Faux painting is a fun-to-do activity, and with a little preparation, this can be undertaken as a DIY project. Faux painting, if done by the professional contractors, can add vitality and excitement to the interiors or the exteriors of your house, but if this project is undertaken as a DIY activity, to be completed with the help of the family members; faux painting turns out to become a family activity, akin to an outing.

This shared activity will add fun and strengthen the familial bond. The following tips will not only help provide steps for a fun family activity, it will also help achieve a great, attractive faux finish for the home. So, are you ready to undertake, your first DIY faux painting exercise?

DIY TIPS

1. Always begin a DIY project with preparing a list of things that you will need in order to successfully complete the project. This will save you from the 12th hour panic, due to the unavailability of critical items.

2. Arrange all the necessary things and keep all of them at an easily accessible place.

3. This DIY faux painting project begins with preparing the surface for faux painting. Masking tapes will be required to keep the surface neat and tidy. If you are applying faux finish on the wall or on the ceiling, use rough cloth to cover the floor. This cloth will prevent the spilled paints from making marks on the floor. Plastic should be avoided. Cloths are more absorptive than plastics; hence cloths will be less messy than plastic coverings.

4. Take a sample board and faux paint it, using the faux technique you are planning to apply when creating the faux finished wall.

5. If satisfied, move to the next step or else repeat the process over and over again, until the desired result is achieved. It’s better to use the sample board to create the sample of the finish intended for the actual finished product. Sample board can also be used to mix and match the shades. Think of this sample board as the rough paper we used in school to doodle our calculations on before writing the solution on a math exam.

6. Take a base paint; using water-based latex paint is advisable to get a good faux finish. Eggshell and satin colors can be used to topcoat the surface.

7. Apply the base coat, thoroughly, on the surface. No patches or corners should be left uncoated because the base coat will be visible through glaze and any patch on the surface. Improper application of base coat will ruin the effect of faux painting.

8. Leave the base coat to dry overnight.

9. Line your tray with plastic sheets. This will save time and energy from having to wash trays when mixing the glazes for the DIY project.

10. A correct proportion of paint and glaze should be maintained when mixing glazes. The standard practice is to use a 3:1 ratio of paint to glaze.

11. Mix the glaze in small quantities. This will minimize the wastage, if the resultant mixture isn’t satisfactory. You can even try this mixture on a sample board to see if you are getting the desired effect.

We undertake a DIY project because we want to have fun during the process of creation. The end result is not necessarily the most important aspect. Keep this in mind. Have fun, enjoy the company of your family and create whatever faux finish you want to, using which ever technique you wish. In faux painting, there is no right or wrong way of doing things. There are just beautiful results.

Looking to spread some holiday cheer with an updated decor this season? Start by decking the walls of your home with a fresh coat of paint, even if it means a break with tradition, says leading architectural paint brand PARA Paints.

“Unexpected colour combinations are the current trend, and the holiday season is no exception”, says Melanie Rice, Colour Advisor for PARA Paints and a member of the Virginia-based international colour forecaster, Color Marketing Group. “The holidays are an occasion to spread joy, and an effective way of doing so is through colour. There’s no such thing as the word ‘no’ when selecting a palette at this time of year, so why not try something different”, she adds.

While anything ‘festive’ goes for the holiday season, hot colour combinations for decorating include dark browns mixed with deep purple, turquoise blue, raspberry or gold, vibrant greens paired with bright citrus yellows, and dark blues coupled with grays and highlighted with shimmery metallic tones of gold, silver, pewter, iron or brass. Also popular are medium browns and earth-based oranges combined with reds, mauvy-pinks, creams and ivory.

An increase in globalization has created broader exposure to the colours of the world, particularly when it comes to fashion, says Rice, leading to colour choices that are predominantly rich and saturated, and as diverse as the cultures they represent.

Don’t know what colour scheme to choose for your own decor? Consider these tips from PARA for inspiration:

Study your ornaments. You initially chose them for the good feelings they evoked, and continue to haul them out year after year. Now, consider using your holiday decorations as the basis for a colour scheme. Choose favourite family ornaments, linens or seasonal collectibles and work from there. Any colour can serve as a backdrop to silver, gold and metallic decorations, while brown or ivory goes well with traditional red and green. Purple and green offset blue nicely, and deep red, mustard or grey are a good match for green and white. With a little creativity, the possibilities are endless.

