Faux Ideas for a Bathroom

Get Ideas

• You may already be familiar with common decorative painting effects, like sponging, ragging, glazing and stenciling. But there are many other ideas to choose from. Making your bathroom walls look like leather, stone or marble is quite easy with specialized applicators, plastic bags and even feathers. Stripes and geometric shapes and color blocking takes a little more time and a few rolls of blue painter's tape, but the effect can be as subtle or as bold as you choose.

  Consider a rustic Tuscan look with warm hues and color-washing, or go for sophisticated glamor with strie painting to make your walls look like raw silk. Check the faux ideas link in the Resources section below for more inspiration.

  Team up with a like-minded friend and pool your resources and expertise. Not only can you save money by sharing tools and equipment, paint jobs go easier, faster and are more fun with a buddy.

Go Shopping

• Many paint and home improvement stores are making it easy for just about anyone to do their own faux finishing. Not only will you find textured rollers and other applicators on the shelves, but faux painting kits, water-based glazes and specialty finishes abound. Ask about in-store faux finishing clinics--some stores hold these for free with the expectation that you'll buy all your project supplies from them.

  Also consider specialty paints, like metallic, sand or suede-effect enamels. This is a very easy way to achieve a faux effect with no more effort than doing a regular roller-and-brush paint job.

Think Outside the Box

• Don't be afraid to experiment. The worst than can happen is disliking the final outcome and having to paint over it. Practicing your faux techniques on a piece of carboard before starting on the walls is always a good idea. Paint one wall as an accent wall instead of the whole bathroom if you think it might be too overwhelming. Don't forget the ceiling--puffy white clouds are easy to sponge onto a blue background and cute in kids' bathrooms. Look at the other surfaces in the bathroom. Vanities, wood trim and even counter tops can be painted for much less cost than replacing them.