Creating A Tuscan Effect In Your Kitchen
If you love the old fashioned look of Italian interior design, you may want to add this motif to your home. Kitchens are an ideal location for this style of décor. Tuscan texture for the kitchen or dining area is a characteristic wall finish that cannot be replicated using wallpaper. There are two methods you can use to create this effect. Both require a bit of artistic flair to pull off properly.
Simulated Mudding
Apply a much thicker layer of mud or joint compound (tapping mud) than normal over the sheetrock. This forms rough and random angular patterns over the entire wall surface. Randomness is the key to success.
Don’t worry about any so called mistakes as you apply the mud on the wall with a trowel. Any imperfection actually adds beauty to the surface. Try to create some sort of balance and consistency over the entire wall’s surface, but don’t get too detailed. Just slap it on.
Apply a light colored latex paint over the mud with a rectangular roller. Don’t press down too hard. Let the paint roller go where it wants to. Don’t work the paint into all the crevices created by the mud. Let it dry.
Use a lint free rag to apply a heavy layer of oil based stain over the wall. Then use a second lint free rag to wipe off the excess.
Faux Color Painting
Faux paint techniques create a similar visual effect over an initially smooth sheetrock surface. Sand the wall surface completely smooth. Use a W pattern to apply a base color of latex paint. Let it dry and do a second layer with the same base.
Highlight the wall with a mixture of a small amount of white gloss paint and a dark colored latex paint (in the same color family as the base paint). This combination creates a textured appearance similar to the mud. Do not cover the original coat completely; let some of the base paint show through.
Another dark color of paint can be used to create an additional layer of highlights over this surface. Load only the tip of the brush and wipe off any excess before applying the paint.
Use a damp rag to lightly lift up the paint in a tapping kind of motion. This creates additional texture. You can leave this step out or do additional one of wiping off the paint with a different rag. It’s your choice. Success depends on drying times and how fast you work.
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