Decorative and faux finishes are done on a wide array of surfaces ranging from floors, ceilings and walls to picture frames, candle sticks and furniture.
Our brief description of popular decorative finishes continues. To view a more detailed image of a technique example, simply click on its thumbnail.
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Strié is done by applying the glaze mixture with a brush and then dragging a strié brush through the glaze to create a striated vertical look. The strié creates a soothing, subtle feel and is used in dining and living rooms as well as bedrooms. It also helps create the appearance of height in a room with low ceilings.
This technique is also called dragging and is used on furniture and cabinetry.
A twist on this traditional technique is to drag the brush both horizontally and vertically, while the glaze is still wet, to create a look similar to silk. A different look is created when you allow the first vertical strié to dry and then strié horizontally.
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Combing is similar to strié but instead of dragging a brush and creating a fine texture, a comb made either of rubber, plastic or steel is used to create a thin stripe. MaisonArt custom makes her combs in order to get just the right width and also vary the width throughout the comb.
The comb may be dragged horizontally as well as vertically and, as with the strié, you can do both directions together. This technique is great for a room which has seen enough florals and wants a more contemporary, tailored look. It resembles raw silk or a woven fabric.
Color wash is the technique of applying a thin glaze with a large brush, in a haphazard way, back and forth. It creates a casual effect, which can be charming with the right décor.
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Marbling incorporates many of the techniques already discussed. The strié technique can be used to produce the fine lines characteristic of banded malachite while a combination of strié and "ragging off" will render travertine.
The main difference between glazing and marbling? To simulate real marble or stone you must take into consideration the textures and placement of the various masses, drifts, veins and lines of color. MaisonArt analyzes the real substance to figure out how best to capture it.
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Painted stripes can be done using a simple pattern where every stripe is the same measure or with a pattern such as a two-inch, four-inch, eight-inch, four-inch pattern, that repeats itself. Sometimes the stripes are all solid colors but often one will be solid and the other will have a decorative finish. Painted stripes can have crisp or soft edges and offer more variations than striped wallpaper.
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