Create an Aged Wall Effect with Porters Paints
As human beings, we often try to hide the visible signs of ageing. But if you’re a wall, ageing gracefully is actually a thing to aspire to – especially if you want to look the part in an established setting. So how then do you turn a new wall into an old wall, without waiting around for years?
The answer is with some clever paint techniques from the clever people at Porters Paints.
For our 2016 Grounds by the Sea pop-up cafe at Mark’s Park, Tamarama, I really wanted to give the house a feeling that it had been in the hot Arizona sun for at least a few harsh summers (and some not-so-harsh winters!). The look was weathered, sun-baked and certainly not “brand new”. To create this look, here are the 3 steps I followed.
Step 1: Choose your colours
I’ve spoken in another post about the palette I chose for my Arizona look – a peachy light terracotta. But the important thing with ageing is that you need a darker and a lighter shade to create ‘natural’ weathering of certain areas. The lighter spaces will give the look of being bleached by the sun, darker is staining, and so on.
We’re essentially telling our story in two layers – with the top layer showcasing a motley crew of imperfections ‘glazed’ over the top of the original layer. Porters Paints have a dizzying array of colours – with various tints always available off any base pigment.
Step 2: Apply the base colour
This should be the lighter of the two shades you have chosen. And the key here is that it’s not about technique – it’s all about coverage. Get right to the edges. Get into any corners and really soak it in. This stuff needs to be wall-to-wall.
You can use a roller for this base layer, or a large flat paint brush or sponge for the edges and corners. The main thing is to avoid any stripes that will be tell-tale signs of a recent paint job (as opposed to years of graceful decay!).
Step 3: Lock the effect with the top layer
This is where the dark colour should be applied across the top with a flat paintbrush. The technique here should be in a criss-cross ‘basket-weave’ pattern over the lighter layer. We use this brush technique to give the paint job a more loose ‘old school’ feel as opposed to the straight up and down of a modern paint finish.
But we’re only half done. To soften the look, grab a muslin cloth and dab the darker fresh paint off the bottom layer, then fold your cloth so that it’s dry and continue to dab so that you can control areas in whichever ways seem natural. That’s the key word really: “natural” – because you’re trying to replicate years of natural fading and staining. I also look at the idea of ‘practical wear’ when applying my techniques – choosing to age the middles of walls and leaving the edges and corners as this is what would happen in real life.
Dabbing with the muslin allows that random feel, leaving some brush strokes and enhancing the accidental-looking textured feel. It all adds another subtle layer of texture to the overall effect.
See the look for yourself
Like to see one that we prepared earlier? If you’re in the Sydney area, be sure to check out our The Grounds by the Sea house before November 6 – these techniques are on full display there!
Five things to remember:
- Choose a lighter and darker shade
- Paint the lighter on first as a base
- The darker top layer should be applied in basketweave strokes
- Soften the look by using a muslin cloth to add texture
- Don’t be afraid to experiment a little – it’s a random process!