The Tuscan look is one of the most popular paint finishes available today. It employs faux painting techniques to create a warm, weathered appearance, reminiscent of traditional homes in rural Italy. Faux painting is one way to simulate the textured Tuscan look. Alternatively, actual texture can be added by means of Venetian plastering. Faux painting is a particularly economical and effective way to create texture on flat walls. A rich but subtle color palette is vital to reproducing the Tuscan finish, with its Mediterranean feel.
The Tuscan Look
The traditional homes of Tuscany that have inspired the Tuscan look are simple, cozy dwellings in the countryside that have been home to generations of rural people. They seem to be an organic part of the landscape and evoke Mediterranean sunshine and the passage of time. The gentle, subtle colors are those of the surroundings, with materials sourced from the local area, and paints and plasters made and applied using time-honored methods.
Decorative details are typically stenciled onto walls as borders and have a home-grown, folk-art quality. Tiles and mosaics in complementary colors are also used. The versatile Tuscan paint finish is well-suited to informal living areas, dining rooms, kitchens and patios but can also be effective in more formal rooms.
Tuscan Colors
The materials that lend the Tuscan palette its distinctive warmth have been used throughout human history. Iron oxides, as well as other minerals, are the traditional basis of paints world-wide. These pigments, or ochres, create colors that are muted and natural, not bright or sharp, as in industrial paint products of today.
Iron oxide (iron ore) comes in many shades of red. The warm colors may range from bright red to a deep maroon or rusty red-brown. Allied hues are rich oranges, shades of terracotta, golden yellows and even varieties of pink or peach. These pigments are not only the basic color ingredients of paint, but can also be used to tint plaster.
Earthy colors are central in Tuscan color schemes, but other colors from the landscape also feature. Olive or sage greens and deep blues go well with ochres and are attractive colors for tiles and mosaics. Terracotta flooring, the color of natural clay, is a good finish for a Tuscan-styled room.
Choosing Your Tuscan Palette
The faux painting technique, most popular for creating the weathered textured Tuscan finish, involves color washing using two or more colors. Most earth pigments are complementary and it's hard to go wrong when choosing combinations. Choose the color depth and intensity of your paints to suit the space you want to make over. Factors to consider include the size and brightness of the room.
Color washing is a versatile technique that can be used to create different moods. Paler colors can produce a dreamy feel, while darker colors can be warmer and more intense. Final details may include stenciled borders. Leafy designs or bunches of grapes are particularly fitting. Tiling in muted greens and blues adds extra color to a kitchen or patio. Mosaics - faux or real - are also in keeping with the Italian theme. - 16035
The Tuscan Look
The traditional homes of Tuscany that have inspired the Tuscan look are simple, cozy dwellings in the countryside that have been home to generations of rural people. They seem to be an organic part of the landscape and evoke Mediterranean sunshine and the passage of time. The gentle, subtle colors are those of the surroundings, with materials sourced from the local area, and paints and plasters made and applied using time-honored methods.
Decorative details are typically stenciled onto walls as borders and have a home-grown, folk-art quality. Tiles and mosaics in complementary colors are also used. The versatile Tuscan paint finish is well-suited to informal living areas, dining rooms, kitchens and patios but can also be effective in more formal rooms.
Tuscan Colors
The materials that lend the Tuscan palette its distinctive warmth have been used throughout human history. Iron oxides, as well as other minerals, are the traditional basis of paints world-wide. These pigments, or ochres, create colors that are muted and natural, not bright or sharp, as in industrial paint products of today.
Iron oxide (iron ore) comes in many shades of red. The warm colors may range from bright red to a deep maroon or rusty red-brown. Allied hues are rich oranges, shades of terracotta, golden yellows and even varieties of pink or peach. These pigments are not only the basic color ingredients of paint, but can also be used to tint plaster.
Earthy colors are central in Tuscan color schemes, but other colors from the landscape also feature. Olive or sage greens and deep blues go well with ochres and are attractive colors for tiles and mosaics. Terracotta flooring, the color of natural clay, is a good finish for a Tuscan-styled room.
Choosing Your Tuscan Palette
The faux painting technique, most popular for creating the weathered textured Tuscan finish, involves color washing using two or more colors. Most earth pigments are complementary and it's hard to go wrong when choosing combinations. Choose the color depth and intensity of your paints to suit the space you want to make over. Factors to consider include the size and brightness of the room.
Color washing is a versatile technique that can be used to create different moods. Paler colors can produce a dreamy feel, while darker colors can be warmer and more intense. Final details may include stenciled borders. Leafy designs or bunches of grapes are particularly fitting. Tiling in muted greens and blues adds extra color to a kitchen or patio. Mosaics - faux or real - are also in keeping with the Italian theme. - 16035
About the Author:
Ready for more Tuscany in your home? Visit ThatPainterLady.com for more ideas and extra tips for faux painting finishes in golden yellow tuscan too.
