Antique looks are very fashionable throughout the home and the techniques used to give paint an aged look are fairly easy for most homeowners to do on their own. However, some techniques require some experience or a great working knowledge of painting styles, but with some research you can get a great look even if it is not absolutely perfect. Here are a few tips to help you get started with giving your walls an antique paint look:

Getting Started

To begin, gather the materials that you need for the project, including protection for the floor and all surfaces that you do not want to paint. Use painter’s tape to block off windows, outlets, and door-frames, and use the same method for protecting molding at the top and bottom of each wall. Choose your paint, including one shade for the base and another for the antiquing. You will also need paint rollers, roller handles and paint trays, in addition to a paintbrush for corners and the antique finish.

Keep in mind that you may have to do some touch-ups throughout the room when the tape is removed after the paint dries, so a small brush should be kept handy for this project. You may also want to purchase an extra quart of the base coat color for use touching up throughout the space, especially if there are many areas that will be cordoned off. A drop cloth is the best choice for protecting the floor, but use boards to weigh down the edges to protect carpeting or expensive hardwood flooring.

Painting the First Layer

Paint the entire room the first color, such as your white or off-white shade that was chosen as the foundation for the room. Paint corners and trim the desired shades too, making sure to add the second coat for the entire room if necessary once the first coat has dried completely. While you wait for the second coat to dry, it is a great idea to practice the antiquing technique on a board or piece of scrap sheetrock until you feel ready to put it on the walls.

The Antique Look

The aged look is not as difficult to achieve as it may sound, although it usually requires some practice if the technique is something that you haven’t done before. Simply dip the paintbrush in the paint until it is halfway up the brush, and then let the paint drip off until it is almost dry; you can also scrape the brush against the rim of the paint can to pull of excess paint. The goal is to allow some of the base coat to show through. Apply this coat of paint with an even up/down motion. Practice on your board or sheetrock until you are comfortable with the motion required to get the perfect antique look.

You can get more depth and an even more pronounced look by going back once the first layer of antiquing has dried and adding a left to right approach too. Simply use the exact same method, practicing first, for painting the second layer as you did for the first. Once finished, you can enjoy a look that feels far older and more vintage than a standard paint technique for any room in the house.