8 Ways to Create a Textured Look with Paint

8 Ways to Create a Textured Look with Paint

Texture can bring a new dimension to a wall and help to add character to a room.

It’s also a great way to hide surface imperfections or mask critical light issues.

So how do you use paint to create, or create the illusion of, bumps, grooves and undulations?

Read on for some handy tips:

1. Textured paint products

Products like Resene Resitex and Resene Sandtex provide accessible ways to create texture on a flat surface using a roller or brush.

“With different application techniques you can create different looks and textures,” Resene technical paint expert Jay Sharples says.

“Different application techniques can add texture and features using a standard acrylic paint as well. Grab a Resene testpot and have a play to see what works best.”

2. Apply paint over wallpaper

If you have old wallpaper that you were planning to get rid of, make it work for you by applying paint over the top.

“When painting over wallpaper, the texture of the wallpaper will still be there. Painting it gives a colour change and potential gloss change (depending on product used),” Sharples says.

“You could use a textured paint but depending on the wallpaper texture it could be very difficult to achieve a uniformed finish. Remember that when you paint wallpaper it becomes very difficult to remove in the future.”

3. Use a plaster finish

To achieve more texture on your walls with a plaster finish, Sharples recommends choosing interior options such as Japanese clay/lime finishes, natural clay or polished Venetian.

Resene Construction’s Otsumigaki traditional Japanese interior clay and lime plaster is a popular choice. It creates textural depth with a finish that echoes that of traditional Japanese homes.

4. Colourwashing

Colourwashing is a technique which requires a light colour base to contrast with the topcoat.

The key when creating a wash effect using Resene FX Paint Effects medium is to have enough variation between your base colour and whatever hue you add into the Resene FX Paint Effects medium.

Chic and stylish in an imperfectly perfect way, these walls in Resene Duck Egg Blue bring a layer of interest to this dining room with Resene FX Paint Effects tinted to Resene Rolling Stone. Warm, blush pinks softly contrast while the sideboard in Resene Inside Back balances the setting. The grooved floor in Resene Half Villa White adds to the textural elements of the space. The pendant lamp is in Resene Half Orchid White, sideboard is in Resene Inside Back, pottery-style bowl (with lemons) is in Resene Kalgoorie Sands, large bowl is in Resene Moccaccino, vase (with white flowers) in Kalgoorie Sands and small vase is in Resene Sea Change. Styling by Gem Adams, photography by Wendy Fenwick.

5. Limewash effect

You can mimic the soft, weathered look of old buildings with a limewash effect. This can be achieved using Resene Eighth Black White as a base and Resene Triple Black White as the topcoat.

A base colour would need two coats, then one coat of Resene FX Paint Effects medium mixed with a colour of your choice. Then use a sponge, roller, rag or brush.

6. Add shimmer

Make a bold statement and create the look of brushed metals using Resene FX Metallic. Once you’ve applied your base coat, brush on the metallic in a criss-cross stroke for your desired effect.

7. Create an antique look

To create a slight antique look in your home, use Resene Colorwood Whitewash on timber floors, walls and furniture.

For a more aged look and feel, try Resene Colorwood Greywash.

Alternatively, Resene FX Crackle can help to provide an aged look to surfaces, allowing small glances of the base colour underneath to peek through the micro crackled effect.

8. Sponging and ragging

You can achieve a textured finish by sponging and ragging using old sheets, cheesecloth or a sponge.

Dab the sponge or rag using different parts of each as you move it around your surface. Try a dark colour over a light base for a little drama.

Bring another dimension of texture and depth to a wall with a mottled effect. These walls are painted in Resene Napa with Resene Eighth Stonewashed sponged over the top using a cotton-knit rag. A second rag softens the effect by dapping Resene Napa over the parts of the wall with the strongest contrast. The result is a reading nook with a restful, yet engaging, paint effect. The floor is in Resene Ethereal, console table is in Resene Dynamite (top) and Resene Noir (legs), picture frame is in Resene Noir, large plant pot in Resene Alabaster and ribbed plant pot in Resene Double Pravda. Styling by Laura Lynn Johnston and photography by Bryce Carleton.

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