When you begin decorating your house, you’ll discover lots about interior design and finishing options that you probably never knew existed. You’re bound to come across Venetian plastering, which could completely change the direction of your design on how to coat your walls.
What is Venetian plaster?
Firstly, it is important to understand what is the difference between plaster and Venetian plaster.
The main thing to be aware of is that ‘regular plaster’, also referred to as Gypsum plaster or pink plaster here in the UK is your typical wall coating, which is installed over plasterboard or bonding coat.
It is normal to have the walls and ceiling plastered this way and then painted.
Venetian plaster, on the other hand, is made from slaked lime putty with marble dust, used as a decorative top coat to finish your surfaces.
It can be customised and tinted to suit your exact taste preferences, and overall is much more versatile than regular plastering.
With typical options for feature walls including, but not limited to:
- Venetian polished plaster
- Textured Venetian plaster
- Natural stone effect Venetian plaster
- Stencil works
- Textured layers
- Metallic additives
- Ageing and Patinas
It’s about that personalised look and feel
Homes decorated with Venetian plaster have a luxurious look and feel as long as the installation has been done well, and lighting has been considered.
Since everyone has a different interpretation of what good looks like, we work with you to find the perfect design for your space. This can be done virtually or by visiting our Venetian plaster showroom, in Amersham.
Clients usually reach out to us for help with their designs when they realise regular paint or paper options aren’t what they want, or need, to bring their visions to life.
Once they see an array of interesting textures, tones and tints the imagination can run wild. As Venetian plaster is available with varying grain sizes – fine grain, medium or coarse – there are different finishes you can achieve with Venetian plaster, as a standalone product or by infusing some of our other material options, such as Limewash, or Liquid Metal.
Having texture on your walls adds a level of uniqueness, as well as style and character, which is why it is a luxurious choice of wall covering.
Don’t settle for boring
Ever wondered where those striking, awe-inspiring wall designs you see on social media begin life? Or what the process might be to have something similar as your very own Venetian plaster feature wall?
By choosing to explore Venetian plastered walls, you’ll soon realise the main limiting factor is often imagination, but don’t worry, we’re here to help guide you through the process and have an outstanding track record of helping clients bring their Decorative Dreams to Life.
You can have the colour and texture of your choice, which once installed and complete we will apply sealer or protective wax to ensure the installation remains looking great for as long as possible.
Get in touch with the experts
With this type of decorating being very specialised, it is best to call in professional Venetian plasterers, who know exactly what they are doing to create the beautiful feature wall/s you desire.
With the more intricate and complex nature of these materials, you’ll find it is much more labour-intensive and unforgiving material compared with gypsum plaster.
D.I.Y disasters can ensue for those who do decide to ‘have a go themselves’, with the cost of Venetian plaster being significantly higher than gypsum, you can soon end up with an expensive mistake on your hands, which you then have to pay out for a second time to correct.
Application style and artistic flair are both needed to create a Venetian plaster artpiece wall and there is real craftsmanship to this.
Therefore, if you are going to invest in the product, it is worth investing in professionals too.
Where is it best to install your Venetian plaster artpiece wall?
For maximum visual impact and to create a statement piece we find that most of our clients wish to install Venetian plaster artpiece walls in dining areas, lounge spaces or in conjunction with a media wall.
Once you realise what is possible, it is tempting to want to make a good impression everywhere in your house, so alongside these main areas you may wish to have Venetian plastering in the bedrooms as feature walls, or in the entranceway to welcome visitors with an eye-catching design.
If you’re thinking of using it in places where there is a lot of moisture, such as kitchens, shower rooms and bathrooms, we advise that there are more suitable materials we have instead.
Including Microcement, which is a bit like a waterproof Venetian plaster.
So this is a much better choice for splashback, floors, full wetrooms and around the bath or within shower enclosures.
Due to the nature of these Venetian plaster artpiece walls, we suggest they are best left for areas without high foot traffic, as regular touching or the likelihood of damage can impact them over time, we want you to enjoy the piece for many years to come!
Why choose to have Venetian plaster artpiece walls?
You might decide to have a Venetian plaster artpiece wall because you love design and want something that ties in with the rest of your home decor or a few key pieces.
Also, you might get excited by just how deeply personal these walls are, infusing aspects of your personality and having the ability to bring your vision to life, exactly how you want it to be.
When other options aren’t an option, you’ll find our Venetian plaster walls give you complete creative freedom in texture, tones and tints.
You can even add in stencils, quotes, emblems, motifs and more so you end up with something truly special.
Lastly, it’s the element of exclusivity and making a real statement, not everyone can have one and this adds further to the appeal.
What else to think about in a room where you have a Venetian plaster artpiece wall?
Naturally, we want the feature wall to take centre stage, however, there are other components involved in room design from a wider perspective that also need to be considered.
If you’re not already working with an interior designer, then it’s worth considering using our growing team of talent, which now includes Maura, who brings a wealth of experience and insight to this world.
The other key details for your space would include the soft furnishings, how you plan to dress the space, and what the pieces of furniture and ironmongery you’ll have.
Lighting design plays an integral role in how the artpiece wall will be brought to life, so to get the maximum impact, throughout the course of the day this needs to be factored in at the same time, or before the creation of said wall.
If you don’t have a lighting designer already, we have some great contacts we can recommend, including our neighbours at Sky House Design Centre, speak to Chhaya and the team at Indigo Zest, who can advise, supply and install the best solution for you.
Layering the other elements involved in design takes skills and insight, which means the difference between WOW and meh.
We’d love to create something special for you, so get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
