys, moss green, turquoise, and earthy colours are popular shades. Two tones of the same colour work well to achieve a cloud-like effect.
You can use rollers, sponges or even scrunched up paper to achieve the effect you want. What’s more, it’s so easy to experiment on sheets of paper before you start on your wall.
Tips and tricks
● Apply darker tone first, then build up with the lighter shade.
● You don’t need to restrict yourself to just two shades. You can add a quirky look by adding contrasting tones too.
● Let the base coat dry before you begin.
2. The glorious metallic look
This exhilarating finish is almost a work of art! The starkness of this dark wall embellished with metallic glitter is breathtaking and adds an element of mystery and class to your decor. You can add copper or brass elements to your decor to elevate the design on the wall or achieve an antique gold look. Maybe some copper plates on the wall? Or a vintage mirror? You be the judge.
It is surely the ideal interior paint design idea!
Tips and tricks
● Get a proper finish on your wall.
● Start with a base coat of black paint.
● Let the strokes do the talking!
3. Stone structure wall with paint
While wall paint design ideas abound, nothing beats the magnificence of a stone structure effect! You can achieve the stone finish by applying the base coat and following up with multicolour emulsion paint. The flecks of colour scattered over the base coat give your wall dimension and a surreal feel.
This cave effect is perfect for a rustic appeal and will work wonderfully with wooden furniture, rough durries and woven cushions. It goes perfectly with contemporary decor as well.
Tips and tricks
● Prime the wall before you apply the base coat.
● You can apply the multicolour paint using a roller or a texture gun.
● You can opt for multiple coats.
4. The ombre look
Ombre wall paint is easy to execute and adds interest to your interior wall paint design. Sea green and turquoise are ideal for this style as they bring the feel of the sea into your room. You can start with the darker shade on the bottom and gradually lighten the colour as you climb up the wall. However, you don’t have to let these parameters bind you. Other colours will work just as well, depending on your taste and mood. Reds and oranges diffusing into white can give your room vibrancy and warmth.
Tips and tricks
● Leave the skirting white for added impact.
● Sand coloured accents, wickerwork and shell artefacts are a good choice for this look if using blue tones.
● Brass, metallics and wood will be perfect for the red ombre wall.
5. The drama of stripes
The magic of streaked walls! The lines do not have to be of the same thickness, nor do you need precision. Let the strokes of paint criss-cross across the wall in tones of the same shade. Or, you can go wild with a multicoloured look. You can use masking tape to keep the paint within the lines. Let the first colour dry off before you begin to paint another colour.
Your colour options? Tones of grey, turquoise blue or green for a sober effect. If you want youth and vibrancy, you can opt for a combination of pastel greens, blues and pinks.
Tips and tricks
● Be gentle when removing the masking tape to avoid ripping off the paint.
● Let the lines streak across the wall for better impact.
● You can start with a base coat of white or light grey and then build up the colours as you go along.
● A gradation can work too on your wall decoration colour.
Wall painting is an exhilarating experience that will set the mood in your décor. Remember, while these techniques are easy to implement, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Don’t let it overwhelm you! Call in the experts to do the job for you!
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