It's All Faux To Me... faux paint on kitchen and family room walls... Sponge and plastic wrap techniques

I like to try new things.
I also like to try new colors.
In my clothes, shoes, accessories...and on my walls!

I wanted an orangey color in the family room to liven it up and make it reflect me...

Oh, and be the opposite of what it was.

What was it you ask?

The bottom was dark evergreen and the top was green ivy vines on a white background wall paper.
Now it wasn't bad. The wallpaper covered the top 3 feet while the bottom 5  feet was the dark green. In a huge room with natural light pouring in from 4 windows and 2 french doors... the dark walls kept  the room from being too bright or unwelcoming.

But, after 15 years I wanted something different to go with the whole kitchen/breakfast room/family room make-over.
We built the house 19 years ago with what was then an innovative floor plan featuring an open area across the back 2/3 of the house that comprised the kitchen, a morning room, and the family room.

The family room and morning room (breakfast room) have large french doors that open to ...
well the family room opens  to a large deck, while the morning room doors open to nothing since we haven't agreed on whether to make a small balcony for a  bistro set or to make a larger one that spans that half house to connect the morning room with the doors that lead out of the dining room to nothing.

It took us 10 years to agree on a storm door so...don't expect a decision on this any time soon.

SUNFLOWER is the name of the top color...
the glaze toned down the orange without making it look dingy
the  bottom is sage green but I am thinking it might
become something else soon

As I was saying.
I wanted color...and boy did I get it.
Remember all that light we get in that room?
Well, it made the walls glow... and NOT in a good way.



So rather than repaint it all again, I opted to use a faux finish to tone down the orange without ruining the punch of color I wanted.

The glaze is transparent so it adds just a hint of bronze

 To achieve this look I used a faux finish wall glaze- found in your craft or home improvement store, a roll of plastic wrap and a soup bowl.

First- glop some of the faux finish into the bowl.

Second- add a teaspoon of water and gently mix it into the glaze until it is very watery-
-- add a few drops of water at a time if needed to get it thinner.

Third- tear off a piece of plastic wrap that is large enough to cover a casserole or baking dish...about 9-12 inches long...and then lightly scrunch it into a pouf .

Close up of the kitchen wall ( below) after glaze has dried

The final step is the hardest...

Dip the top of the plastic wrap pouf into the bowl of thinned glaze and gently dab
excess onto a paper towel.

Now just lightly dab the pouf onto the wall.


More  glaze on the pouf makes a darker contrast, but too much and it will  run down the wall.
For the kitchen wall I wanted a slightly different texture so I used a slightly damp sea sponge to pounce the glaze over the wall  in large random circular motions.

Experiment with your wall...if you don't like it you can wipe it off with a damp cloth and start over!

The kitchen wall from a distance...the same glaze used on the orange walls in the family room toned down the yellow and gave it the look of old-fashioned plaster walls

So go ahead...
get creative...
try something new...

After all...
It's Only Paint !