How to Paint a Bedroom With French Decor
- 1). Use a warm color palette. Add visual warmth and a feeling of coziness to the French bedroom decor by using hues, such as sunflower gold, creamy tan, terracotta orange or cranberry red. Choose a color that is either the top or second value on a paint-store color strip, as this often lends itself to the most weathered final result when it combines with the faux wall treatment glaze in the subsequent layers.
- 2). Prepare the area. French faux finishes are often messy, so it is important to line the floor with a plastic drop cloth. Using easy-to-remove painter's tape, apply it to areas around the doors, windows and moldings to keep the edges of the paint technique crisp and clean. This will give the finish a professional appearance.
- 3). Paint a base coat. Using a light color from the paint strip, apply a coat of paint as a starting step for the French faux finish. Using a roller, apply the paint in a sweeping "V" pattern until the walls are complete. Fill in the areas near the ceiling, windows and baseboard with a paintbrush, and allow the paint to dry thoroughly.
- 4). Use a paintbrush to apply glaze. Choose a glaze color that coordinates with the base coat, and apply with a 3-inch paintbrush. Dip the brush into the faux wall treatment glaze, and add texture and dimension to the painted wall by adding paint strokes in an "X" pattern, working in a 4-foot area at a time. Using a brush instead of a roller gives the wall added depth, which is the hallmark of a French faux finish technique.
- 5). Apply a sealer coat. To protect the faux finish and make it durable, apply a coat of water-based, flat-finish varnish to the finished French bedroom walls. Apply with a roller in a "V" pattern until the walls are complete for a long-lasting, protective finish.
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