Q: Is a faux finish customized or do I chose from an existing faux paint pattern?
A:It all depends on what your looking for. We have samples of premade designs and faux finishes but everything can be changed or modified to give you the color you want or any changes to the design itself. We have sample boards we can look at to get a perfect match.
Q: How do I know what faux finish to use in my home?
A: Sometimes we work in situations where we have designers that will contact us or we can do some design work ourselves and go over the different color schemes and the themes that are taking place in the house. Alot of it depends on the architecture of the individual house and what the house will lend itself to. We can do accent walls and niches or we can do themes where we can do Arizona Faux Finishes all around the house from simple glazes and washes to using a suede color in different rooms. Depending on your location in Arizona we can take a look and give you a free consultation.
Q: What is a Faux Finish?
A: Faux finisheing is the art of applying paint, plaster, papers, etc. to a surface in such a way as to make the surface appear to be made of a different material than it really is. Marble, stone, leather, suede and distressing are all fabulous faux finishes. A skilled decorative painter can create a unique environment by using a faux finish to set the tone and mood of a living space.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Clients are often surprised at the cost of faux finishing. Here's how we explain it to our clients. When you have a room painted, the painter uses what are called in the trade "production" tools. Examples of production tools are brushes, rollers or spray rig. The production tools cover a large area quickly (usually an average of 300 square feet per hour). The painter can usually get by with one or two coats of paint. It is a relatively fast process.
Faux finishing on the other hand is NOT a production process. Faux finishes often require repairs and/or priming of an existing wall, at least one (but usually two) "base coats" before the decorative painting process can begin. This initial process is fairly quick.
However, there the similarities cease. In faux finishing, artisans use small tools like rags, cheesecloth and sponges. They cover only a small area at a time. The decorative painter usually works 45 to 60 square feet per hour. In general, faux finishes are "layered," meaning that the artisan does the faux finish painting more than two times around the room. For a marble, leather or stone finish it may require 6 times around the room!
As you can see, faux finishing requires more time and energy than painting. Therefore the cost is substantially more. A good rule of thumb is that faux finishing a room will cost four to six times more than painting the same room a solid color. Typical prices in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area begin at $2.50 per square foot depending on the intricacy of the design and chosen final finish.