Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Do you long for a cozy, welcoming room? Consider decorative wall painting techniques, such as sponging, ragging, stenciling or stamping. Even if you have no experience, you can brighten even the dullest room quickly and cheaply with one of these easy decorative wall painting techniques.

Before painting your room, pick out a color scheme for your walls. When you chose your paint, remember that many painting techniques use two shades of one color. If you are using one of the techniques that does use two shades of color, you can pick a darker color than you normally would chose for your base color, since the lighter top color will make the final result much lighter.

To sponge or rag a wall, paint on your base color and let it dry thoroughly. Then, dip your sponge or rag into the lighter paint color and sponge or drag the lighter color over the base coat until you are satisfied with the effect. If you are unhappy with your final result, you can repaint any areas that you don’t like with the base coat. Once the repainted area is dry, repeat the faux painting technique.

If you are considering using a decorative painting technique such as stenciling or stamping, you may just want to create a wallpaper effect by stamping or stenciling a simple design over your base coat. However, you may want to go a step further with your project and use stencils or stamps to create a faux brick or stone wall. You don’t need to be an artist to create one of these faux finishes. Just follow these simple steps. First, paint the walls with the color you chose for the mortar between the bricks or stones. Once the base coat is dry, stamp or stencil your bricks or stones over the base coat. Once the brick or stonework is dry, spatter a bit of the darker color over your faux art to give it depth and make it appear more realistic.

Creating faux effects such as making your walls look like they are made of plaster or suede can also really make your room stand out. You can easily learn how to create these seemingly difficult finishes at your local paint store. Paint bases that automatically give a suede or textured effect to the walls are a shortcut that even artists use to create fun finishes.

Finally, no matter which decorative wall painting technique you choose, remember that it is just a few layers of paint. You can always redo the finish on your walls as you learn more about the art of decorative painting.

By: Niall Roche

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This article was provided courtesy PaintSplashes.com where you can find tons of information on faux painting and interior painting ideas and techniques.

Faux brick is made to look as authentic as possible and is available in a variety of materials. What type you choose might depend on where you will be using the brick look, the surface that it will be applied to, and how much you want to spend on your project.

The composition of the faux brick varies greatly. Plastics such as polypropylene and polyurethane, recycled products of all kinds, and even recycled paper and cardboard are used. The panels are usually designed to interlock. The panels have the brick style, color and pattern along with the mortar all in the panel and are ready for installation. There are many styles to choose from. Tan, red, used brick look, old world look, white, yellow, are just a few of the options.

Panels may come in a very flexible type, which are great for installation on curved surfaces. A more rigid form is also available. The flexible panels can be cut with scissors and are about 1/8″ thick. The more rigid panels are between ¾ to 1 inch thick. Both styles are easy to install and are glued in place or sometimes glued and screwed to the surface. Panels are weatherproof, UV stable, and resist insect infestation. Trim, corner pieces are available to complete the look.

There are also thin types of bricks made from several different materials. One is vermiculite and another is from quartz sand and other natural materials. The composition makes the bricks light weight and provide a natural looking texture. Mortar is used for installation for this style and a similar process is used as with bricks made from clay. However, these bricks are much lighter in weight, and can be used where a conventional brick application may be prohibitive.

If you are feeling creative, there are brick panels that are either white or clear. These panels are painted in whatever color and style you choose. Perhaps you have brick already in place. These panels could be painted to match.

Recycled paper and cardboard is another choice, lightweight and less expensive. These panels come ready to install and paint. Just add paint and creativity. A great choice for stage sets. Panels can be treated to make them water resistant for a longer life.

Full size bricks are manufactured from a very wide variety of recycled materials. Some of the materials come from manufacturing waste, recycled plastics and waste ceramics. Great for the environment, these are sturdy and lightweight. A good choice where full size bricks are needed.

By: Ben Pate

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Brick panels are very easy to install and your project will be done quickly. The faux thin brick type may take a little more time and expertise, but whatever style you choose, the results will be amazing. Always check for installation instructions, as each manufacturer does have recommended installation guides. For damp areas there may be extra steps that need to be done. Exterior applications may take yet another method. Faux brick can change the appearance of almost any surface and make an average space a sensational work of art.