What special effects can be done with wall paint in a livingroom?

Question

I have always had my walls wallpapered so just a painted wall sounds boring and I would like to know what can perk it up or do I need to go back to wallpaper books?

Answer 1

You might want to consider a faux finish, it can give a leather, denim, leather, or weathered look to your paint. Here is the idea http://www.paintplus.com/faux/RLFaux.asp?title=Ralph+Lauren+Unique+Finishes&fid=66
Or if you are really into prints you can stencil, that is much easier to paint over when you're tired of it as opposed to the removal of wall paper. Check out Home Depot, they're a good resource for any of these projects. Happy decorating!

Answer 2

Sponging - Paint your base color onto the wall surface, then take your top color, most people pick either a shade lighter/darker than the base , although the colour choice is up too you. fill your paint tray and dip your sponge lightly into the paint , dragging gently along the edge of the tray to rid the sponge of any excess paint . Dab lightly onto the wall, it can be time consuming so i advise trying it out on a small area first, and try to keep the amount of paint on your sponge fairly constant or you will have an uneven effect on the wall.Try the effect out the back of some left over wallpaper/ piece of board too practice and check if you like the effect. Ragging - Similar too the last suggestion only rather than a sponge use old pieces of rag scrunch them up , best to wear rubber gloves as it's messy, and either dab the top coat onto the wall or roll the rag across the surface, don't soak the rag, again experiment with the effect to see if it's too your taste and you get an idea of the technique. This can also be time consuming on a large area. Failing that there are lots of ready made paints with special effect, textured paint,rough or smooth, with the surface texture of sand, glitter paint with hints of sparkle . There are also stencils which are used to highlight different areas eg around mirrors/doors /light switches/ fire places or to make a border around the room etc. There are 100s of different designs, like Ivy, florals,sail boats, fruit, stars. Too many too mention. These are "cut outs" of the shapes, usually on plastic,which are held against the wall or held in place with a special spray adheisive, if you have shaky hands. you have to buy special stencilling brushes, which look much like a cosmetic blusher brush, which is dipped in the paint and the excess removed by dabbing it onto a piece of paper/tissue, then applied to the cut out areas on the stencil. Lots of new fun paints on the market now too,and colours, so have fun :0)

Answer 3

There are many things you can do instead of wallpaper. There's sponging, rag-rolling, washouts.

Sponging and rag-rolling are some of the easiest. You paint the wall one color, let it dry completely, then take a second color, dip a sponge or rag into it and make marks on the wall. Using the second color, you can paint over the first, then right away you take a rag or sponge and wipe it down, or across or whatever. Leave some of the second color to wash over the first. You can lift some of the second color off with a comb.

Go to a paint store and ask them about effects. They should have brochures on them. Or check out your local library's "home improvement" section.

Answer 4

Don't let the name scare you, there is a product called "venetian plaster", sold by home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes. It is a mixture of latex paint and marble powder. Creates some very subtle affects. Check it out.

Answer 5

Check out your local paint store. They have displays of various finishes and techniques.
Keep in mind some are hard to get rid of or paint over, such as Suede effect which has sand in it to give it texture.

Answer 6

Different methods are used to apply paints, glazes, and texturizing materials to create illusions of fabric, stone, wood, and other natural surfaces. Depending on how it is used, most often it is applied by hand tools with a variety of paintbrushes, sea sponges, putty knives, and cotton rags.

Answer 7

Faux-finishing can have a dramatic effect.
I just met a faux-finisher who applies luster stone, it just look fabulous.
Find a faux-finisher in your area and ask them their portfolio to have an idea of special effects you can create on your wall.
http://decoration.com/p/interior-decorating/faux-finishing/