How to Paint Faux Wainscoting / Beadboard

I have always loved the historic look of beadboard paneling and wainscoting. It adds the perfect touch to a room that might be missing something. Instead of adding more furniture that can make a room look cluttered, consider adding a chair rail and doing a faux finish below it. Faux painted wainscoting may be the answer without having to spend a lot of money. You can also [paint over it later on.

I am going to explain how you can do it yourself with only paint, glaze, and a squeegee.

Faux Painted Beadboard

Step 1 - Get your materials together

• Paint (base - light beige or off white color / top coat - white)
  
• Good quality glaze with a long open time
  
• Squeegee
• Utility Knife
• Roller & roller skin (I like to use weinie rollers because they are much easier to maneuver)
• Painter's tape
  

Step 2 - Prepare the room

• Lay your dropcloths.
  
• Touch up holes with spackle and then spot prime
• Tape the area with painter's tape, so you don't get paint on your trim or moldings

Step 3 - Base coat

• Paint the area below the chair rail with the beige color in satin or pearl finish paint, let dry and do a 2nd coat

Step 4 - Prepare the squeegee

• Measure and mark the squeegee where you want your cuts to be
• Cut out with a utility knife to look like the picture below
  

Step 5 - Mix your Paint & Glaze

• Use the white paint as the top coat color to mix with your glaze
  
• 3 parts glaze to 1 part paint
• Do not add water because this can cause the glaze to dry faster on your surface, instead use an extender if you are concerned about the open time.

Step 6 - Apply Glaze Mixture

• Roll on your glaze in 3- 4 foot sections
  
• Immediately roll through the glaze with your squeegee

• It is easier if you have 2 people working on the project so one can roll on and the other can squeegee off.
• You need to work quickly

Step 7 - Clean Up

• Remove Tape
• Touch up with a small detail brush in areas where the paint may have bled through the tape.
• Save the glaze in a small air tight container. Be sure to label it.

So, that was easy enough right? Another great idea for a faux paint finish. This finish can be done in any room of the house or anywhere that already has a chair rail splitting the walls in a room.

You also have the option of putting a coat of gloss finish sealer over the finish. This will not only protect it, but it will bring out that true gloss wainscoting paint finish.

If you have any questions about this finish, please feel free to contact me.

Dropcloths - What are the best to use?

Drop cloths are a must when doing any type of painting job whether straight painting, faux finishing, or even doing a mural.

It is very important to protect your floors even before bringing in your gear. I have learned some simple tips through trial and error over my years of painting that I thought may help you understand the importance of a drop cloth.

First, lets talk about the different drop cloth options:

1. Paper Dropcloths

• Comes on a roll usually 3-4 ft wide
• Good to use on hard wood floors & tile
• Needs to be taped down to the floor because they move
  
• Will need to be thrown away at the end of the job

2. Plastic Dropcloths

• Good to use on furniture
• Easily ripped, cut, or punctured
• Not good to use on floors because paint spills stay wet on the surface and can then be tracked through the rest of the house

3. Canvas Dropcloths

• Can be used on both hard surfaces or carpeted floors
• Made of recycled cotton
• Can be used mulitiple times (I have had mine for several years)
• The tighter the weave, the more absorbent they are (go for the more expensive, they will last longer)

4. Canvas Dropcloths with Backing

• Rubberized backing on one side
• Less slipping on slick surfaces
• More expensive than regular canvas drop cloths
• No paint can leak through, even if you spilled a whole gallon on this drop cloth

So, in my professional opinion, if you plan on painting professionally - purchase both the regular canvas dropcloths as well as the drop cloths with the backing. If you are a homeowner and need a good drop cloth for a few small home painting projects, stick with the regular canvas drop cloths. But buy the more expensive ones with the tighter weave. If you use the cheaper canvas dropcloth to cover over carpet and accidentally tip over a gallon of paint (it happens!) the paint will definitely leak through the cloth onto your carpet. Believe me, I have had to learn this the HARD way! It is worth the extra money to have that extra protection.

I like to use old sheets to cover furniture. I stay away from the paper & plastic drop cloths all together. If the sheets are sliding off the furniture, then use painter's tape or even safety pins to secure it.

A COUPLE TIPS:

• Tape down your drop cloths, especially when working on a slippery surface, such as hard wood or tile. I usually put a few peices of tape along the edges right on the baseboard trim. I also tape in between drop cloths so you do not trip and your ladder does not get caught on an edge when maneuvering around the room.

