How You Can Faux Paint Over Your Dark Wall

Focal walls of a dark color can add depth to a room, but painting all the walls that way can make it seem cave-like or gloomy. Techniques that use faux over dark paint on walls allow you to keep the richness of the color, while brightening the room or adding texture and interest to walls that could otherwise overwhelm the rest of your décor.

Secret Stripes
This technique is one of the easiest to complete. The results are subtle and contemporary, but will also fit with other decorating styles.

Things You Will Need:
· Latex paint with the opposite finish from the original paint (flat or gloss)
· Wide painter’s tape
· 2-inch angled brush
· Lint-free roller brush

1. Begin by measuring and lightly marking 12-inch sections across the wall. Adjust the stripes to distribute the area that may be significantly narrower at the end of the wall.
2. Tape over the lines you marked. Use the small brush to cut in at the top and bottom trim of one section.
3. Roll the paint to fill that column.
4. Skip the next section. Repeat the painting steps from the first column and continue across the wall. When you finish, you will have alternating stripes of flat navy and gloss navy paint.

Silk Finish
This decadent finish is also easy to accomplish. When selecting the top color, remember that too sharp a contrast may be jarring. Hues one or two shades lighter than your navy walls will produce the best results, but other colors, such as seafoam green, soft yellow, reds, pinks, or browns will also work.

You will also want to work on opposite walls, rather than adjoining ones, to avoid marring the damp surfaces.

Things You Will Need:
· Metallic glaze finish--tint to your desired top color
· Untinted faux technique glaze
· 2-inch angled brush
· Roller brush
· 12-inch wallpaper brush

1. Mix the two glazes in equal parts. Use the small brush to cut in to about two feet from the top and bottom of the wall trim.
2. Roll a two-foot section of the wall with the mixed glazes from ceiling to floor.
3. Use the wallpaper brush to drag the wet paint from ceiling to floor in a continuous sweep. Wipe excess glaze from the brush and repeat the sweep, overlapping the columns to prevent gaps. Continue across the wet paint, leaving a two-inch margin to allow blending with the next column.
4. Roll another section and repeat the brush sweeping. Continue in this manner until the entire wall is covered.

Faux Leather
This technique is usually done with browns, starting with a light tan base. However, you can still produce the same effect with the navy paint already on your walls.

For this project, you will need paint one or two shades darker and one or two shades lighter than the base coat on the walls. You will also need a small brush.

Dip the brush in the dark paint and pounce it on the walls in a random pattern. Allow the paint to dry.

Next, stipple the light color paint on the wall by pouncing the brush in a few random spots. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

Creating faux over dark paint on a wall will give your room depth, texture and that special, personal touch.