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Getting Started in Real Estate!
A Single’s Game of Real Estate
(Getting started in your twenties)
By Dan Auito
This discussion leans toward answering questions asked most often by our youthful men and women in there early twenties. They often begin to ask themselves the...
Maryland Real Estate – Coastline Dominates
Maryland is unique in that many of the population centers lie on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. If you have a hankering to be close to the water, Maryland real estate may be the answer.
Maryland
Maryland, the ocean and seafood are three...
Montana Real Estate – Big Sky Country
Montana is known as Big Sky Country for the wide-open spaces you can find there. Fortunately, Montana real estate is inexpensive enough to make it a good relocation spot.
Montana
Montana has some of the most beautiful scenery in the United...
Real Estate Investing Basics
Real estate investments may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but some people who have already tried investing in real estate know that it can be profitable. Real estate investment experts say there are several keys to making significant profits in...
Rhode Island Real Estate – The Cozy State
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the union. While Rhode Island real estate prices aren’t the smallest, the appreciation rate is healthy.
Rhode Island
Located between Connecticut and Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island is a...
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Decorative Know How - Faux Marble In Six Easy Steps
Home decorators looking for something a little different are often faced with expensive products and time consuming solutions, making many of us opt for more everyday options like wallpaper and basic paint finishes. However one lasting favorite offers an inexpensive solution that can be used almost anywhere and mimics that most ancient and noble of finishes - marble.
With the right approach, and a little patience, you can recreate marble on almost any surface using basic paints and glaze.
Tools For The Job
For a pale marbling effect you will need:
1) Undercoat or eggshell paint for the background (dependent on surface)
2) Artists oil paints in umber and varying shades of grey (for the veins seen in marble)
3) Translucent glaze to create a natural sheen for the finish
4) Brushes - household paint brushes, a soft flat artists brush, soft makeup brush, natural sponge, lint free rags
5) Glass paper and white spirit
Mixing The Paint
The marble effect is created by applying layers of tinted glaze, veins and mottling over a white or pale basecoat. You then work in gradual variations of tone to the background color by dabbing on artist's oil paint or tinted eggshell paint. Use the brushes and natural sponge to break up the color of the basecoat.
You need to mix the paint in the appropriate ratios. For an opaque glaze, good proportions to work with are:
- Three parts oil based scumble
- Five parts of white eggshell
- Two parts white spirit.
Mix the paint with the glaze then add the white spirit to give a creamy consistency. You can create a more translucent glaze by tinting it with stainers or oil paints and then add equal amounts of white spirit.
Six Easy Steps
1) Rub down the surface to be decorated and apply undercoat (on wood or metal) or eggshell (on walls) in a suitable color. A well-prepared surface will be free of splinters or flaking paint. The paint effect will look better if you take care over this stage.
2) If necessary,
apply a further coat to act as a base coat for the decorative finish. Tint it slightly with grey oil paint and use a sponge to create lightly mottled areas.
3) Using artists' oil and an artists brush start to create a random trellis of diagonal veins across the surface. Traditional colors to use are burnt sienna and dark grey on pale marble and whites and greens on black backgrounds.
4) Strengthen some of the veins with darker colors, and then soften the effect by brushing over the surface with a soft feather or soft brush.
5) Use a natural sponge to create variations in tone, lifting off color or applying more color where needed.
6) To create the natural luster of marble apply a translucent glaze, with a light umber tint. In some patches, add extra coats of glaze for a natural effect. Finish by applying a coat of clear gloss varnish followed by a coat of satin varnish to give the surface added sheen and greater depth.
Luxurious And Opulent
Creating your own marble effect is as easy as following the directions above. The cost of the paint is minimal but creates an expensive looking effect. Marble has long been used as a luxurious and opulent building material, leaving a unique finish that can be easily mimicked with a little effort.
The real beauty of this technique is that because the materials are inexpensive it allows you to try different colors and finishes to match your decor. Experiment with different shades and tones and try varying the depth of the veins to really bring the work alive. With a little practice, and some patience, you might be amazed at the results.
About the author:
Louise Alderson combines her hands-on experience as a real estate developer with her love of interior design and textiles, and is the author of a number of popular articles on home decor and home accent tips.
Visit The Tapestry House online at: http://www.thetapestryhouse.com/
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