Romantic Paint Techniques for Walls

Antiqued Leather

• Worn leather is the intended look of this painting technique, which contributes to a warm and cozy romantic feel. A tinted glaze is applied over two coats of semi-gloss base, followed by mottling with a stippler. This technique is ideal for surfaces without a smooth texture. Since glaze dries quickly -- about 30 minutes -- one person should roll a thin layer of glaze while the other follows with the stippler brush using a quick pouncing motion. Follow the pouncing motion by twisting the wrist back and forth.

Sponging

• Sponging is a traditional faux technique that brings depth to a wall through two or more colors. The feel of this look is Old World romantic. Start with two semi-gloss base coats. Apply a tinted glaze to a sea sponge, getting rid of excess. Begin sponging from the upper corner of your wall, pressing lightly and rotating your wrist once to each side. Overlap each sponge impression as you go to keep lines from sowing, and avoid pressing the glaze out of the sides of the sponge. You can keep the design simple with two colors, or take the depth up a notch by repeating the sponging process with a third tinted glaze.

Ragging

• The ragging technique is much the same as sponging except that a lint-free rag is used instead of a sea sponge. This look invites an interplay of light and shadow to a room, giving the look of inviting depth and subtle romance. After applying two coats of your semi-gloss base, soak a damp lint-free cotton rag in the desired color of tinted glaze. Blot out excess, but only enough to avoid drips. With the rag shaped into a ball, lightly dab the rag on the wall working in a 2-by-2-foot area. A third color can be added to this technique for extra dimension.

Colorwashing

• Colorwashing creates the illusion of texture. Blending complementary hues, this romantic technique brings to mind the plaster walls of Provence. A cellulose sponge is used to dampen the surface area with a little water. Working space is ideal at 2-by-2 feet and should be randomly shaped to avoid a patchy look. Dip the edge of a 3-inch paintbrush into the tinted glaze. A criss-cross motion with the brush across the dampened work surface will leave varying density of glaze with the lines of the brush, creating subtle texture. A third color can be added to the brushing technique for dimension.