The goal of each decorative painting job can be a little different. Sometimes I am using faux finishes to make something subtle, other times bold. Sometimes I am making a beautiful finish, other times the objective is to make a statement. In the case of a recent job at a pizzeria bar in Attleboro, I was definitely shooting for the “bold” and “statement” side of things!
When doing a specialty paint finish for restaurants, I find that it is similar to painting a set for a play or movie. The look needs to set a stage, so to speak, for the mood of the restaurant. For this restaurant, the owner wanted an “old world” look for the bar that would be consistent with his recent renovations on the exterior – so working with a designer and a fellow decorative painter, we came up with a finish that resembles aged, cracked plaster.
The restaurant owner was on board – so we were on to creating the finish! As is often the case with faux finishes, the key to creating depth is layering different colors and different materials. Starting with four different darker, warm colors we created the under layer that has a mottled look. Then, to make the plaster look more authentic, we used a plaster-based paint that we applied with trowels, strategically leaving “cracks” to expose the base layer. The other plus to this approach that you can’t see in the photos is a texture that adds to the authenticity of the
The end result gave the owner the look he was going for – and won a big thumbs up from the bar tenders and wait staff as well!
Enjoy!
Jason
