Old world faux finish refers to creating an aged look that is common on ancient wall surfaces in the Mediterranean. The technique is also known as frescoing and distressing. You can complete this look on your own wall by texturizing the surface and painting over it with a base coat and a glaze. The glaze should be in the same color family as the base coat, but a darker shade. Any color family will work, but earth tones are the most commonly used.
Instructions
1. Tape around the wall edges, windows and electrical outlets with painter's tape. Cover the floor and furniture with plastic drop cloths.
2. Put a sea sponge roller cover on a paint roller. Dampen the cover and use it to apply a texturing base coat to the wall. Apply the base coat in curved, sporadic strokes of varying thickness.
3. Stop applying the base coat when you have done all of an area you can reach while standing in one spot. Use a 10-inch, rounded edge trowel to smooth some of the base coat. Hold the trowel parallel to the wall and pull it lightly across the surface of the base coat.
4. Repeat the application of the base coat and the troweling, section by section, until you have covered the entire wall. Let the base coat dry according to the package directions.
5. Paint along the edges of the wall, floor, ceilings, windows and electrical outlets with a paintbrush, using a latex interior paint in a matte finish. After you cut in, apply the first coat of paint to the rest of the wall with a 3/8-inch nap roller.
6. Let the first coat dry and then apply a second coat of the latex paint. Let the paint dry for 24 hours.
7. Mix the interior latex paint with an equal amount of interior latex glaze. Moisten a sponge mitt and smooth a thin layer of the glaze onto the mitt.
8. Apply the glaze to the wall with the mitt, using a circular motion. When you run out of glaze on the sponge, go back over the area to smooth the mitt marks. Continue across the entire wall, and let the glaze dry for 24 hours.
