Home Garden

Things to Do With Walls That Have a Flat Wall Texture

When decorating a room, flat, smooth walls give you a blank slate to work with. You can easily add color or patterns to them to create a bold, dramatic look for your room, or add texture to give the space more dimension and visual interest. When choosing a look, consider the overall style of the room and how complex a project you're willing to take on so you wind up with the right project for your walls.
  1. Faux Finish

    • Faux finish techniques allow you to mimic the look of various textured materials -- including brick, marble, leather, suede and denim. However, the easiest faux finish methods are ragging and sponging, which involve using a rag or sponge to add texture to the wall. For a highly textured look, use a sponge or rag to apply the paint. If you prefer a subtle, slight texture, use your sponge or rag to blot off paint that you have already applied with a roller. Other faux finish techniques, like faux leather and faux marble finishes, involve multiple steps that may require several days to complete so you may want to try sponging or ragging first and progress to more advanced techniques once you’ve mastered the basics.

    Wallpaper

    • Wallpaper allows you to add pattern and texture to a flat, smooth wall. If you want patterns over texture, choose a smooth paper that features decorative designs like stripes, polka dots, floral or plaid patterns to give your walls a more interesting look. However, if you want to add dimension to your room, look for textured wallpaper. Flocked wallpaper has a raised pattern made from a material that is similar to velvet, while fabric wallpaper offers a more subtle textured look. For a funky look, try foiled wallpaper to add a metallic sheen to your walls. You can even opt for embossed wallpaper, which has a textured finish that you can paint to match the rest of your decor.

    Vinyl Decals

    • Vinyl decals add a fun, graphic element to flat walls. They are available in a wide range of patterns and images, so you can find a design that fits the rest of your room’s decor. They work best on walls with a flat texture because the wall must be smooth or the decal may end up with wrinkles, bubbles or gaps that prevent it from staying in place. The decals are extremely easy to hang because you simply peel off their backing and stick them on the wall. When you want to remove, change or move them, just peel them off again.

    Mural

    • While you can add a mural to a textured wall, the rough surface can take away from the image and colors used. A flat, smooth wall provides a suitable canvas for you to create an attractive scene in any room of your home. You can paint your mural by hand, but mural stencils are an ideal tool if you aren’t artistically inclined. If you’re still not confident in painting your wall, consult with a mural artist who can customize a design to meet your style and preferences.