Turn back the clock. Fond childhood memories can serve as inspiration for a holiday colour palette. If gingerbread houses come to mind, choose brown as your main colour and pair it with bright, candy-coloured accents. If it’s tinsel or snowflakes that give you good feelings, try a shimmery theme based on silver metallic tones, with pink or blue as accents. Warm memories of bowls full of cranberries, beaded fruits and pine cones, can be translated into a natural decor of earth tones combined with navy, burgundy or green.

Create a “presents”. Some of the best colour combinations can be found in holiday gift wrap. Visit your local store to select a few patterns that most appeal to you. Even ribbons and bows can provide fresh ideas for combining colours. Select your favourite colour from your choices for the dominant wall colour of your room, and one or two secondary colours to use as accents, either painted on one wall only, or on frames, trim and doors.

Go for shock value. If you want to have some fun this holiday season, try choosing a colour scheme that contrasts with your home decor. Combining bold and brilliant colours on opposite ends of the colour wheel, such as deep purple and burnt orange, brown and pink, or blue and gold, can be striking and are sure to make your guests smile.

When making your colour selections, remember most colours will mix well as long as they are of equal depth and intensity. Pastels like mint green, soft blue or baby pink, blend nicely with other pastels, while deep jewel tones such as ruby red, forest green and navy blue also combine well. “If you’re ready to express your festive side, go ahead and do it with colour”, says Rice, noting that even a freshly painted accent wall or piece of furniture will make a difference.

A color scheme is basically an arrangement of colors. Throughout history the decorative style of certain times and places have become a standard. Think English manor, or country French. When you use the colors associated with these styles in your own home, you create a space which reflects the ambiance of those specific period.

Below you will find descriptions of several color styles which have developed throughout history. By understanding the way certain colors create these types of spaces, you can gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of how color affects your life.

You can also copy the color styles below to create a novel decorative theme, which captures the spirit of a specific time and place.

Coastal / Beach Life Color Schemes

This color style invites the spirit of coastal life into your home. Blue, white, and tan, the colors of beach and bay are the predominant tones in this space. The ocean often meets the shore across the ceiling and walls of such a space. Furnishings tend to be rustic wood, unfinished or treated, to simulate outdoor beach chairs. Touches of actual coastal life, sea shell ashtrays, nautical décor, and brightly patterned blankets add a depth to the colors which gives the theme an added dimension.

Rustic Cabin Color Schemes

This color style is dominated by rustic earth tones, with deep reds, and blues or greens acting as accents to the color. Wood is a predominant tone, as well as a good texture for a cabin décor. Southwestern tones such as adobe pottery can give the room more of a dessert theme. Color patterns often include Native American styles, with deep maroon or brown, interlaced with dark navy interplays.

English Manor

This style is dominated by vibrant reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples and oranges, melded together in an explosion of color. The tones often resembled gemstones, which collude in a chintz style that is almost gaudy. These powerful colors are generally arranged in floral patterns, which give the overwhelming colors of the space an anchor in reality.

Country French

Vibrant earth tones abound in interplay of the dazzling and the subdued. White plaster is the traditional backdrop, against which colors such as mustard, rust, and indigo are placed. A calico pattern tends to dominate fabrics and upholstery in this style.

Country Cottage

A sweet and feminine style, the colors are generally pastels, in both warm and cool tones. Light blue, white, and pink, tend to form in floral patterns throughout the space. Accent colors are generally used in decorative frills such as bed skirts, trim, and ribbons.

Shabby Chic

This style is dominated by the color white. Think an old and distinguished southern manor. Most of the interest lent to this style is done by using texture, on walls, ceilings, and especially in trim, pieces and molding. Paint chips, and faded colors also add to the details of the space. Accent colors should be used sparingly, in strategic and clever locations.

City Chic

This style uses neutral colors throughout a space. White, black, beige, or anything which is unassuming can work in a shabby chic color scheme. Interest is added to the space through the use of texture and materials such as copper, chrome, steal, and shimmering hardwoods. The effect is a room which balances soft and hard elements to create a powerful space.