Faux Finishes Add Character to Your Home
Each room
of your house evokes different emotions and the
way you design them sets the stage for some of
the most important moments in life. Creating the
perfect setting is a balancing act of putting the
right things together. The textures you add, the
colors you combine and the sheens that are
present all work together to set the stage.
In the
world of design, old things are new again.
“Distressing is currently one of the hottest
trends for any interior wall in your home,”
says design specialist Jessica Kilpatrick of
Wagner Spray Tech. Using texture and color on
your walls is one of the most effective ways to
recreate a time or place from the past and there
are many alternatives to accomplishing that.
Hiring a professional painter to apply a faux
finish is one option.
Traditional
faux finish effects require multiple coats of
paint, with drying time in between each coat, and
take a couple of days work. It can cost thousands
of dollars, depending on the size of your room.
Kilpatrick offers an alternative, “Creating
textured walls mimics the look of old-world charm
and can be created in less than half a days work
if you have the right tools.” With a simple
faux finishing kit you  can get the same look that
professionals provide and you don’t have to
be an artist to do it.
Faux
finishing combines complementary colors and
layers to create the look of texture using paint.
Hardware or paint stores stock many different
types of specialty rollers and applicators such
as wool, fresco, colorwash, rag or stone.
Depending on the atmosphere you want to create,
you can apply different textures for different
rooms in your house. In a kitchen, you might try
colorwashing, which creates a somewhat washed out
but clean, crisp look. Fresco is a texture that
can work nicely in a den where you might want to
create a scholarly appearance. For an entryway,
the dual stone rollers could be used to create
the feeling of sturdy surrounding walls. Wool
roller covers provide a texture that resembles
suede and can help create a warm, inviting
atmosphere in a living room.
WallMagic from Wagner offers
a wide variety of fast, easy and foolproof tools
for faux finishing. Using a patented dual roller
approach, WallMagic combines your colors on the wall
all in one easy step, dramatically cutting
painting time. Most kits include an instructional
video with detailed step-by-step instructions and
color selection guidance. Whether you're
interested in a rag, sponge, wool, or colorwash
texture, WallMagic demystifies the process into an
affordable weekend project that will transform
your home. With the WallMagic dual roller system,
faux finishing requires no more preparation than
a typical home painting project.
Getting the
look you want is simply a matter of choosing
colors and textures that fit your decor.
"Combining colors creates a wide variety of
dimension and personalized effects,"
Kilpatrick says. When selecting colors for faux
finishing, the more dramatic the difference
between the colors, the bigger the statement
you'll be making (think dark red and dark brown).
Choosing color combinations where the colors are
more similar to each other creates a more subtle
effect (such as yellow and cream). For rooms
where you want to make a bold statement, use a
strong solid color scheme like pure reds, blues
and yellows. For a more mellow feeling, use
cooler blues, greens and purples -- they’ll
provide subtle color that doesn't overpower. If
you want something neutral but updated, today's
shades of brown, beige, gray, white and taupe
create a modern yet conservative look.
Once you've
chosen your colors, the rest is easy. The WallMagic dual roller system
includes a patented divided paint tray and a dual
two-color roller. This allows you to
simultaneously blend two or more colors onto the
wall without smearing paint or overblending.
"The dual roller does the work for
you," explains Kilpatrick. Simply pour a
small amount of each color into the divided paint
tray, load your dual roller, and start painting
using a criss-cross arching motion. The dual
roller is a foolproof way to create beautiful
dimension without the mess, hassle and time.
Edging is fast and easy and clean up is a breeze.
All roller covers are washable and reusable.
Fabrics,
accessories and artwork can be combined with
texture to pull your style together. Kilpatrick
says, "Aged items and timeless pieces are a
distinctive way to personalize one’s
home." Add lighting and a touch of crystal
to the room to make it glamorous or simply
combine the materials of your choice to keep it
peaceful and uncomplicated.
Think of
your walls as a blank canvas where you can begin
to set the stage as you wish. Maybe it is the
rustic charm of an old Scottish manor, the
timeless appeal of maps and books or the elegance
of a French chateau that gets your attention.
Adding the right texture and perhaps a few new
accessories can bring those places to your home
in an affordable way.
Courtesy
of ARA Content
EDITOR’S
NOTE: Wagner Spray Tech develops and markets a
wide array of painting and decorating products
used in home improvement, commercial painting and
industrial fine finishing. For further
information contact Alycia Gruenhagen at (763)
519-3558.
For more information, visit www.wagnerspraytech.com or call
(888) 925-6244 for expert advice on faux
finishing. Courtesy of ARA Content.
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