Paint
Use paint textures to liven up uninteresting walls or to bring a decorating theme to life within a room. There are many different techniques for adding texture to painted walls. With the careful use of paint color and texture, any wall can become a beautiful focal point of a room.
Marble Texture
A marbled texture on a wall can create a beautiful and sophisticated formal room. Choose a light base coat and a darker top coat that will be the predominant marbling color.
Paint the wall with two complete coats of white latex paint for the base. Allow the paint to dry completely between coats and after the last coat. Mix the top coat of latex paint with equal parts of acrylic latex glaze. Apply the mixture to the wall sparingly, working in small 2-foot square areas. Use a clean cloth to wipe away a small amount of the wet top coat. As you carefully remove some of the top coat, the base coat will become visible. Work so that the two colors blend together in a marbled effect.
To makes lines for a marbled veiny look, use a small, thin paintbrush and paint lines onto the wall with the top coat mixture. Make the lines crooked, changing direction, and of varying thicknesses across the length of the wall.
Sponging
Sponging color on or off a wall is a very simple and fast way to add interesting texture to a wall. Choose a base color and a contrasting color for the sponging texture. Paint the wall with the base color paint and allow it to dry completely. Decide whether you will sponge another color on the wall or if you will paint another color over the base coat and sponge part of this color off the wall.
Mix the top coat latex color with equal parts of acrylic latex glaze. To sponge another color on the wall, use a sea sponge to carefully and lightly apply the mixture to the wall. To sponge color off the wall, paint the top coat mixture lightly onto the wall in small sections and use a sea sponge to blot at the wall to remove color. Both techniques need to be performed in small 2-foot square areas and care must be taken to make your work even. Step back frequently to survey the effect.
Stippling
Stippling is a subtle texture that creates an appearance of depth and resembles suede. This paint technique is effective for creating an aged, antique look to wall surfaces. Apply either a light or dark base coat to the wall and allow it to dry. Choose a top coat color and mix it with equal parts of acrylic latex glaze. Apply the mixture to the wall in one-foot wide strips from top to bottom. While the paint is still wet, use a 3-inch-wide dry paint brush to stab at the wet paint to remove very small dots of paint with the bristles. By working carefully and evenly, the effect will resemble suede because the small dots of removed wet paint will blend together as the technique is performed.
