With custom, artisan finishes, every room in your home can express the real you
When is a wall more than a wall?
When it transforms into Venetian Plaster to create a gorgeous, earthy focal point for your kitchen. Or when it turns into a stone-hued plane studded with fun dinosaur-skeleton stencils for a little explorer’s room. Or when time-weathered red bricks peek out from a fireplace wall that was built in 2018.
Then a wall is…well, anything you want it to be.
Artisan Finishes: The Personality of a Home
Many homeowners hesitate to attempt textured effects like these, afraid of ending up with something that will become the latest “Pinterest fail” meme. But in the right hands, artisan finishes are one of the most intriguing—and surprisingly affordable—ways to truly make your home your own.
If you’re eager to add interest to your walls, give the cabinets you bought on clearance some high-end pizzazz, or want to make your kids feel like Jedi knights, there are almost as many ways to customize your home as there are possible treatments. You can:
- Mimic natural elements—Malachite, marble, woodgrain, granite, stone, copper, sand
- Add a sense of antiquity—Venetian plaster, weathered barn or reclaimed wood, verdigris, exposed brick, aged cement
- Bring depth and dimension to painted walls—Color washing, glazing, unique layers
- Give the look of wall coverings—Suede, leather, strié, burlap, diamonds, stripes
- Get the feel of urban or industrial chic—Metallic accents, concrete, steel, peeling paint
- Let kids be kids—Favorite character stenciling, murals, clouds, skies, stars, letters, names, animals
Professional Advice :
If you choose to do the work yourself, be warned: it can turn into a major headache, as more than a few crafty home bloggers have found (see the link to “Why I Will Never Stencil a Wall Again” in our Sources below). But like any worthwhile undertaking, it can also feel like a major victory when you’ve successfully accomplished the task. Just be sure you do your research and take advantage of the dozens (probably closer to hundreds, in fact) of how-to videos you’ll find on YouTube and other sites.
(Special note: Not to squash your artistic muse, but if you’re planning to sell your home in the near future remember that neutral shows best. You can still express yourself with creative finishes—just keep in mind that not every buyer will be eager to scrape down and repaint those midnight-black bomber-jacket-leather-look walls.)
However, if you can barely draw a straight line, would climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest seas to avoid anything that resembles a paintbrush and believe this kind of work is best left to the pros, there are a number of good, reputable providers of artisan finishes who have the talent and experience to guide you toward the best choices for your home. Again, do your homework, and make sure you:
- Ask friends, co-workers, local home improvement stores and designers for their recommendations;
- Vet the companies or individuals with the Better Business Bureau;
- Get at least three estimates for the job;
- Request testimonials from previous customers—ask to view samples of completed work, if possible; and
- Be certain that the artisan you eventually work with shares your vision!
As Minneapolis-area painting company Painterati, which offers custom finishes as part of their services (and links to some really fabulous artisan-finish Pinterest boards on their website), says, “If you can dream it, we can achieve it.” These days, the average family stays in their house for approximately 10 years. Wouldn’t it be great to spend those years in a home that reflects your family’s personalities, interests and dreams—in a home that’s as uniquely you as…well, you?
Painterati provides high-quality interior and exterior house painting, creative custom services, kitchen cabinet refinishing, cabinet door replacement, ceiling updates, garage door refinishing and light construction services to homeowners who want their homes to be as modern, comfortable and dynamic as their lifestyles.
Painterati has added six new cabinet door styles to their replacement door collection. To learn more, visit painterati.com, or call (612) 492-1888.
Sources:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paint
https://www.pinterest.com/pinreapers/home-pinterest-fails/
https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/about-faux-paint-finishes/
https://www.truevaluepaint.com/painting-101/faux-techniques/
https://www.cravingsomecreativity.com/will-never-stencil-wall/
https://themortgagereports.com/26307/homebuyer-tenure-how-long-are-people-staying-in-their-houses
https://www.pinterest.com/wendynortunen/artisan-specialty-decorative-finishes/
https://www.pinterest.com/mmrocks/kids-modern-masters/
https://www.metropolis-ivas.com/style_dett/industrial_1/