Decorative plaster as art for your interior

The 21st century has brought us countless new advancements; may they be technological, industrial, fashionable or social, today we can see that many of them have also reached the fields of construction and home decor. There are numerous possibilities when it comes to home improvement, giving you the chance to pick exactly what you want. And while the more traditional decorative methods such as paint and wallpaper are here to stay, decorative wall plasters pave the way into exciting new opportunities and keep blurring the line between the old classics and modern design.

At the same time, all these options can also be confusing, especially if you're new to the field of home improvement. Many of these name's may be unfamiliar and some - much too similar. To make sure you have all the facts about what the different products are, what they have to offer and what decorative opportunities they hold, continue reading!

What's the difference between plasters and decorative plasters?

Different plasters are made from various materials, but have the same functionality. Whether it's gypsum plaster, veneer plaster, venetian plaster or silk plaster, initially or pre-application they all possess a wet, paste like form, which allows for its smooth and sometimes intricate application, depending on the desired result. After that you allow the plaster to harden and you have a ready-to-go surface.

There are, however, differences between different plasters in that most are used as a part of the construction/finishing process rather than interior design. For example, veneer plaster is mostly used to obtain a smooth, monochrome surface that would later provide a base for any wall covers.

Gypsum plaster offers different uses and thereby it blurs the line between base materials and interior materials. Most commonly, gypsum plaster would be used to reach a clean and finite wall surface, but more recently have also been re-introduced in interior designs via different decorative plaster mouldings for walls and ceilings. To better describe, imagine an old palace or temple, where the arches and ceiling lines were intricately sculpted. For example, the Versallies or Fontainebleau palaces. In places like this it can also be seen that such mouldings were covered in silver and golden colours to add to the distinguished look.

Of course, decorating a room today to such an extent might be considered a bit tacky, but if you add it as a smaller element to take notice, it can be a wonderful addition to the interior.

Finally, such plasters as venetian plaster and Silk plaster, while can be used on outer surfaces, are made to let your interior shine! These decorative wall plasters come with their own unique look, so depending on what you're looking for, these might take the cake.

Venetian plaster paint, which may sometimes be referred to as lime plaster, is a putty-like substance made from fired limestone or marble dust, which in preparation is mixed with water. After application, the final look should resemble genuine marble.

Silk plaster, on the other hand, consists of eco-friendly materials such as textile, cotton fibres and decorative mineral additives. This provides a unique soft-to-the-touch texture and beautiful visual depth that no other wall cover will achieve.

Decorative plaster for walls and ceilings

The fundamentally superior quality for plasters is that they provide the opportunity for application to almost any surface - indoors, outdoors, walls, ceilings, kitchens, bathrooms, office spaces and more!

There are some nuances in terms of preparation for each wall, but the decorative wall plaster application in and of itself is not different from, say, decorative plaster application on ceilings.

Once you have chosen the type of decorative plaster to be used, you will need to select the design. There are a number of different design possibilities, ranging from simple colours to geometric patterns, to more intricate and detailed plaster paintings. With decorative plaster, you have the freedom to experiment and create unique and memorable plaster wall art as well as decorative plaster ceiling designs that will capture the imagination of anyone who sees it.

Notice that no other wall plaster paint option will give you the same outcome that combines texture, colour and design of your choice as that of Silk plaster liquid wallpaper. Indeed Silk plaster liquid wallpaper is a unique texture paint that will add warmth and comfort not only through its practical benefits, but also by the sheer look of it!

How to apply Silk plaster in the decorative plaster design you choose?

Simple decorative plaster walls

For a classy, forever modern look a single colour wall will never let you down. A popular choice in these cases is a two-colour pick, where either half the room is different (2/4 walls) or maybe just one wall, providing an immediate attraction point in the room.

This process requires four simple steps - surface preparations, putting up the primer, material preparation and application. Once you have prepared the surface to the point that it's dry, smooth, clean, monochrome white, free from stains and dust, you then treat it with a deep penetration primer. Apply two layers of Silk plaster primer over the entire surface, giving a 24 hour drying period between them and the following liquid wallpaper layer.

To prepare the material, pour clean room temperature water into a plastic container. The amount of water for each type of decorative plaster is indicated on the packaging. Then pour the content of the package into the water. If your chosen decorative plaster wall design requires it, add in glitters to the mix.

Mix the material by hand thoroughly to avoid glue clumps. Some wall decorative plaster materials require you to use a drill with a mixer nozzle, which will be noted on the packaging.

Keep in mind that partial mixing of one package is not allowed! So if you need several packages of Silk plaster, mix them at once. A single wall or ceiling should be completely covered with the material from the same mix. Then put the soaked material in a sealed plastic bag or container and keep it for 12 hours.

Before application, once more mix the material thoroughly by hand or mixer drill, the same as before. Use a plastic trowel to apply small amounts of the mixed material evenly throughout the surface. After 1-2 hours smooth the surface with the trowel, wetting it with water. The material should be used within 48 hours after soaking.

To increase durability, as well as for a future possibility of wet cleaning, cover the surface with a plaster wall finish such as Silk plaster varnish.

Complex decorative plaster ceilings and/or walls

Geometric patterns are a bit more complex, but with careful work at the hands of a professional, can provide a very unique and wonderful space.

The preparation of the surface and materials is similar, but make sure that if you're mixing two different colours and not just two or more packages of the same colour, it must be done in separate containers!

There are, however, even more intricate possibilities brought forward by liquid wallpaper drawing on the wall. These intricate designs are made with the help of stencils. You can choose from ready-made designs online or make your own, as long as you're happy and comfortable with the outcome! In choosing the liquid wallpaper drawing options for an interior, you have the options of using:

1. Simple stencils for applying a single colour. In other words, you take a stencil, put it up along the wall and apply the prepared liquid wallpaper mix on top - fairly straight forward;
2. Multicolor stencils to create full, bright and colourful images. This requires several stancils that will be set on top of one another to add the necessary layers to the picture. In case of overlapping, this means you'll have to wait for the bottom layer to dry before applying the new one so as to not ruin the picture;
3. 3D drawings or volumetric patterns are a bit more complicated to do, as you need to use a putty for this. However, you're not doing it by hand, but instead just using a volumetric stencil on the process, which will bring out certain elements on the wall;
4. Reverse stencils that give you the option of colouring around the cut-out as opposed to colouring over it as it's done with simple stencils. This gives the result of having a highlighted background instead of the foreground.

Keep in mind that even when choosing to do more intricate and complex drawings, your wall cover will still benefit from a plaster finish, making it last even longer.

We've reached the end of this article and hope that it has given you a bit more of an insight into what are the differences between traditional plasters and decorative plasters, and how decorative plasters can be used to improve both your walls and ceilings with different and creative designs. If you have any additional questions about Silk plaster decorative wall cover products, don't hesitate to contact our team for more information!