Dear Debbie: I enjoy reading about the different paint techniques you use. I am confused by the idea of rubbing on or rubbing back paint. How much paint do you apply, and do you do this with a rag or a brush? You have shown this on walls and furniture. Thanks for your help. Bernadette
Dear Bernadette: The process of rubbing a contrasting shade of paint over a plain base coat creates depth and texture that can be as subtle or as bold as you choose. There are many methods depending on the material you are working on, so let's first take a look at a surface that is already textured, such as the brick wall shown here. I began with faux brick panels to cover the walls around the fireplace, then applied a coat of plaster with a trowel over the bricks to add a more uneven texture to the bricks. I mixed a creamy-yellow glaze, equal parts paint and glaze. I rolled the glaze over the bricks and then used a rag to rub the glaze into the nooks and crevices. At the same time, I wiped off excess glaze on the flatter bricks. You will see how the dark glaze really pops and gives the wall an aged look.
Using a rag makes it easy to remove excess paint as well as pushing paint into crevices. To achieve the worn and aged look of a piece of furniture, this technique works well. For a wooden kitchen chair, start with any base coat colour you like, such as red. Then apply a thin coat of blue, and use a rag to work the paint into wood seams and around caning or other wood details. Finish with the colour you want to be most dominant. Use a rag again to get into the tricky spots. Finish by sanding down areas that would be worn by time so you glimpse the blue and red as well as some wood through the top coat.
You can produce depth and texture on a flat wall surface that will transform plain walls into captivating backdrops. For a subtle look, choose colours that are close together on a pant strip. Apply the base coat and let it dry. Mix a coloured glaze with your second colour, half glaze, half paint. The glaze keeps the paint wet longer so you can manipulate it. You can roll the glaze on or use a rag, but don't apply too much at one time. Rub down the glaze coat, removing more and less paint to build up random light and dark sections. Practise ragging on a spare board until you are happy with the results.
Dear Debbie: I have used many of your techniques to decorate and now it's time for a fresh look. How do I paint over these textured finishes that include two to four layers of paint that have been smooshed, ragged, sponged and more. The walls are rough and I don't want to cover them up with wallpaper. Carol
Dear Carol: You should be able to smooth out your sponged walls by sanding with a medium-grit sandpaper. It takes a bit of time, but it works. Then prime your walls before painting again. For techniques that you applied that have a very thick texture, sand first, then apply a skim coat of plaster to even out the surface.
Debbie Travis' House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. You can follow Debbie on Twitter at www.twitter.com/debbie_travis, and visit Debbie's new website, www.debbietravis.com
