In case you haven’t noticed, nail art is insanely trendy right now. It seems fashion it-girls everywhere are just plain bored with traditional nail polish. In a similar manner, interior designers are ditching traditional paint options and instead, are choosing to go bold with decorative paint techniques.

Decorative Paint Techniques: A Game-Changer

Italya Colour Texture is a game-changer when it comes to decorative paint techniques for the home. Italya Colour Texture is a unique Italian paint product that helps you achieve highly specialized paint finishes and textures in your home.

According to Savy Paint, U.S. authorized distributor of Italya Colour Texture, “each of Italya Colour Texture decorative paint finishes and patterns are inspired by the native décor and feel of its Italian city namesake. For example, Ferrara creates the elegant look of silk fabric, while the sumptuous marble effect produced by Venetian Plaster is based on the classically enchanting ambiance of the ancient city of Venice.”

Each Italya Colour Texture decorative paint kit includes base coat, specialized finish, application tools, and instructional video — everything you need to transform your space.

Whether you use Italya Colour Texture or more traditional paint products by brands such as Benjamin Moore, Behr or Farrow & Ball, here are 4 decorative paint trends that have interior designers swooning:

1. Graphic Shapes

The bold wall patterns and graphic installations that were popular in the 1980s are making a comeback, says Orlando Soria, West Coast creative director of Homepolish. Graphic shapes may include designs such as chevron, stripes, circles, blocks, diamond patterns, triangles, honeycomb, polka dots, thick line murals, color blocked slabs, and scallops.

2. Marbleizing

Love the look of marble walls but unable to afford the major expense and/or unwilling to take on the treacherous remodel? You may wish to consider marbleizing, a centuries-old decorative paint technique used to create the look of marble walls. Marbleizing involves layering paint colors then using a variety of blotting, smoothing and brushing techniques. The most important step is feathering, a painting technique in which you use a feather to create the marble vein look.

Marbleizing can be modernized by using unexpected colors (like magenta, emerald green or plum) or any shade of paint that features a metallic tint.

3. Strié

Strié is a decorative paint technique intended to mimic the look of fine fabric or centuries-old painted woodwork that has been altered by dust and sun. Strié involves using two different paint colors which creates highlights and lowlights, adding texture and depth to a space. The key to strié is utilizing a dry brush in order to create the desired streaky texture (strié means streaking in French.) Here are the basic steps of strié decorative paint technique:

1. Paint a base coat of semigloss paint. Let dry.
2. Layer on a second color of paint that has been mixed with decorator’s glaze.
3. Drag a dry brush vertically through the glaze mixture, working from top to bottom.

4. Painted Floors

Add interest underfoot by trying a decorative paint technique on the floor. Painted floors are a huge trend right now. Famed fashion designer Rebecca Taylor recently had her New York office remodeled and one of the major standouts is the hand-painted 3D floor. Homepolish’s Tali Roth spent 12 hours taping and painting the pattern on the floor. The labor of love paid off. Rebecca Taylor’s head of brand visuals Erin Ryder says the painted floors are her favorite thing about the office makeover, stating, “They add so much drama and texture, but the subtle colors ensure they don’t overpower the other elements.”

Is Wallpaper Way Over?

You may be thinking to yourself, why not just use wallpaper (for everything but the floors, that is)? Yes, wallpaper is the traditional go-to option for achieving texture-rich and/or patterned walls. However, as you’ve discovered, wallpaper is not your only option. Decorative paint techniques can produce equally beautiful results and bonus — you don’t have to bother with those pesky adhesives or endure the frustration of mismatched seams.

Have you tried Italya Colour Texture? If so, we’d love to hear about your experience! If you haven’t tried Italya Colour Texture, what paint products have you used for decorative interior painting? Please share your comments below and be sure to add a product review by joining the Revuu community.  

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