Faux finish question?

Question

we painted our foyer a nice red but we would like to make it a little lighter by adding a faux to it with a cream. any suggestions on how to do faux by ourselves? or a place where u can select a combination of colors to see how it would look when they are combined for a faux finish? thanks

Answer 1

Look for oops paint at home improvement stores, it has been mixed wrong and is sold for $5 a gallon. If you have some of the original color, paint a scrap of drywall and experiment on that first before you put paint on your walls. Then apply it with a rag or sponge, until you get the desired effect. You can use more rags to blot or rub the paint off, creating a very thin layer that allows the color underneath to show through. After it dries, very important to allow dry time between coats, a third color can be used to give the finish more depth and character. If you used a semi gloss paint originally, you may have problems with adhesion, cleaning the walls or bumping them with things may cause the second coat of paint to come off. In this case you should wipe the wall first with a de-glosser or liquid sander so the next coat can stick better. If you want none of the original color to show through, you might try painting the wall with a faux glaze, then a second color, then rub some of the second color off with rags in a random and natural placement. Imagine the look of colorful natural stone, or clouds in the sky, or the different shades of the water in the ocean when its wavy, and try to imitate these effects with your application and removal of different paint colors. Be creative and experimental, soon you will have a look that you can be proud of. Your friends will think you hired an expert by the time your done. Or you will wish that you had. Good Luck!

Answer 2

I suggest going to a paint store, not a home improvement store, and buying a glaze that you mix with the paint. (usually 50/50 mixture). They usually have pamphlets on how to do faux finishing and can help you with the supplies. Some of the supplies are cheaper at Home Depot, but you won't get the same level of service.

Answer 3

This is totally off topic... but if I were you I would go to Home Depot and ask about  ways to do a 'texturing' on the wall with maybe a waxy finish.

Sometimes that will lighten the color without changing it too much.

You don't want to end up with pink.

Just a thought.