Before You Decide

If you are thinking about going with textured ceilings to spark up your home design, be aware that there are a few drawbacks. Textured ceilings will require more frequent dusting. The little grooves tend to hold onto dust, so be prepared to clean these types of ceilings more often. They can also be difficult to repaint without ruining the texture. You will need to have the right kind of rollers to minimize damage should the time to repaint occur.

Many newer homes do not have textured ceilings for the simple fact that there aren’t many imperfections to hide. If, however, you have been in your home for some time and are beginning to see some spiderweb crackings, a textured ceiling can be a great way to cover that up.

Go Retro with Textured Ceilings

While many people avoid textured ceilings, it is beginning to make a comeback with many designers. Textured ceilings are a bit of a throwback to the seventies and eighties. They infuse a certain amount of retro feel to any room.

Get Wild with Textured Ceilings

You don’t have to be tame with your texturing efforts. You can do more than the standard swirls. Some people opt to use more linear patterns with their texturing. Some even use dry sponging techniques as the texture dries to add a little funkiness to the texture. You can use your imagination and go a little wild. If you really want to cut loose, you can use some patterns or everyday household items to jazz up your texturing efforts. Experiment a bit to come up with a texture pattern that is unique and all your own.

What Kind of Sponge to Use

There are really no set rules to sponge painting a room, and that is what makes it so fun. Experts say to only use sea sponges, and this is good advice. Sea sponges leave a better, more natural looking pattern to highlight. Although, using a manufactured sponge can be an option for rooms where you want a more fabricated pattern. Start off with a sea sponge to really get a feel for how great this faux painting technique will make your rooms look.

Survey Secondary Colours

In most of your rooms you probably have a primary wall colour and some secondary colours splashed throughout the room. Decide upon which secondary colour you want to bring out. For example, if you have cream coloured walls and a blue couch, and want to bring out the blue, then choose a blue glaze paint that matches for your sponge painting.

Technique

Sponge painting will become second nature to you in no time at all. Before you start on your walls, it’s recommended that you practice on a piece of poster-board, to get a feel for how hard you need to push down, how much paint to use, etc. There is no wrong way to sponge paint but keep the following tips in mind.

• You are highlighting, so don’t start off with too much paint.
• Be careful of putting too much pressure as you dab the walls, this can cause paint to run.
• Start off with varying patterns, the end effect should be a random, natural looking pattern.
• Let the glaze dry for a few hours to see if you want to add more, you may want to choose a darker colour to do after the first coat of sponge painting for a more dramatic appearance.

Sponge painting is a great way to give any room a quick makeover. When you are done you should see an almost marble-like appearance to your walls. Your room should now have a richer look and be a more captivating place to spend your time. Have fun and don’t be surprised if you decide to use this technique on several rooms by the time you are done.

What Kind of Sponge to Use

While a synthetic sponge (the kind you clean your house with) can be used, a natural, sea sponge usually provides the most attractive patterns. Sea sponges can be purchase at most hardware stores and come in a variety of sizes and types. You can even get a few to bring a little more variety to your sponge painting project.

Paints to Use

While you can sponge paint with any kind of paint, glaze paints are recommended. Glaze paints are a great way to bring out subtle details in your existing base colour or to highlight other design elements of a room. There are literally thousands of glaze colours that can be used. You can go with a very thin coat of glaze for subtle looks, or get daring and try thicker, or varied colours of glazed coats.

Technique

To get a feel for sponge painting you can use the glaze on a piece of poster board or paper. Experiment with the amount of paint used, the positioning of the sponge, and pressure applied. Each of these will have an effect on how the final job will look. Once you have your technique down, start on the walls and have fun.

Sponge painting is fast and easy to do. You don’t need a lot of paint and the sponges are inexpensive. Sponge painting a living room is a nice weekend project. Once you see the final results, you may want to tackle some of your other rooms. Sponge painting also has the added benefit of covering up wall imperfections. You’ll be stunned when you see what a great look this painting technique achieves.