Faux Painting with Coastal Style

Spring is finally here!  Our clocks have sprung forward, and our days are getting longer.  it is time for spring cleaning, yard sales, and trading dark winter coziness for fresh summer colors.

A great way to get a fresh summer look is to go "coastal".  An easy way to get this look is to faux paint the walls of one room with a "faux ocean" treatment, in a blend of subtle blue shades.

I painted my living room with this technique.  My husband and I have been happy with the outcome, and find the room relaxing and comfortable.  It goes perfectly with my collections of lighthouses, village houses, shells, and snow-globes, that I display year round.

In this hub I will tell you how to give your walls a "faux ocean" look.

Before buying paint, it's best to take an information gathering trip to the home improvement store. Check out the faux paints that are offered, and bring home some cards with paint samples. There are many different shades of blue to blue-green, teal and turquoise. By bringing home the samples, you can see what goes best with your furnishings, and the rest of your house. Get your family member's opinion on what looks best. Then head back to the store to pick up the paint, and other supplies that you will need.

• Two different colors of blue latex paint. A very light shade of blue for the base, and another compatible slightly darker blue of your choice. Depending on room size, you will probably need a gallon for the base, and a quart for other blue color.
• Acrylic craft paint in off white, and another shade of blue for accent. You can buy this paint inexpensively at a craft store.
• "Glaze" paint. I used Ralph Lauren Interior Faux glaze tinted to a very light blue. One coat will cover, but if your room is big, you will probably need a gallon.
• Paint roller tray, old plates
• Rollers, brushes of choice
• Sea sponges - available at home improvement or craft store
• Filler product, sandpaper (only needed if cracks, holes need filling)
• Rags, newspapers, paper towels

1. Clear your walls of all pictures, ornaments, etc. Clean walls to remove dirt and dust. Tape around baseboards if desired. Cover furniture for protection.
2. Fix any cracks, holes with filler as needed, and let dry. Sand smooth.
3. Stir your paint well, as directed before using.
4. Use rollers to paint your room with the light base color. If your room was previously dark, this might take more than one coat. The color does not have to be completely perfect though, you will be sponging over it with more color.
5. Put your second color in an old plate, rather than the roller tray. It will be easier this way to not get it too thick. Dab your sea sponge in this color. Practice your stroke with this on your newspaper, or a piece of paper to see if you like how it looks.
6. When you are satisfied with how your sponge stroke looks, dab with your sponge at random over your base coat. Move your hand around while painting to get a random look. Let this color dry. Clean your sponge.
7. Take your next blue color, and pour in your plate. Since this is acrylic paint, you can water it slightly to the consistency you desire. Practice your stroke as before. This color is an accent, and you will dab it at various points on top of your other sponge strokes. Clean your sponge as before. Let this color dry.
8. Pour your off-white color in a plate. Water it down as desired as before. With a new sponge, dab accents of off-white around your room. Clean your sponges, and let the white dry.
9. Follow the manufacturer's direction with your glaze paint. After stirring mine well, I used a roller tray, and rollers to apply the glaze. I used a thin coat of a very pale blue, see through type glaze.  Practice with this in an unobtrusive area of the room to see if you like the results. The glaze will subdue, and add a slight shine to your previous coats. Let dry as previously, clean your rollers and brushes.
10. Another technique is to mix the glaze with the sponge paint, and dab it on, instead of painting the whole wall with it.
    
11. Find some related décor such as ocean pictures, lighthouses, and shells. Enjoy your new room!