Amongst the paint finishes used to create an antique or weathered look, the Tuscan finish is extremely popular. It is typically achieved using faux painting techniques, especially color washing, to create the illusion of texture and age. The look can also be recreated by introducing actual texture, with Venetian plastering, for example. Faux finishes that create the appearance of texture on a flat surface are a practical and economical choice for decorators seeking the atmosphere of Italy. As well as texture, the right color palette is also of paramount importance in the Tuscan look.
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
Mined for millennia, pigments known collectively as 'ochres' are the traditional basis of paints worldwide. Red ochre is simply iron ore, while other metal oxides are used for different color paints. These natural pigments, mixed with lime and other substances, lend paints an organic quality that is lacking in the commercial paints that we are accustomed to 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.
Though these colors are the core of the Tuscan palette, other colors are also incorporated into the range. Muted blues and greens (shades of olive and sage) are also effective in recreating Tuscan finishes. The Tuscan look goes well with terracotta tiled floors.
Choosing Your Tuscan Palette
The natural colors in the Tuscan palette mix and match well, though there are further considerations. You can choose paints of different color intensity. Warmer colors may be required for a cold room and conversely, cooler colors for a bright, sunny space. Color washing requires a minimum of two colors, but further colors can be added to produce a more textured and varied effect.
Depending on how you apply the paint and the nature and range of the colors used, you can achieve a cloudy, airy finish or a denser, moodier feel. To complete the Tuscan paint finish, consider stenciled borders in similar muted tones. Foliage such as acanthus leaves or vines and grapes are motifs in keeping with the Tuscan theme. Faux mosaics and tiles in suitable colors provide another finishing touch.
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
Mined for millennia, pigments known collectively as 'ochres' are the traditional basis of paints worldwide. Red ochre is simply iron ore, while other metal oxides are used for different color paints. These natural pigments, mixed with lime and other substances, lend paints an organic quality that is lacking in the commercial paints that we are accustomed to 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.
Though these colors are the core of the Tuscan palette, other colors are also incorporated into the range. Muted blues and greens (shades of olive and sage) are also effective in recreating Tuscan finishes. The Tuscan look goes well with terracotta tiled floors.
Choosing Your Tuscan Palette
The natural colors in the Tuscan palette mix and match well, though there are further considerations. You can choose paints of different color intensity. Warmer colors may be required for a cold room and conversely, cooler colors for a bright, sunny space. Color washing requires a minimum of two colors, but further colors can be added to produce a more textured and varied effect.
Depending on how you apply the paint and the nature and range of the colors used, you can achieve a cloudy, airy finish or a denser, moodier feel. To complete the Tuscan paint finish, consider stenciled borders in similar muted tones. Foliage such as acanthus leaves or vines and grapes are motifs in keeping with the Tuscan theme. Faux mosaics and tiles in suitable colors provide another finishing touch.
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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.
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