Interior Painting Ideas

Interior design painting gives homeowners a wide variety of options to reflect their personality and lifestyle by choosing the painting styles the best suits their needs. If you prefer a bit of depth mixed in with a pattern the faux finish is the one you should choose. Faux is perfect for those who prefer wallpaper but don’t want the hassle of putting it up or taking it down. There are several ways to apply a faux finish to your walls and several of them are very inexpensive and easy to do. Here are a few of the more popular faux finishes.

The first faux finish is Rag Rolling. You start with freshly painted walls that are completely dry. There are rag covers that you can buy or you can use one that you have laying around but be sure it’s dry and clean. Make sure you buy two glazes in two different colors but colors that go well together. Be sure to have a sheet of paper for after dipping the rag into the paint to remove excess paint before applying it to the wall. You might want to practice using a piece of cardboard before rag rolling your wall.

With Sponge Painting again you want to make sure your freshly painted walls are completely dry. For maximum results use a sea sponge. Get the sponge completely wet then wring it out tightly. Next dip the sponge into the glaze of your choice and work in small areas of only a few feet. Use even pressure and dab the sponge on the wall creating a unique design.

The next faux finish is Color Washing. For this one you will need to apply a base coat to your walls then lightly sand them so that the walls will grab the next coat. Be sure you remove all the dust from sanding. Combine latex paint and the glaze of your choice using a ratio of four parts glaze to one part paint. Using a sponge or cloth and the mix you just created begin to wash your walls. Use only a circular motion until you get the color you want.

An very old fashioned technique of faux finish is Lime Washing. This adds a white chalky finish to your walls. To achieve this look mix flat white latex paint with a small amount of water. The more water you add the lighter the paint. Using a brush and an X motion to apply the Lime Washing. Be sure to have a piece of cheesecloth nearby to remove any marks that look like they were brushed on. After you have painted all the walls follow up with a varnish that has a water base.

2010 is long gone and just like with fashion, paint color fads come and go. To help you find inspiration for you home painting projects we are featuring the most popular color paints for your home in 2011.

 

Colors for your living room

Colors for your Kitchen

Colors for your Bathroom

Colors for your Bedroom