This wall finish gives a rich illusion of embossed leather, but it "couldn't be simpler to achieve," says decorative artist Melanie Royals, "as long as you have single-overlay stencils and joint compound, widely available at hardware stores." Here 's the procedure she uses:
- Prime the wall with latex paint, or choose a wall that's been painted with latex .
- Tint the joint compound with a couple squirts of universal tint, in the same shade used for the paint.
- Purchase appropriate stencils or cut your own from heavy paper.
- Decide what spacing you'd like for the patterns, and mark the placement on the walls with blue tape. "I like a random pattern, nothing too formal," says Royals .
- Attach the stencil to the prepared wall using a light mist of adhesive spray. "You can do three or four stencils at once," says Royals.
- Dip a cheap, flexible, plastic knife into the joint compound, and dip out a walnut -sized glob.
- Spread the joint compound in an even, thin layer, making sure to cover the whole stencil and the edges of the pattern (figure A).
- As soon as you've covered the whole stencil, pull it off to reveal the pattern .
- Let the joint compound pattern dry, and then use sandpaper to smooth down any uneven areas.
- Glaze the dry joint compound and the surrounding wall with pre-mixed latex glaze --in this case Royals uses deep henna.
- Apply the glaze with a foam brush as shown, making sure to get glaze in all the grooves (figure B).
- Work a section at a time, keeping in mind that latex glaze dries quickly.
- Blend the edges out with a rag.
- For more protection and a low sheen, consider applying a layer of wax on top of the glaze or satin varnish.
Guests Melanie Royals
Artist, Royal Design Studio
Toll-free: 800-747-9767
E-mail:
sales@royaldesignstudio.com
Website:
www.royaldesignstudio.com
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