Rethink Venetian Plaster

One of the biggest challenges in constantly trying to create something new and fresh for each different project, is finding new ways of using common materials. This posting is about a small room that I particularly love. It's a Powder Room that I did, where I wanted to create a very detailed but subtle pattern on the wall. I knew that I wanted to use Venetian Plaster (a tinted colored plaster), the beauty of it, is it's subtle shading of color. So the new technique I developed (well in the interest of full disclosure, had the plaster guy develop), involved using a plastic stencil, like you would use for stencilling. We did a coat of plaster over the wall, then, after it dried, using spray adhesive, attached the stencil to the wall, then applied another coat of plaster. Then you peel away the stencil and it leaves behind a wonderfully subtle raised pattern.

This may sound like a fairly complicated technique, and it certainly requires a certain amount of skill. But you could easily develop a simpler technique, while still using the stencil.

• Maybe a very subtle painted technique (using the same color but one coat with a flat paint, and one with a gloss)
• Try stencilling over a textured wallpaper, I think stencilling over grass cloth is a particularly good technique.
• Using the stencils to create a panelled look in your room.

The important thing is to think creatively about your resources, you might be amazed what you can come up with.