• Shake out your drop cloths at the end of the job and fold them neatly to store them. This will make it so much easier for you to use them for your next job. If you are working in a home with dogs or cats, it is even more important that you clean the dropcloths between uses. You can also wash a drop cloth depending on its size. For the larger sizes go to a laundromat.

Here are a few great dropcloth options that you can purchase online through Amazon.

Camouflage Wall Murals

I was inspired by a fellow blogger, Tip Junkie, who posts about great tips and creative ideas on all different subjects. Be sure to check it out!

I came across one of her posts titled Boy Room Ideas. There she had a picture of a boy's bedroom that had been painted in camouflage. So I decided to do some research and find other cool bedroom murals that had also been done in camo.


As seen on Tip Junkie & www.ratemyspace.hgtv.com



www.paintitpink.co.uk



www.masterstouchfaux.wordpress.com



www.nancyhadley.com

Painting a wall in camouflage can be an easy and fun project for you and your child to do together. There are many different camouflage colors to choose from. Sit down with your child and figure out which camo they like the best and then procede to pick 3-4 colors to use in the mural. Because the shapes are simple, fluid, and organic, you can start by drawing the outline directly onto the wall with a pencil. Step 2 would be filling in the shapes with your colors. Use an artists brush to do the painting.

If anyone has an camouflage mural pictures, please send them our way so we can post them on our blog!

Sunset Wall Murals

www.creationsbybecki.net

I was just sitting here at my desk with my big 8 month old pregnant belly in front of me (giving me lots of discomfort), and I imagined myself in a far away place watching the sunset. So I thought I would take this opportunity to get inspired and look for hand painted wall murals depicting sunset scenes. Enjoy!


This picture was done with an airbrush. www.polarairbrush.com



www.artnmurals.com



www.darlienesbackporch.com

Sunsets are fairly easy to paint. It is just a matter of blending the colors from dark at the top to lighter at the horizon line. A great way to blend your colors is by using a paint medium or a water based glaze.

Metallic Wall Finishes

There are a number of options you can choose if you want to do a metallic faux paint or plaster finish. I came across a site called Painting The Town that does beautiful painting work in North Carolina. The business is run by Marc and Sandy Savard.

On their website they have a page dedicated to Metallic Paint Finishes. I just love some of the ideas that they have come up with.







Check out this great book on metallic wall finishes called:
The Gilded Room: Decorating with Metallic Effects, from Metal Leaf to Powders, Pastes and Paints



Modern Masters offers metallic paints and glazes. Click below to order.

Dining Room Mural and Decorating Ideas

I found this mural on www.norajohnson.blogspot.com. The artist painted this mural in a New York City townhouse. It is a Chinoiserie style mural which (according to Wikipedia) is a French term, signifying "Chinese-esque" reflecting chinese artistic influences. I love the tent style ceiling and the twisting sprouting trees.

I found the following two murals on a site called the Mural Resource Project which was created by the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design.

This first room is so subtle with the soft pastel colors. It is the perfect backdrop for the ivory dining room furniture and decorative chandelier.

www.davidbrucemichener.com

This dining room / kitchen mural takes you straight to Tuscany with the warm tones of color and the faux stone. I love the depth of this painting. It looks as if you are actually looking down a cobblestone walkway towards the arched entrance to the countryside. You can do a lot of dreaming while cooking & eating in this space.

www.AspiringDesigns.com

Another beautiful landscape scene. I found this one on www.danablanchard.net. I love how the artist Dana Blanchard captured the reflection of the trees on the water.



Artist Don Tolman was commissioned to do this mural by his mother. It depicts the changing seasons going around the room.


So those are just a few creative ideas to transform a boring dining room into something fabulous! Feel free to email me with your questions. I would be happy to help you and give you some advice for your space.

Here are a couple of resources on Dining Room Decorating.

How to Paint a Palm Tree

I came across this great painted palm tree mural on www.arttodifor.com.
I love how the artist captured a truly realistic look in the palm leaves.


I also found a great 8 minute video tutorial which I know will be a great help to those of you attempting to paint a palm tree mural in your own home. Definitely check it out!

How to Paint a Palm Tree Video

Here is a picture of one of my own murals that I did for the Westchester ARC. An organization that services the mentally and physically disabled. This mural was done for one of their group homes.

