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Bathroom Interior Design
Any advice or guide on the interior design of a bathroom should be based around one simple concept: keep it simple. Rooms inside of a home should have functional aspects, and if one room is designed for very specific functions, it is the...
Chainsaws: Having A Sharp Chain Is Vital
Chainsaw, the popular weapon of choice for many screen villains, still remains a nightmare for humble home users. Powerful and helpful tools, chainsaws are used around the house for a number of purposes, including pruning trees and scrubs, cutting...
Common Landscape Problems (And How to Fix Them)
There are plenty of common landscape problems that can really mar the beauty of your yard. These problems range from something aesthetic to things that can actually affect the over all health of your landscape. When you encounter these problems,...
Shingling A Roof
Shingling or roofing a house is a major undertaking for a homeowner and extreme caution is required. This said, a Do-It-Yourselfer homeowner can shingle or roof their own home with a little knowledge and the right tools.
Required Tools
In...
The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art
Today in this world of fast everything, most of us just don't have the time (nor patience) to do an all consuming job of making a slipcover. We go buy them and not always are they what we want. They are generic in most cases and just don't work on...
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Softening Your Walls with Color Wash
If you like the soft look of watercolors, why not try using a color wash on your walls? In addition to a softer color, color washing can accentuate the texture of your plaster or stucco walls. And it�s so simple that even I, a faux-finish-impaired decorator, can do it
There are two techniques for color wash application: sponge or brush. Each requires a slightly different glaze formula.
Sponge Technique:
Color Wash Glaze: Mix together 1 part latex paint and 6 parts water in a bucket.
1. Mask off (using painter�s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths (especially if you are as messy as I am).
2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.
3. Dip the sponge into the color wash glaze and squeeze lightly.
4. Beginning in a lower corner, apply the glaze to the wall in short, overlapping strokes. Change the direction of the strokes frequently. Work on a small portion of the wall at a time (3 foot by 3 foot is a good size).
5. Repeat moving upward until all the wall is covered.
6. Allow to dry completely.
Brush Technique:
Brush Color Wash Glaze: 1 part flat latex paint, 1 part latex paint conditioner (available at your local
home improvement center), and 2 parts water. Mix in a bucket.
1. Mask off (using painter�s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths.
2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex enamel paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.
3. Allow the paint to dry.
4. Dip a paintbrush in the glaze and remove the excess against the side of the bucket.
5. Apply the paint in a criss-cross pattern.
6. Brush over the surface repeatedly to soften the look of the paint.
7. Wipe excess glaze away, if necessary. (Better get the industrial-sized package of paper towels!)
There you have it! A soft paint look perfect for your newly decorated room�And since you have the technique down to a science, why not come and do my family room? Powder room? Closet?
About the author:
Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at: http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand http://www.diy-homedecor.com
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