Fast Lessons in Faux Finishing a Room

Aging
Crown molding in the living room has the look of old wood. Sharon first painted it the same blue color that's on the ceiling. Then she applied spots of hunter green paint with a rag. On top of that she sponged on bronze and gold paints, allowing areas of the green and blue to show through. The metallic paints were then wiped off randomly with a rag. A coat of varnish seals the look.

Rag Rolling
This is a good technique for beginners. After a base coat dried completely on the walls, another color was added with a crumpled cloth. Sharon pressed the rag against the wall several times before dipping it again in paint. Re-crumpling the rag varies the pattern.

Do-It-Yourself Basics
You'll need a few supplies:

• paint trays
• tack cloths
• painter's tape
• gloves

Prepare the surface to be painted by filling nail holes, patching dents, and removing dust and dirt.
Use painter's tape to mark off areas you are painting.

Begin on a wall you won't see first when you enter the room, and work in small sections. You'll get better as you go, and your best effort will be on the focal wall.