There’s something about chalk paint ideas that have captured our collective imaginations right now. While previous on-trend paint effects for walls transitioned into more maximalist spaces (let’s not forget the rag-rolling phenomenon of the early 2000s), whitewash has been widely embraced by minimalists as a medium. to add texture to a diagram. and play with negative space without making a room feel empty and empty.
Traditionally, limewash has been a chosen paint idea for its practicality, says Ruth Mottershead, creative director of Little Greene. “Whitewash is a breathable finish that is suitable for old walls and walls with moisture problems,” she explains. “Unlike paint, limewash penetrates the surface, and the color builds by applying successive layers.”
In its modern use, whitewash can be identified by a cloudy, mottled appearance created by the way it is applied. Lime plaster for walls is a medium that lends itself to experimentation, using different types of lime plaster, applied in different ways to achieve a multitude of finishes.
With that in mind, we’ve curated a gallery of chalk paint ideas that showcase the versatility of this type of paint and its uses around the home.
Lime Paint Ideas
1. Opt for a neutral color for your whitewash
(Image credit: Brand – Zinc Textiles, Stylist – Sarah Harwood, Photographer – Alex J Curtis)
Lime paint has reinvented itself alongside warm neutrals as a modern home decor idea. Neutral tones of beige and lime-washed taupe create a backdrop for a luxurious yet tactile scheme featuring materials such as linen, bouclé fabrics, wood and marble.
In a minimalist scheme that relies on texture rather than color for impact, lime paint has found its place, allowing walls to be free of excess wall decor without feeling stark or bare.
2. Or go bold with a bright hue
Photography by GG Archard (opens in a new tab).
(Image credit: GG Archard)
Despite the propensity for beige lime paint you’ll find on social media, it comes in a range of colours, from pastels to bright and rich colors, and limewash offers a unique opportunity to introduce color live in the house.
For example, introducing such a bright hue into this minimalist pink kitchen created by Daniel Harris Architects (opens in a new tab) perhaps shocking when using a standard emulsion, but the softness and depth achieved with this Bauwerk color creates a backdrop that adds warmth and a sunny look to the kitchen color palette.
3. Choose a dark limewash to create a moody atmosphere
(Image credit: Michael Sinclair)
While dark, saturated colors can look flat when using a matte, light-sucking emulsion, the cloudy finish of lime paint is again a plus when using shades such as black. and midnight blue as a living room idea in a dark room. The resulting space captures the moody aesthetic of using dark shades, while maintaining softness and an organic feel.
This shade, Nurture, is the darkest and most saturated color in the Visual Silence collection, a collaboration between London-based salutogenic design firm House of Grey. (opens in a new tab)and the lime paint brand Bauwerk (opens in a new tab)who came together around a mutual appreciation of the natural ingredients of lime paint and the absence of VOC content.
4. Dip your room in whitewash
(Image credit: Kalklitir)
The idea of coloring is a thriving trend in interior design, used to create a room that is bold in nature, not relying on contrast as a tool to achieve this.
“This technique uses the same shade of paint on every square inch of the walls and woodwork,” says James Greenwood, interior expert at Graham & Brown, “while creating a warm, cocooned atmosphere.”
The idea can also be applied with lime paint. In this design, Kalklitir (opens in a new tab) a lime paint has been applied to the walls, the ceiling and even the cornice, transforming this decorative element into an interesting design element in a different way.
5. Create a distinctive ceiling with whitewash
(Image credit: Milc Interiors)
In recent years, ceilings have become the go-to canvas for experimenting with color, pattern, and texture in the home. Wallpapers, murals, paneling – we’ve seen it all, so it’s no surprise to see that ceiling decorating ideas also provide the perfect medium for exploring whitewash.
“As coloring evolves, so does the desire to soften ceilings in beautiful hues to create dramatic effect,” says Poppy Pearce, creative director of Milc Interiors. (opens in a new tab), and we have to agree. Waking up to that vibrant whitewashed ceiling would definitely have us jumping out of bed with a jump in our step.
6. Keep application simple for a nuanced look
(Image credit: Francesca’s Paints)
As mentioned before, the way the whitewash is applied will affect the final finish, and even if you’re not in the fan club for this textured style of paint, whitewash can still be used subtly to add wealth to your space by simply applying from top to bottom. “Limewash has a beautiful texture, a velvety look and achieves great depth,” says Francesca Wezel, Founder of Francesca’s Paints (opens in a new tab).
This space, which uses Francesca’s Paints Lime Wash, has barely a trace of the hazy finish that lime is best known for, but the hallway and bedroom have real depth of color when the light hits them, which creates wonderfully atmospheric spaces.
7. Or make an impression with a more textured finish
(Image credit: Pure & Original)
For a more decorative finish, lime paint can be applied in broad, criss-cross strokes to create a cloudier appearance. If the choice of lime paint can make the difference, the brush is just as important. Whitewash tends to be applied with a large stain brush when painting to create a cloudy effect finish.
This kitchen was painted with Fresco Lime dark gray paint from Pure & Original (opens in a new tab)combined with warm, earthy tones and touches of wood to warm up this almost concrete finish.
8. Recreate the look of tadelakt walls in a bathroom
(Image credit: Pure & Original)
Tadelakt is a traditional coating originating from Marrakech which requires specialized trades to apply it to the walls. Thanks to its waterproof nature, it has become a popular wall finish in recent times, but with complicated and expensive installation, plaster walls are not an option for all homes.
However, there are lime paints on the market capable of recreating its decorative patterns, such as Pure & Original. (opens in a new tab)‘s Marrakech Walls, a lime-based mineral coated paint. Although it does not have the waterproof nature that makes it natural to use tadelakt as a shower wall idea, it can be treated with lime soap to make it water repellent, while lime paint has natural bacteria and mold resistance properties, making it a good fit for a bathroom.
9. Capture the essence of Venetian plaster
(Image credit: Magaret M de Lange)
Venetian plaster is an easily identifiable wall finish for its polished sheen, usually containing a fine marble dust. It’s a favorite of luxury interior designers and it’s priced to match. However, combining a mineral lime paint such as Marrakech Walls with a wax can recreate the luster of Venetian plaster, while creating a durable and easy to clean wall surface that makes it an ideal stair wall idea.
In the house of architect Siri Zanelli, partner of Collective Works (opens in a new tab)a richly pigmented green lime paint from Pure & Original has been combined with a wax to create a subtle reflective sheen.
10. Don’t limit yourself to the walls
Styling: Kirsten Visdal, creative direction: Dagny Fargestudio, visual manager: Iris Floor
(Image credit: Margaret de Lange c/o Pure & Original)
Whitewash is perhaps most commonly used on plaster walls, but it also has other applications, from wood and brick to concrete and other porous surfaces. This opens up your design possibilities to include the use of joinery such as built-in furniture, whether you’re joining cabinetry into a larger scheme or creating a feature.
In this whitewashed kitchen idea, the paint effect has been continued on the range hood, helping to both limit its presence and create a subtle feature of its elongated shape.
How is lime paint applied?
Lime paint is applied in several thin layers, only with a brush, spreading the paint as much as possible in all directions. “Limewash is usually applied in a criss-cross motion with a brush,” says Francesca Wezel, Francesca’s Paints, “in two or three coats (ours only requires two).”
The criss-cross motion is what creates the eventual cloud effect, so the size of the brush strokes and the positioning of each painted cloud will play a part in the overall look.
For a less cloudy look, lime paints can be applied from top to bottom, says Audur Skula, CEO of Kalklitir. “There are many ways to apply paint; we mainly recommend the up and down method, but the more popular X-stroke method will create a more cloudy effect.