How to Color Wash a Wall with Paint

Color washing is a simple technique you can perform if you are looking to create a clean and fresh look to a room. It is very easy to do and the end results are fantastic. You can do it in a single layer, creating a light and airy look, or you can do it easily with two colors to add more depth. This type of paint job works really well in areas with walls that have slight imperfections that would be otherwise difficult to disguise. Or it simply gives a unique touch to a room in need of a great focal point.

If you are applying a single layer of paint you will need the following items to get the job done:

Drop cloth

Painter's Tape

Latex paint

Wallpaper paste

A wide edged paint brush

Make sure you are working from a wall with a surface that has been properly cleaned and prepped (dings and holes filled, and the like). You also want to make sure your wall is clean and dry before you begin.

Put your drop cloth down to protect your floor and other items that paint might get on without protection. Apply your painter's tape to edges around windows, ceilings, baseboards, etc.

Create your wash by mixing one part paint and one part wallpaper paste.

Now it is time to begin painting. Take the tip of your paintbrush and put it down into the well mixed wash you just created. Drag the brush slightly along the edge of whatever is holding your paint wash mixture to rid it of any excess paint.

You are going to break the work down into small areas. Begin by choosing where you would like to start and brush your paint on the wall in three or four places that are close to one another. You want to make random brush strokes with a fast sweeping motion. Take the same brush, not adding a thing to it, and brush those sweeps out in large random strokes. Repeat this process, adding to each section as you go, being careful to blend your seams before reapplying any paint to your brush.

If you are going to use two layers of paint for this work you need the same supplies but you want to add another latex paint with a complementing color. Do all steps as listed above with the color you want on the bottom layer. Allow to dry completely. Now repeat the process with the second color that you have mixed up into a wash, directly on the first layer that is now dry. This will create more drama with your color scheme and it will drastically soften the look of the brush strokes. Allow the wall to dry. Remove painters tape. You have now completed a new look for your room. Enjoy.