Faux Finishing

Create a new look for a boring steel door with a faux wood grain finish. This is a simple project that can be completed in just a few hours. The final color of the wood grain finish depends on the...

If you live in a tract house, the contractor probably painted all the woodwork white before anyone ever lived there. The wood is probably pine or maybe a composite material and not worth the...

A painted faux finish that mimics unpolished stone can be applied to concrete using newspaper and paintbrushes. A variety of earth-tone glazes can be combined to create a natural look; in general,...

Ceiling fan medallions add a decorative touch to ceiling fans as well as to hanging light fixtures such as chandeliers. Ceiling medallions add architectural interest to an otherwise bland ceiling...

Faux paint treatments can be used throughout your home to give it a look that's uniquely your own. A painted stair runner, for example, is an inexpensive weekend project that can increase the...

Laminate is a thin, decorative plastic surface material that is applied to countertops with contact cement, which is specially formulated to bind very tightly to other contact-cement surfaces. You...

Searching for furniture, especially for rooms like kids rooms and guest rooms, needn't be an expensive proposition. Yard sales and thrift stores can sometimes yield quite useful pieces, with only...

Antique curtain rods are elaborate and ornate fixtures which can make a unique pairing with modern day window drapery. Look for antique curtain rods at antique salvage stores specializing in...

The faux tissue paper technique is an easy way to create a unique finish on your walls. Using just a few materials, you can change the look of your room in a matter of hours. While special tissue...

An area rug can brighten up a dingy wood floor or provide a colorful pattern to help bring together contrasting elements in your decorating scheme. Area rugs can be expensive, though, and you may...

The bedroom is a place where individual personalities shine and because of this, people experiment with art, themes and designs as a way to express themselves in their own bedrooms. Children's...

Vintage and primitive cabinetry, often seen with worn sanded edges and glazed crevices, is often seen in Tuscan style interior design. The cabinetry is painted in a variety of colors; however,...

Adding columns to your home decor can bring a touch of elegance or whimsy, depending on how you address them. If the columns you wish to add are not meant to be load bearing, you can make them...

Often the simplest paint techniques are the most beautiful. Faux granite falls in this category. If it's executed well, from surface preparation to color choices to color application, you will...

Creating a distressed look on wood is not as hard as you might think. Wood that has been distressed creates almost an antique look and can often command a much higher price in furniture stores....

Outdated brick can be updated by adding paint and glaze to a fireplace---a much cheaper option than remodeling. Fireplaces can be changed from fire engine red to a linen white, and glazed for an...

Dark and outdated paneling can be updated with a coat of paint and glaze for a refreshing new look. Removing paneling is an intensive remodeling project. Painting and glazing the paneling is a...

The gilding process involves laying tissue-thin sheets of metal over a prepared surface and burnishing them into place. The final result is an object that appears to be gold, silver or copper but...

Create luster circles on walls and ceilings for a modern faux finish technique. Metallic paint and plaster can be used to craft the look on walls and ceilings. Mica powder is added into the...

Call it country French, country or Tuscan, glazed and distressed antique-white painted wood cabinets are charming and add character to run-of-the-mill kitchens. This is a good do-it-yourself...

It's difficult to choose a color from a tiny paint chip and colors darken as they dry so many people don't realize the problem until the room is finished. You think you've chosen the perfect color...

Antique stucco and plaster finishes add texture to walls and ceilings. You'll typically apply the plasters using joint compound, followed by paint and glaze. The application method of the plaster,...

Both granite and marble have become extremely popular for countertops; however they are also expensive and very heavy. Reproducing a faux marble takes artistic skills and lots of practice, but...

Venetian plaster is applied with a trowel in layers, giving it a glossy appearance, a soft look of stone with depth and veins or a textured look of old Italy. Lime is the base of Venetian plaster...

Any color and virtually any type of paint can be made transparent and used for a variety of decorative and faux effects. Many decorative painting techniques call for thinned-down paint. Merely...

