PAINT & WALL COVERING

At one time, homeowners had relatively limited choices when it came to wall covering, most often either paint or wallpaper. Now, however, there are a myriad of creative options at the disposal of decorators and homeowners, each with its own unique look and accompanying benefits.

Paint:
Paint is certainly the least expensive wall covering option, and it is easy to obtain exactly the color you want. The job of painting goes quickly, and in most cases, the amount of prep work necessary prior to painting is minimal. A new coat of paint will dramatically improve the look of a room and thereby increase the value of your home. Adding a splash of color to an otherwise ordinary room can perk up the environment or help to create a more cohesive interior design.

Specialty Paint Finishes / Faux Finishes:
An increasingly popular option is to apply a specialty paint finish to your walls. By utilizing a variety of faux finishing techniques, a painted surface can be made to look like any number of other materials. Commonly used specialty and faux finishes include:

  • Marbleizing - making the painted surface look like real marble
  • Graining – using brush strokes to mimic the look of wood grain
  • Trompe l'oeil – literally "trick the eye" in French, a technique used to create the illusion of actual architectural details
  • Venetian plaster - a design that appears to be textured but which is actually smooth to the touch
  • Color wash – a finish which creates variations in color by utilizing multiples hues of glaze
  • Strié – the translation is "stripe" or "streak," and this technique is often used to simulate fabrics such as linen
  • Ragging – using rags that are twisted or bunched in order to create a pattern implying texture

Trowel and European Finishes:
These finishes are applied by a craftsman using a metal trowel to introduce plaster to walls and ceilings, creating a textured effect

Wallpaper:
While wallpaper is not as popular as it once was, choosing wallpaper as your wall covering makes a statement, providing a classic and refined look while still offering a number of design options