Painting Ideas to Decorate Old Walls

Thick Texture Paint

• Applying paint that has a texture itself will help make the texture on your old walls that comes from damage or settling appear natural. For a thick texture, mix joint compound and white glue into your paint until it is quite thick, then spread it on your walls in irregular curved arcs with a putty knife. This can be done with nearly any color of paint, so you won't be limited in your selection, but the process will lighten your paint color and reduce the amount of coverage per gallon significantly. Always test a small amount of joint compound and glue with the paint first, as some paints react badly to the mixture. If you mix a small amount and the paint changes into a rubbery texture or produces a bad smell beyond the normal latex fumes, try a different type of paint.

Fine Texture Paint

• For old walls with only minor damage, repair any holes or major flaws first, then stir rough sand into your paint. As with the thick plaster texture, this will reduce your paint coverage per gallon, but it won't affect the color much. Synthetic paint texture beads may also be added instead of sand, but they are not legal for use in all areas, so check with your local hardware store. Never mix any sort of flammable material into your paint for texture purposes.

Paper and Paint

• Thick fiberglass-based wallpaper is available in some home improvement stores and can be applied to your walls to even out the texture and basically give your old walls a new face. Once the wallpaper is fully dry, paint over it with latex paint using a thick roller pad that will evenly coat the wallpaper's texture. Note that this may lead to peeling in areas that are exposed to temperature changes and moisture, such as bathrooms and kitchens, so texture paint is a better choice for those areas.

Sponging

• If you'd rather simply disguise your old walls, try painting a solid base coat in the color of your choice, then sponge two to three other colors on top of it with a natural sea sponge. The visual texture will help minimize flaws and you can choose colors that go with a rustic decor to make the flaws that do appear seem intentional. For a neutral look, choose a tan color for your base coat, then sponge on a cream color, a darker brown and a small amount of gray. Use varying shades of gray and cream for a neutral but more modern look, or try the palette of your choice, selecting a medium tone for your base coat and darker and lighter shades for sponging.