Paint Techniques For Glazed Multicolor Shabby Chic Walls

Glaze

• Glaze is a mixture of paint and a glazing medium that keeps the paint wet for an extended period. The long drying time allows you to apply the paint and continue to work with it for much longer than is possible with plain paint. This is important, as the techniques for creating a multicolor shabby chic wall treatment require that the paint remain blendable long enough for you to apply two or more different colors. Mixing one part paint to four parts glaze should give you time to work. Add a glaze extender to further delay drying.

Preparing to Glaze

• Set up a work surface to hold all your paints and supplies. The specific tools you need depend on the technique you use, but for any glazing project, you’ll need a separate container for each color, a pail of water and newspaper for blotting extra glaze off your paint applicator.

Color

• Soft colors are the way to go for a shabby chic room, especially if you’re using multiple colors. Two or three colors will give you a noticeably multicolor finish without over complicating the glazing process.

Sponging Technique

• The sponging technique uses sea sponges, available from paint and home improvement stores. After you’ve mixed the glazes, saturate the sponges in water, then squeeze out as much water as you can. Dip one side of each sponge into its glaze color. Blot the excess glaze off on newspaper. The sponges should have enough paint for good coverage, but not so much that the paint drips. Work in small sections, dabbing on the paint. You can rinse the sponge and go over the glazing to remove some paint and let more background color shine through. Or, soften the sponge texture with a dry paint brush. Short, back-and-forth “x” motions with a wide brush create a pretty, mottled effect.

Ragging Technique

• Ragging applies a smoother, more consistent wash of color than sponging does. Use a different rag for each color, in a size that’s comfortable to hold when you smush it into a ball. The rags should be slightly damp when you dip them into the paint. Blot any excess paint on newspaper. Dab the glaze onto the wall in sections, as with the sponges. You can texture the glaze by dabbing it with crumpled plastic bags. Smoothing sheets of plastic wrap over the wet glaze and then carefully removing them creates a veined effect, as does skimming the surface with a feather duster.

Cracking and Chipping

• Fissures form in crackle medium as it dries, creating the appearance of cracks. You can use crackle medium as a top coat, to add subtle texture and sheen. Or, apply it over the base coat of paint, before a contrasting color goes on. The base coat will be exposed wherever the top coat cracks. Chipping cream serves the same purpose, but creates chip-like gaps in the top coat of paint instead of crack-like ones.

Aging the Finish

• Shabby chick honors the timeworn. Create that look on your multicolored walls with a topcoat of glaze in a warm, burnt umber tone. Wipe it on with a damp cloth, let it set for a moment, then wipe it off again with a clean cloth. A slight hint of umber will be left, enough to tone down and tie together the colors. The effect is especially nice for textured finishes. Some of the glaze settles into the crevices and adds dimension to the patterns. For nontextured walls, consider sanding away some of the paint before applying the burnt umber glaze, or even instead of the burnt umber glaze. Moderately coarse sandpaper exposes bits of base coat without obliterating the glaze.