Distressed Wallpaper Look | Faux Painting Aged Wallpaper Part 2

If you haven't read the first part of this article click here: Faux Aged Wallpaper Look

We have discussed the idea of an aging wall paper look in the previous article. The actual walls in the Pottery Barn Catalog Photo may have been papered or may just be aged plaster.

In days of yesteryear, plain white wallpaper may have been used in rooms of not consequence, such as maids quarters or storage rooms. Really old wallpaper was hand painted or stenciled, thus you could get plain wallpaper to just paste on the walls. I would guess that this was to protect the walls… maybe paint was more expensive or unavailable.

The photograph (shown in the previous article) doesn't have peeling wallpaper, so it may just be aged plaster walls. Or… because their are vertical lines on the wall as well as cracks, the aged look may be of aged walls that the wallpaper was stripped off and the aging process transfered to the walls between the paper.

In any case… I will try to give some ideas for creating a similar look to new walls with just paint and with paper and paint.

BTW, here is an article about painting over wallpaper

First… Just Paint:

You know we need a very subtle paint technique, and we want an aged look.

The ideas is to work from the bottom up… or back to front with a technique. First a soft faux paint on the entire wall and then the aging. Got it?

A soft aged faux painting technique is very easy to achieve… and the good thing is it does not have to perfect.

The base coat for a simple aged faux painting is usually what ever you already have on the walls. Cool huh? If the walls are white, off white or beige… your good to go. If they are textured or smooth finished walls… your good to go! Yahoo …

The wall finish must not be a FLAT Paint. If you splash a bit of water on the wall and it can't be wiped off… you have flat paint. If you rub your finger across some newspaper ink and then rub it on the wall… and it can't be washed off with just water… you have flat paint. You absolutely will need to repaint your walls with a satin or eggshell finish paint.

If the walls are blue or or some other colorful creation, you have to paint them back to neutral. Ah well, that's the price you have to pay for new paint treatments.

The paint color should be either a peachy beige tone or a yellow beige tone. Or… something in between.

I really don't like to give actual paint colors… because the names change every season. But… because I get so many requests for color choices, here goes:

Glidden paint is available at Home Depot. I choose the colors Costa Mesa or Cozy Light.

Now lets get to that subtle faux finish.

You will need water, paint and faux glaze. The tool I always recommend for easy subtle paint finishes is the Woolie and a cheep chip brush.

Woolie #100607 Lambwool Faux Appl Tool

24 Natural China Bristle 1-1/2" Disposable Chip Brush for Paint, Stain Etc.

While your at the store pick up a tube of Universal Tint in Burnt Umber. Or… get to the craft store and get few small bottles of Burnt Umber acrylic paint bottles. You will need this for the top layer.