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Debra Conrad at DesignTalk.comThis is so cool! Anyone who is decorating their home will find a ton of information on the DesignTalk.com website. They have special sections for guest authors and DesignTalk.com asked me to join in the fun. 

Choosing a theme is an important decision to make before you jump in and start painting rooms.  I answer your questions about using paint in the total design scheme of your new room. This new series of articles actually answers visitor mail.

These are real life questions, just like you might have… and I answer them with a variety of ideas for choosing paint treatments for your rooms. The first two articles cover: 

  • How to paint recessed niches, arches and shelves.
  • How to tone down a to-bright room

You should check out this site DesignTalk right now! See you their and Let's Go Paint!

Technorati Tags: Debra Conrad, That Painter Lady, Painting, rooms, design, murals, faux, decorating, talk

Have you ever thought of painting a Faux Brick Wall on Brick? Do you have brick in your home that has been painted? All too often this is the solution used by homeowners to “freshen up” worn red brick. Maybe the design of the room called for something other than worn red brick.

The easy solution was to paint the brick…mortar included.

While each home and homeowner is different…and we all have our good ideas, how can learn to paint the brick back to original? How about painting the brick with a faux finish to resemble brick? It really is much easier than trying to strip all that old paint.

Question from subscriber:

The following is an email with just that question and my solution to the problem…including a link to some free information.

Hi Debra,

I have four real brick pillars on our house - 2 are four-sided supports for the entryway porch and 2 are one-sided at either side of the garage.

All this brick was painted white (horror of horrors) when the house was built 13 years ago - I would like to restore the brick to a natural brick appearance — I have not been able to find a local painter who does this special work and am wondering if your instructional materials would applicable to this particular project.

I do not want a single color brick so there would obviously be some artistic skills required to replicate the multi-color design (with natural variations) from brick to brick - Can you help me?? Any advice/suggestions??

My Answer:

I have faced this problem many times. Imagine being paid to paint a brick wall back to looking like bricks after someone covered them with paint. The fact that the grout is usually painted as well makes painting in the faux brick wall back to original looking brick and mortar… a challenge.

The techniques taught in the

Video and eBook for mixing colors and painting in “bricks” one brick at a time… are very useful. They are the techniques I use to faux bricks for clients.

The trick is to paint the grout first. You can be as messy with the grout color over the bricks as you want. Just get the grout color in to every nook and cranny before you start painting the bricks. This will make your life so much easier.

Then just worry about painting the face of each brick. One at atime…so you will get the variations.

Thanks for the question.

Want to see the process in step by step photos?

Faux Brick Wall FireplaceHere is a link to photos and actual step by step of repainting brick to look like brick. Check out the inventive way they painted in the grout using real mortar!

Click on each of their photos to see all the details up close!

Faux Brick on Brick Finish

I know you think you recognize this Tuscan Style Mural… but it is my own morphing of some other art and then I painted it on the actual wall.

The niche over the firplace is molded in drywall and textured the same as the surrounding walls, as is the mantle.

Gettitng a ladder up to this area was a problem… the hearth of course can't be moved. So to do some of this, I had to paint while sitting on the mantle and turning to actually be painting backwards.

 
 


 Tuscan Style Fireplace Mural

What I wouldn't do to get a smile from a homeowner.

 

Finding a piece of art for this area became a problem for the home owner… Problem Solved!

 

Originally uploaded by THAT Painter Lady