The Truth About Flat Paint

I just recently had a client whose entire house was painted with a flat finish paint. She was complaining about how dirty her walls were and how it didn't wash off when she tried to clean with a damp cloth. Unfortunately, she was unaware that her walls were painted with flat finish paint until I explained to her the reason why her walls looked so dirty.

Flat paint CANNOT be washed. It is very porous and soaks in water or any other scuffs or staining. The only way to really fix it is to touch it up with more paint. And even this is not always the best idea, because the color may not come out the same as when it was first painted, so you may have a slight variation in color.

The good thing about flat paint is that it is non-reflective, so it tends to camouflage any surface imperfections, such as dents, cracks, bumps, or any other rough areas. It is the best choice for ceilings, because of its low reflectivity.

I get mad over this situation, because a painting contractor can easily choose to use a glossier paint sheen, such as eggshell, satin, or pearl. These are easily washable with water and do not need to be touched up for many years to come. There is also a washable matte finish paint that Benjamin Moore has recently launched that has the look of flat finish paint but it can be easily cleaned.

Please don't make the mistake of not being informed about the different paint sheens that are available to you. Some painting contractors are only doing this so that you will hire them to come back and paint your house all over again within a year - especially when you start noticing how dirty your walls are getting.

The key to know, is that the higher the sheen - the better the durability

Frottage Faux Paint Finish

I met with a client today who had chosen a beautiful and bold faux finish from this book. The finish is called Frottage Painting.

Frottage is a French word meaning 'to rub', and that is exactly how this finish is achieved - by gently smoothing sheets of paper against the wet glaze, and swiftly pulling it away to reveal the base color underneath.

Here are a few step by step instructions on how to achieve this gorgeous finish.

Frottage:

1. Tape - Using low tack painter's tape, tape the top and bottom of the walls. You don't need to tape corners if you are going to use this technique on adjoining walls.

2. Base Coat - apply two coats of pearl or satin finish paint. Allow each coat to dry according to the directions on the paint.

3. Prepare Paper - Crumple sheets of newspaper and then open them up. Let the wrinkles set while you prepare the glaze colors.

4. Glazing - Using separate rollers, apply the glazes in randomly sized blocks over an area about 3 by 3 feet. The blocks should meet each other.

5. Papering - Work as fast as you can and press the wrinkled paper into the wet glaze, then lift off.



6. Seal - apply water based varnish sealer to protect the finish.

Here is what the publisher is saying about this book.

Decorative Paint & Faux Finishes by Sunset is full of new techniques, tips, color ideas, and textured treatments for walls and other surfaces that need fresh paint—and a touch of decoration! Are color choices keeping you from getting your project started? Fret no more! This beautiful book offers pages and pages of full-color photographs that provide suggestions on color combinations for a variety of room shapes and sizes. If you’re buying a newhome or updating an old one, this comprehensive guide has you covered!

Be sure to grab this book, so you can see for yourself what

How to Paint Faux Tile

www.fauxelegance.com

Faux Tile is a fun and easy way to spruce up an outdated kitchen back splash, a boring laundry room, or even a bathroom. The main item you will need is 1/4" painter's tape to create the grout lines.

Follow these simple steps to create Faux Tile:

1. Print out a few reference pictures. You will want to pick what size, color, and style of tile you want to paint. Another great idea is to go to an actual tile store and purchase a few samples.

2. Pick Colors and practice first on a sample board. You will also need to figure out what faux finishing tool you would like to use (ex. rag, brush, sea sponge, stippling brush, etc.)



3. Once you are ready to start the job, Tape off your surface with 1 1/2" low tack painter's tape. (ex. cabinets, walls, etc)

2. Base coat your surface in the color that your grout will be. You can do anything from plain white, gray, or even brown. Wait till it fully dries.

3. Figure out how big you want your tiles to be and start measuring. Use a pencil or a piece of chalk to mark where your tape will go.

4. Start taping with the 1/4" painter's tape. It will be tedious, but it will be easy from there.

5. Paint the color you want your tile to be. If you want different colors, then you will need to tape off the squares that you don't want painted and vise versa.

6. To add depth and dimension, you will want to faux finish over the base colors using whatever tool you choose. (You can pick from the tools below). The paint will need to be mixed with glaze (1 part paint to 3 parts glaze). This will make it movable on your surface.