Your Complete Guide To Painting With Effects

Home design never stops. Trends shift and change, and technological innovations constantly shape the products available to us. The ‘right stuff’ of hot 10 or even 5 years ago is long gone. Today, if you want a room with a statement, a neutral color is simply not enough, and even deep, bold colors won’t cut it anymore.

Welcome to the current trend in home decor: effect painting. How do you do it right – or at all? We have all the answers.

Why paint with effects?

Home design often poses a challenge of defining space. Sometimes a room is too big or too narrow, sometimes the space is completely open like in a loft or a studio. One way to solve this problem is by cleverly employing paint. Colors, specifically dominant ones, can easily re-proportion a room and provide a pleasant boundary. Dominance can take the form of a bold shade, but also by way of a unique texture – paint effects.

Paint effects make a real statement. Painting walls using effects is a sure way to spark life into an old room, without having to replace existing furniture and accessories. Paint effects make a huge difference in a room’s ambiance, so it’s best to use them sparingly. Texturize one target wall as a focal point, instead of overpowering the room. Choose a shade of effect that matches the other walls in the room.

What’s your effect?

Paint effects are constantly evolving. The choices are endless, and often downright overwhelming. When you choose an effect, you commit to a certain atmosphere in the room. That’s why it’s best to familiarize yourselves with all available options before making a home design decision. These are the most popular effects:

Concrete – the current king of the design sphere: decorative paint in an exposed look, suitable for urban-feel and rugged, industrial-chic spaces.

אפור עמוק BE430

Safari – a coating family with delicate sand-textured elements, for a dramatic dune feel. Safari comes in Pearlato, Oro, Pearlto Shine, Natural and Base Black.

דיונה רכה SP111

Suede – a suede-inspired effect that comes in several shades including metallic, suitable for interior and exterior use.

אפור אבץ MSU814

What’s new in paint effects?

The paint effect world is no different than the world of fashion. This year, paint effects follow the global trend of ‘back to basics’ with emphasis on foundations and natural materials. The new Tambour effects –rust and Metal Touch series – add a gentle metallic shimmer to the materials’ natural qualities and a warm glow of oranges and browns like never before.

The Rust Effect series is ideal for fans of the industrial look, and complements concrete, natural wood and steel elements.

Rust effect Rust

The Metal Touch series offers metallic sheen in gold, silver and bronze. For the past several years, the metallic look has been a favorite in the world of furniture and accessories, and now your walls can join in. The golden look introduces drama and statement for those who are not afraid to flaunt it; the silver touch takes us to more urban/hi-tech realms, and the bronze combines elegance and warmth, and goes well with powder-pink items.

Gold

The patience effect

Because of the dramatic atmosphere given off by paint effects, they are best used on one dominant wall you wish to showcase. Keep in mind that a good quality effect requires following the instruction to the letter. Patience will bring about the finest results. Quality paint work requires priming to “catch” and enhance the effect, as well as several coats to reach the desired result.

Here we go

Effects have a unique character, even before they are applied to the wall. Each paint effect has a specific painting technique that must be followed with precision. Some effects need to be applied in a criss-cross movement, some need to be applied in small segments, and others require additional brush or sponge work to follow the initial coat, to achieve the final texture.

Each effect requires careful application in small sections, and blending of borders by overlapping them. For a high quality effect that highlights the distinct nature of the texture, apply at least two coats, according to the instructions.

Wall effects can upgrade any space and give you that makeover you desire, from a standard room to a carefully designed space, using simple means: paint, brush and patience. All that’s left to do is roll up your sleeves and follow the instructions. With good hands, an open mind and a little bit of patience, you can achieve incredible and satisfactory results.

Want to learn more about designing your home with paint? Check out our tips and tricks to help you easily create charming nooks simply using paint.

Not sure how to correctly use paint? Our expert hotline is here for you! Trying to figure out the right shade or texture for your wall? Come on over to Tambour House for a free consultation.