Fireplace mantels conjure up romantic images of cuddling by a roaring blaze. Or perhaps just snuggling under a blanket with a good book. Whatever the image, most of us equate them with comfort....

Over the years, stain becomes dull and even damaged. As time goes by, our tastes also change. If your current stain is dark, and no longer the finish you want your cabinets to have, there is...

If you are looking for a rustic style kitchen, glazing cabinets might be the answer. Glazing is taking part glaze and part color, applying it and then rubbing it off right away. The paint forms a...

Tuscan faux finish painting gives a soft, three-dimensional look to any wall. It is especially stylish for bedrooms or baths, but also works well in other rooms. Tuscan faux finish painting gives...

Congratulations, you have made a decision for texture painting a kitchen. Now you will need to choose a paint color, decide between a textured paint or a texture additive, and consider the type of...

Sponging on wall texture gives color depth to a room. A nice bedroom color is light beige with a cream-color white for a really soft and soothing look. Or if you want more of a beige color, use a...

Your kitchen island doesn't have to be just useful and functional; it can add a touch of nostalgia and charm to your cooking area as well. A distressed kitchen island can easily become the focal...

A bronze finish with an antique look is easy to achieve. The process involves mixing layers of color and sealing or patina finishing. Technically, patina is the green film that forms on copper and...

Crackle painting is a popular faux finishing technique for items ranging from small picture frames to entire walls. The technique replicates the look of old, cracking paint that allows previous...

Do you love Grandma's old pie cabinet with the crackled paint peeling off the front but don't want to wait for her to give it to you? No doubt because of their nostalgic value, antique and vintage...

Crackle finishing your walls or furniture is a beautiful and inexpensive way to add a "shabby chic" look to your home. While the finish looks complicated, it's actually quite easy to achieve---if...

Whether you have old outdated melamine cupboards, or just want to refresh the look of your kitchen; an antique paint effect is easy to do on kitchen cupboards and can completely transform the look...

A variety of faux finish techniques are created by adding glaze to a wall's surface. An assortment of different tools from sea sponges and rags to newspapers and plastic bags are used to create...

Add shimmer and elegance to walls by creating a faux Shantung silk plaster finish to walls. Shantung silk is a dupioni silk from the Shantung region in China. The dupioni effect, a slightly uneven...

Wainscoting is a decorative material that comes in sheets of faux wooden slats put together or a flat look with small molding details. It's actually usually a mold made of particle board or vinyl....

Venetian plaster is a smooth, colored material added to walls and ceilings for a multilayered look. The plaster is applied to even surfaces using a trowel. One or more colors can be combined for...

Large, oversized squares can add a splash of color and design to any room. From an all-over room pattern to simply on accent wall, the squares can be painted in a variety of sizes and colors....

Change new beadboard cabinets into antique replicas by adding a two-step glazing process. Glaze is a translucent solution; mixed with paint, it creates a light stain. The glaze will outline and...

After removing wallpaper, the leftover results can be a severely damaged wall with trace amounts of wallpaper glue. Creating a texture over the wall will disguise any flaws created by the...

A whitewash finish gives wicker furniture a chalky, white appearance. The finished look is created by applying white paint or white stain over the surface. Outdoor furniture should be coated with...

Metallic paint can add shimmer and reflection to a living room. Paint the entire room or simply add paint to one accent wall. Metallic paint can be used both in modern and traditional settings....

Applying glaze to crevices and molding found on doors gives depth and dimension to bathroom and kitchen cabinetry. The doors will have a slightly worn, antique appearance once painted. Common...

Glazing kitchen cabinets adds depth and definition to cabinetry drawers and doors. The glaze will settle in the cracks and grooves of the cabinetry's molding. Black, burnt umber and even copper...

Buying pre-mixed translucent glaze saves time and money. Glaze often is used by artists and decorative painters to color wash or stain walls, ceilings and decorative accessories. Many artists mix...

A crackle finish adds a little extra something to the appearance of your walls or furniture through the appearance of age. It is an elegant way to do give a new look to your home without great...