Go with the Faux: Trends in Faux Finishing

With the introduction of cheap chic in superstores such as Target and Wal-Mart, in conglomeration with the creation of shows ranging from Design on a Dime to Extreme Home Makeover, even the homeless can afford interior design these days. One current trend in mock magic is the world of faux finishing; or the use of painting technique to create a delicious Godiva appearance on a Tootsie Roll budget. In order to keep your faux finishing from being a faux pas, it's important to make sure that you and the designer are on the same page.

"The first thing I do is meet with my clients and get a feel for the style; I look at accents such as the linens," said Jefferson City, MO faux finisher Carol Huges. "Right now I'm doing a lake home where the client had a piece of fabric she loved so we used that inspiration to create a whole look - right down to the drapes."

Huges has also used a variety of techniques to create faux finishing on the walls and ceilings in the home of Re/Max realtor Joyce Bremer. Much of the design created by Huges for Bremer's home, which includes a rich, warm, golden maroon color on the walls, metallic layering, and painted crown molding, is reminiscent of an Old World feel. In a house only seven years old, altering the modern look was an important goal for Huges' work to achieve.

Other looks featured in Bremer's house include mock-leather, metallic and diamond accents.

"Many of my clients are open-minded, which allows me to be creative," said Huges. "I experiment and play with many different looks, because the thing is, its only paint."

While some homeowners experiment with faux finishing as a way to invest in their dream homes, others use it to spruce up the places they're trying to sell. As a realtor, Bremer suggests Huges' work to her clients and then witnesses the results on a firsthand basis.

"You see a lot of trends as a realtor but a lot of unique looks as well," said Bremer. "I see the most turnaround time in the homes that Carol works on."

Jill Verslues, another Jefferson City faux finisher and graduate of Decorative Art Center's faux finishing school in St. Louis, has created some modern masterpieces of her own, including a harlequin or "jeweled" pattern effect on a twenty-foot stairwell wall. She has also noticed some definite trends in the area including the Old World look, distressed black furniture, and painted ceiling effects.

"Lately everyone wants their ceiling painted," said Verslues. "I've done a lot of work with neutral, airy tones to create an indoor sky effect."

If you think you've got enough creative juices flowing to tackle the project yourself rather than hire a pro, many websites have tips and techniques for faux finishing. Two of the best are HGTVs website at www.hgtv.com and Faux Like a Pro's website, www.fauxlikeapro.com. Here you can discover the dos, don'ts and latest trends in antiquing, distressing, texturizing, color washing, decoupage, collage, gilding, stamping and glazing. Sound confusing? Take a breather, and a look at the cheat sheet:

Know Your Faux

antiquing
a technique used to treat something so that it appears stylistically typical of an older period

distressing
a technique used to treat something so that it looks worn with time

texturizing
to make something feel or appear as if of a different surface quality

color washing
a transparent color overlay

decoupage
a technique in which a design is made of pieces of printed paper cut out and stuck on a flat base, then coated with varnish

collage
collected objects/images with a theme

gilding
a technique that creates a metallic look

stamping
a technique using a cutout shape or stamp to create a pattern