Ancient Damask

Try this rich faux finish in any room. Random stencilling and several layers of plaster give your walls the look of weathered fabric. Choose any colour glaze that reminds you of rich damask. In this example, the result is cream and brown, which compliments a roomy bathroom. The resulting finish varies in depth but is smooth to the touch.

You will need:
- Bonding primer - white
- Paint roller
- Polyfilla - mix to a smooth, creamy paste
- Foam roller
- Trowel
- Stencil: To replicate damask fabric
- Plastic knife
- 220-grit sandpaper
- Acrylic paints (colours of your choice)
- Scumble glaze
- Spray bottle with water
- Synthetic stippling brush
- Clean cloths
- Soft-bristle brush

Here's how:
1. Properly prepare the surface. Base-coat with one or two coats of bonding primer; let dry.

2. Roll a medium coat (2 - 3 mm thick) of the Polyfilla 'cream' onto the surface using a foam roller. Create varying patches of thick and thin texture. Allow the material to set approximately 10 minutes and then knock down any peaks with a trowel. Let dry.

Decorating Tip:
Apply in thicknesses of no greater than 2-3mm and allow to dry completely before applying the next layer of plaster.

3. Position the stencil and, using a plastic knife, apply an additional layer of Polyfilla 'cream' over the stencil openings to create varied dimensional relief. Be creative and artistic with this step, applying random patches of the damask pattern over the walls, allowing for gaps that you will fill in later with additional texture. Remove the stencil, and let dry.

Decorating Tip:
Apply in thicknesses of no greater than 2-3mm and allow to dry completely before applying the next layer of plaster.

4. Sand any rough edges with 220-grit sandpaper; dust off. Fill in any gaps in the design by skip-troweling Polyfilla 'cream' onto the surface in a medium thickness. Continue skip-troweling the Polyfilla 'cream' until you have created varied thicknesses. Cover portions of the stencil designs for a natural, broken-plaster effect. Leave some of the plaster exposed; let dry.

5. Create two or three glaze mixtures by tinting an appropriate amount of Scumble Glaze with Acrylic Paint to the desired colour depth. Mist the surface with a light film of water. Brush on the glazes and break up and blend them into the plaster materials using a synthetic stippling brush. Allow the colour to stay darker in some of the textural recesses. Blot with dry cloth and randomly dry-brush with a soft-bristle brush.

This finish lends an old-world feel to any room. Vary the colours to create a cool relaxing hideaway or a welcoming expanse of colour.

  source: paint decor