Faux painting is a simple way to add elegance and sophistication to your walls, and sponge painting is the easiest way to do it. A sponge has many holes and bumps, which let you blend colors easily as you work. Sponge faux painting does not require pre-painting your wall with a base color. Nor do you have to paint a whole room at once. Just work at your pace, applying it as you go. It’s easy and fun to do, and the results are striking. (You can even refurbish a soot-covered, rusty fireplace by using faux sponge painting to create a faux painting brick design.)
As you may have guessed, the main ingredient in painting is a sea sponge. You can also use a sponge paintbrush or a sponge roller. You can find a sponge paintbrush at paint stores, like Home Depot. If you want your painting to look rough, then choose a rough sponge. If you wish the wall texture to look more smooth, choose a more delicate sponge.
Sponge Painting Color Combinations
Sponge faux painting works with any paint: flat, gloss, enamel paints, or other types. While faux painting with a sponge, you will be blending three colors: Your dominant color, a much paler version of it, and third contrast color. It’s best to choose your colors for painting from the color cards available at paint stores. This way, you can be sure that your three colors will compliment each other as you blend them with your painting.
How to Sponge Paint a Wall
Begin your faux painting with your medium color (the paler version of the dominant color). Just dip your sponge in the can of paint, then dab the wall in a few places, leaving blank spots between each dab. Sponge faux painting relies on your going such empty spots.
Next, dip your sponge in your dominant color and dab the wall in the blank spaces, filling them in. Then dip again in your first color and blend the two-color dabs here and there. Finally, dip your sponge in your contrast color and dab very little through your painted dabs. Then, to give your faux painting a smoother finish, feel free to go back to each can of paint and dab with your sea sponge here and there until you like what you see.
There’s no right or wrong with sponge painting. Use your imagination and trust yourself. But, in the end, a wall painted with faux sponge painting will have texture and beauty that a simple wall cannot possibly have.
