Decorative Painted Finishes

Marbling, Graining, Wall Glazing

The generic term “Faux” is now used to describe all decorative finishes and not just those finishes that create the illusion of real materials like wood and marble. Decorative finishes not only offer our clients a broader repertoire of design solutions through the layering of color and texture, but also the possibility of creating a more personalized and original finish through fine craftsmanship. We apply our decorative finishes only on surfaces that are smooth and carefully prepared. The decorative finish is only as good as the surface upon which it is applied. Surface preparation is essential to the perfect finish and is the hallmark of our company.


Faux Marbre: Marbled Dado

Conveying the illusion of marble with paint has a rich history that dates back over 4,000 years. By capturing the unique qualities of marble through a well balanced design and accurate use of color, we can embellish the architectural elements of a room or bring texture and renewed interest to an ordinary piece of furniture. Marbling also has the important practical application of reproducing a marble surface that has been lost, damaged, or destroyed.


Faux Bois: Grained Door

Painting surfaces to resemble wood dates back as far as marbling and has as many similar applications. From graining the architectural elements of a commercial building entrance, to the painted windows of a library trimmed and paneled with mahogany, simulating rare species of hardwoods can have both decorative and practical purposes.


Wall Glazing:

The technique of laying multiple layers of translucent color over another color is similar to that of marbling and graining, but the wall glaze does not often involve the replication of real materials. The wall glaze is given its look of broken color, depth and texture by manipulating the glaze or translucent layers with a variety of materials including rags, news print, plastic or cheese cloth. The result is a level of elegance, richness and depth of color that cannot be achieved with solid color or the conventional methods of paint application.


Other Decorative Painted Finishes:

Antiquing and distressing are techniques used on painted and metallic finishes creating the convincing effect of age, patina and the illusion of the scars of time. These techniques involve the use of glazes, washes, stains, abrasives and tools specifically designed to alter the physical appearance of the new wood surface.