Creating Venetian Plastered Walls

Do you love the look of aged plastered walls? European country manors and old world cottages are full of venetian plastered walls. You can recreate the look of old plastered walls with paint. The secret to the textural appearance is to apply the paint with a trowel. A trowel is a tool that is used to spread joint compound onto drywall.

Aged venetian plastered walls are very popular. Originally this technique was somewhat time-consuming. It required mixing ground stone into plaster. Then, it was layered on the walls and sanded down to create a finish that resembled smooth stone. The mellow, worn appearance is very popular today. Creating the look of aged walls is easier now. You can use thin layers of paint to achieve this look. Plus, if your taste and color choices change you can paint over the layers.

Start by picking out some great paint colors. If you are unsure of a good color combination I have a few suggestions. First you may want to pick colors from the same paint swatch. However, I have tried these color combos and they are great. You can find these at Sherwin Williams. For a neutral palette try Tassel SW6369, Anjou Pear SW6381, and Jersey Cream SW6379. I also have a green color combination that is Composed SW6472, Shagreen SW6422, and Jersey Cream SW6379. The red color combination is Raynard SW6348, Tassel SW6369, and Anjou Pear SW6381.

Once you have picked your paint colors you are ready to begin. Begin by troweling on thin layers of paint. You should have jagged and smooth edges. This helps create the illusion of texture even though the painted finish is smooth. This technique requires three colors, but you can use as many as you like. Start at the bottom with the darkest shade. Apply the color about on quarter of the way up the wall. Then, apply the second color up the wall and do the same for the third. Continue picking up two colors at a time. You want to work in an up and down motion while blending the colors in between. There's no need to wipe off the trowel between colors. The color mixing is what adds to the illusion. The amounts of dark and light paint determine the contrast on your walls. The great thing about this treatment is that you can keep working colors in until you achieve the design you desire. After you have applied color to the entire wall, step back and evaluate the effect.

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