Painting Inside My Tenant House Using a Limewash Finish
If you're looking to refresh a room, but don't want to purchase new décor, consider giving it a new coat of paint - even a subtle change in color can totally transform a space.
Not long ago, I decided my Tenant House, the guest house where my daughter Alexis and her children stay when they come to visit, needed an update. I chose to repaint the kitchen, living room, and the bedrooms using a limewash finish. Limewash is made from limestone that’s been crushed, burned, and mixed with water to make a lime putty and then colored with natural pigments. Using limewash is a centuries old technique that creates a slightly mottled and matte appearance with a chalky texture, almost like suede. We used limewash from Domingue Architectural Finishes, which offers beautiful, natural soft shades and the rooms look fantastic.
Enjoy these photos.
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- My Bedford, New York farm has several buildings, including one, which has always been called the Tenant House. This little cottage was part of the original farm when I purchased it and it was, indeed, used as a rental for a tenant. When I moved here, I had it completely restored from top to bottom. It is a nice house for my daughter’s family when they come to visit. Like any home, it needs to be maintained and updated from time to time. Recently, I decided the interior was due for a new coat of paint.
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- Whenever my longtime painter, Stephan, comes to do a project, he and his team are very neat and tidy. All the supplies – brushes, paints and primers, scrapers, and other tools are brought in, organized, and stacked for easy reach.
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- The first step is to protect all the surfaces. Here, Stephan puts down Floorotex All Purpose Floor Protection. This is a wonderful, breathable, flexible material that protects a variety of surfaces. It is easy to fit on staircases and vents. Plus, it’s reusable.
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- Next, every surface not being painted has to be carefully covered with plastic and tape.
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- Here, the windows are covered with plastic and the tops of the chair rail molding are covered with brown paper. Everything is completely taped, so there is no worry later of accidentally painting something that should not be painted.
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- The next step is to prep the surfaces and fill any timeworn cracks, etc. with caulk.
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- All the areas are then primed and left to dry. Priming is an important step to any room painting project. The main reason surface preparation is so crucial is because paint can’t adhere to unprepared surfaces. If a paint job is rushed and prep work is left undone, the paint will peel, crack, bubble up, and flake because it is not sticking properly.
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- We’re using Domingue Architectural Finishes Bonding Primer. A bonding primer provides the best coating and promotes good adhesion to the surface.
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- The primer is applied and then all the supplies are organized neatly underneath the kitchen island until the next day. Keeping everything organized and ready to use saves time in the long run.
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- This paint is from Domingue Architectural Finishes. The company that makes these fine paints is Chateau Domingue, one of the country’s premier importers of European furnishings and architectural pieces. Founded in Texas in 2002 by Ruth Gay, Chateau Domingue specializes in French, Italian and Belgium designs from the 15th through the 19th centuries – all inspired by Ruth’s longtime passion for architecture and design, and her many travels throughout Europe. Over the years, Ruth expanded her business to include Atelier Domingue Architectural Metalcrafts, which fabricates custom steel windows and doors, and Domingue Architectural Finishes which provides beautiful plaster surfaces, and limewash and mineral paint finishes – all made from natural elements.
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- We’re using two different colors. This is called Nuvolo. I chose to use this for the kitchen and and hallways.
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- The other color is Scarpa, on top, designated for the living room and bedrooms. It is a little darker. Another tip is to use the same paint pans for like colors throughout the project, so there is never a chance of mixing or altering the shades.
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- Stephan applies a very light first coat of limewash to the wall. Limewash should be applied in several thin coats using a long-haired or masonry paintbrush that creates feathered strokes.
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- This is one of the kitchen walls drying. Limewash becomes much lighter as it dries. It’s up to 10 times darker when it’s wet, so it’s important to test the colors. The opacity depends on the number of coats that are applied; typically up to three coats. I decided on two coats.
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- This is the darker shade of Scarpa on a living room wall.
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- While the downstairs dries, the upstairs is prepped. Again, Stephan and his team apply the protective floor coverings in all the bedrooms and in the hallway.
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- All the thermostats are taped as well. Taping before painting not only provides a barrier to surfaces that aren’t being painted, but allows painters to work quickly without worrying about making mistakes. Taping also helps create clean lines and protect areas from possible drips.
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- Different types of tape with varying amounts of adhesive allow one to use stronger tapes in one area and less sticky tapes in another.
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- And here is the finished bedroom. The trim paint is in excellent condition, so none of the trim had to be redone. It also matches excellently with the limewash color.
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- Here is another bedroom wall – I love how it all came out.
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- The change in paint is subtle yet elegant. The next phase will be to put back all the furniture – of course, with some changes in placement. I will be sure to show you some of those images when the decorating is all all done.
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- Limewash is a great all-natural finish alternative. Traditional limewash is environmentally-friendly and because of lime’s high pH level, microorganisms can’t survive, which adds a hypoallergenic quality. Limewash can be used indoors and out and is best applied to porous surfaces, such as plaster, stone, and brick. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
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